Evidence of meeting #6 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was use.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Pat Kelly
Thank you, Dr. Weinstock.
We have time now for Ms. Khalid, with the final word in one minute, please.
5:35 p.m.
Liberal
Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I will try to be as brief as possible.
We've heard from witnesses that the use of data in informing health policy is quite useful, as it's balanced. We've also heard from witnesses that there is no perfect process by which we can maintain that transparency.
In your paper discussing the harm reduction approach and the ethical management of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the principles that you apply this to is optimizing the use of space and time. Would you agree that mobility data would help increase the efficiency of protecting the public and making sure that there's a finer balance between restrictions and privacy?
February 10th, 2022 / 5:35 p.m.
Full Professor, Department of Philosophy, McGill University, As an Individual
Sure.
None of what I've said so far should be interpreted as me saying that I don't think we should be doing this. It's what tests we impose upon ourselves. I think that in Canada we have kind of proportionality thinking. Are we limiting people's freedoms too much? Are we showing that the limitation actually serves the end we're claiming it's serving? That's a good framework to do it in.
We also have agencies like the Privacy Commissioner that are tasked with doing that sort of thinking for us.
I think we might very well have ended up in a situation where he would have said that the use that's been made of this data is entirely proportionate to the very valid end that is being served. We just haven't had that demonstration from the kind of public body—
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Pat Kelly
I'm really so sorry that I must do this. We're getting excellent evidence for our study, but I simply can't allow it to—
5:35 p.m.
Full Professor, Department of Philosophy, McGill University, As an Individual
I'm sorry.
We academics aren't very good at being concise.
5:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Pat Kelly
Don't apologize.
There is every opportunity, as well, for our witnesses to submit written evidence for the committee's consideration.
I'm sorry we had to go late, but I didn't want to shortchange both our panels, despite the vote.
With that, the meeting is adjourned.