Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, members of the committee, for the invitation to appear before you to discuss the work of my office and the importance of prioritizing privacy.
As Privacy Commissioner of Canada, my mission is to protect and promote individuals’ fundamental right to privacy. This includes overseeing compliance with both the Privacy Act, which applies to federal institutions, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, or PIPEDA, Canada’s federal private-sector privacy law.
At a time when more personal data is being collected and shared than ever before, often across borders, this is an essential mandate for Canadians. From the moment that we start our day and check our phones until the time that we wind down by streaming music or a favourite show, our personal data is being sought.
New technologies bring new opportunities to connect, to create and to innovate. For organizations, personal information can be used to offer tailored services, refine operations and evaluate results, but this also brings risks to our privacy.
It is a different reality from that of just a decade ago.
Canada's privacy laws and even my office were designed in and for a pre-digital time.
Since becoming Privacy Commissioner of Canada in 2022, I have advocated for modernization of Canada’s privacy laws, and for increased investment in data protection. Prioritizing privacy must be our collective imperative at this time of unprecedented change.
Privacy matters to Canadians. The OPC's latest public opinion research found that nine in 10 are concerned about their privacy. Sixty-two per cent believe that government respects their privacy rights—