Industry Committee on March 24th, 2015

Evidence of meeting #38 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was public.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Bill S-4, An Act to amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Catherine Romanko Public Guardian and Trustee, Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia

Douglas Brown Public Guardian and Trustee, Public Guardian and Trustee of Manitoba

Janet Cooper Vice-President, Professional Affairs, Canadian Pharmacists Association

Avner Levin Associate Professor and Director, Privacy and Cyber Crime Institute, Ryerson University, As an Individual

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Thank you very much.

We have another committee coming in, but we have three or four minutes if someone wants to make a final point—one of our witnesses. I'd be glad to hear it before the committee.

Mr. Levin.

12:45 p.m.

Prof. Avner Levin

Just briefly, I haven't been asked questions about it, but I would like the committee to consider that point about the workplace privacy that I raised in my opening remarks, about making what I consider to be a very small yet significant amendment to that relative provision. I don't think it was the government's intention, as far as I understand it, to do away with the standard of having employers be reasonable, and I worry that the language as currently written is actually going to erode that in an unintended way. If the committee is going to consider some amendments, that is one thing, at least in terms of my addition to the conversation today, I'd very much like it to do.

Thank you very much.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Thank you.

Ms. Cooper.

12:45 p.m.

Vice-President, Professional Affairs, Canadian Pharmacists Association

Janet Cooper

A couple of committee members asked about work product, and I want to just be clear that what we're talking about is de-identified data. It does not have any direct patient information on it, and the research that is done goes through ethics approval, very structured research. It is important not to just collect prescription utilization data but other health data as well to inform policy-making and that type of thing. It is certainly de-identified and it goes through very rigorous ethics boards.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Thank you.

Mr. Brown.

March 24th, 2015 / 12:45 p.m.

Public Guardian and Trustee, Public Guardian and Trustee of Manitoba

Douglas Brown

I have nothing further.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Ms. Romanko.

12:45 p.m.

Public Guardian and Trustee, Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia

Catherine Romanko

I have nothing further.

12:45 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

All right, thank you very much.

Colleagues, we have a robust meeting on Thursday with many witnesses, and we'll see you then.

We are adjourned.