Mr. Speaker, the two amendments are very special in their effect. On the one hand, they will be reducing the available information that could be given to people on such matters as the amount of a benefit or the status of a recipient. On the other hand, they are increasing the number of people to whom information may be made available in the government. There is even talk of adding Canada Post to those with access to records.
Canada Post, it must be kept in mind, is no longer a government body per se, but rather a crown agency with considerable leeway, and its mandate is in the process of being reviewed. We could find ourselves in the situation of giving access to a virtually privatized organization, which could surely create significant problems.
What is involved here is the ability to trace mail, am item sent to an individual, where there was a need to find out from Canada Post why it had not been deliverable, or to what address it had finally been delivered. There is something a bit dangerous in this, I think.
As well, the delegation to the provinces of access to certain information is being removed. The door is being slammed in the provinces' faces, while at the same time being opened to a number of organizations. The public is being denied the right to certain information, while it is being granted to a number of federal bodies.
I think amendments of this type are along the same line as the ones discussed previously, or in other words that the government is giving itself even more opportunities, and the individual is seeing the confidentiality of certain information concerning him or her being eroded a little bit more. We must always be on guard in such situations. With modern communications technology, we are intruding on people's privacy more and more, and it is not necessarily appropriate to do so.
The official opposition will be opposing this proposed amendment.