House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 43% of the vote.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, as a government, we rely on data. Other Canadians rely on data, the Bank of Canada, small businesses, other levels of Canadian government and municipal governments.
For 100 years, Statistics Canada has done that job of collecting the data of Canadians and of making it available for Canadians to use to make better decisions. This is not a surveillance exercise. This is an exercise in providing Canadians with the information they need to run their lives.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. The government will not have access to this information. The first thing Statistics Canada does is to scrub all of the personal information from the data so it becomes anonymous. Then it repackages that data for a variety of different Canadians to use in a variety of different ways.
It is not a question of surveillance. Statistics Canada has an exemplary reputation in Canada. It is seen as a leader around the world in statistical gathering and statistical methods. It will continue to do this to the highest standard and to the highest standard of privacy.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, it is a bit rich for the other side to try to criticize an institution such as Statistics Canada regarding privacy concerns.
It was in fact their government, under Vic Toews, that tried to have everyone tell Vic Toews what they were doing every day. “Tell Vic everything.”
That was the Conservative government trying to do that. In this case, it is not our government; it is not any government gathering information. It is Statistics Canada. It does it reasonably and effectively, protecting the privacy of Canadians.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, let me once again correct the narrative.
This was a pilot project that is still in the process of being designed. From the beginning, Statistics Canada has been open to working with the Privacy Commissioner and has in fact had privacy concerns protected from the get-go. It invited the Privacy Commissioner to take a look at what it was doing.
Statistics Canada is going to move ahead with the Privacy Commissioner in order to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is protected. Those are the facts. We take the privacy of Canadians seriously.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Mr. Speaker, let me correct something the hon. member is saying. The government is not accessing the nominative data of Canadians; Statistics Canada is for all Canadians to be able to use.
The personal information gets protected. Once the information is processed by Statistics Canada, it is available for the use of municipal governments, provincial governments, the federal government, small businesses, individual Canadians, the Bank of Canada, other institutions and other individuals who have to make economic decisions in their lives based on the best available information.
It is—
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, we understand that privacy is important to Canadians. That is why we have taken measures to protect Canadians' privacy in this matter and in a number of different places.
Nobody will have access to the personal nominative information that Canadians give to Statistics Canada. Indeed, Statistics Canada cannot even be compelled to give that information to a court of law. It is protected in their hands.
Statistics Canada has policies and procedures in place to protect the privacy of Canadians, and we need, all Canadians need—
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, Statistics Canada has been collecting data about Canadians for 100 years in an exemplary manner. Reliable, good quality information is vital to making decisions that actually reflect the needs of Canadians.
Unlike the Conservatives, we believe that facts, not ideology, are a very good starting point for public policy. I know that the Conservatives like to make their decisions based on ideology. However, as a government, we like to base our decisions on the facts.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, our government takes Canadians' privacy very seriously. Let us be clear. This is a pilot project that is still in the design stages. No data have been collected to date.
Statistics Canada's job is to provide the reliable data needed to meet the needs of Canadians, businesses and communities. Statistics Canada has worked and collaborated with the Privacy Commissioner on this pilot project from the get-go, and it will continue to do so.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, no government and no Canadian will have access to the personal information of Canadians. It will end with Statistics Canada, which will keep it in a secure fashion.
What governments do get, what other institutions will get, what other Canadians will get, are Statistics Canada reports, which are relied on by Canadians, by members of Parliament and by other governments across Canada and have been for 100 years.
Statistics Canada has worked with the Privacy Commissioner on this pilot project from the get-go. It will continue to do so in respect of the privacy of Canadians. Canadians do not need to be worried about their information.
Privacy November 2nd, 2018
Madam Speaker, Statistics Canada as an institution has an exemplary record of gathering the personal information of Canadians. It has been doing it for 100 years, in a safe and secure fashion, and will continue to do so. The reports that Statistics Canada puts out are important to Canadians in all walks of life in terms of how they plan their personal lives. For municipal governments, provincial governments and the federal government to create good policy, and for institutions such as the Bank of Canada, Statistics Canada performs a necessary role. We will continue to defend its ability to do so. It is respecting the privacy of Canadians.