Industry committee  —we're not talking about the past. We're talking about the future, and I'd like you to stay focused on something that's in your bailiwick right now. Specifically, I think that Canadians are not happy with that idea, and your government seems convinced that this is the only way that StatsCan can do this.

Industry committee  Minister, again, you have to say that when both the minister and the Privacy Commissioner have to read in the paper what Statistics Canada is up to, there is a problem here. Parliamentarians—both Conservative and NDP—have raised those concerns, and I hope you would be looking at this and putting your foot down on this.

Industry committee  Well, in the last census there was, and again, there are multiple cases where these things have been circumvented—

Industry committee  Minister, I would simply suggest that you look at the chief statistician's testimony before this committee. I asked him if there is a “master key” that allows for those files to become un-anonymized, where you can actually say whose information it is and link that directly to transactions.

Industry committee  So you were not briefed before media reports started coming out on this, Mr. Minister.

Industry committee  Of the scope of the program....

Industry committee  What date were you notified?

Industry committee  Was it before October 26?

Industry committee  If you could have it back in writing, that would be helpful.

Industry committee  Okay, so Statistics Canada did not alert your office prior to that. At the time, when you first found out about this, did you think about advising the Privacy Commissioner about this program?

Industry committee  Do you think, Minister, that something has gone wrong here, when the Privacy Commissioner of Canada goes to a Senate committee and says that he wasn't aware of 500,000 Canadian households being asked to participate without their knowledge or their consent? You didn't know about it either.

Industry committee  Okay, Minister, just on consent—

Industry committee  —do you believe that StatsCan needs to ask for consent for this level of data?

Industry committee  Well, you're the minister, and you're going to be able at some point to rein in on this. Do you believe that Canadians should be able to give their consent?

Industry committee  Minister, the question was whether you believe that for this level of collection there should be people's consent. Is that yes or no?