Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, I haven't considered this question a long time, but I don't think there's anything that would prohibit him and I understand there are some agreements. Did I--

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I presume they are doing this under colour of law.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes. This is like the census or something. I would defer to the director general of elections. I don't know much about enumeration. Is this necessary?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes. Is this accurate? I understand that there are problems with the accuracy of enumeration. So again, why are we doing this?

Procedure and House Affairs committee  My understanding is that a very accurate way now is to put a lot of these databases together and then from time to time do spot checks, because our population is rarely at home. It is at home at different times. Some can't vouch for the others and so on. But there is a minimum of information that we have to give in certain circumstances in order to be a citizen of society.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, but I'm just pointing out that it also exists in the private sector. This is a very large question that you're opening, so perhaps before saying that a response immediately to that is to add a penalty to the Canada Elections Act, I'm just saying, honourable member, maybe there are a couple of facets that we should look at.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you. If that's what I gave you to understand, thank you for allowing me to correct myself. I was pointing to one of the basic data protection principles, which says you don't use personal information except in proportion to the objective you're trying to reach. So the only way that you can correct a serious problem of electoral fraud is by using an identifier--and I certainly would not suggest the social insurance number, as it's a very strong one--then use it in proportion to the problem you think it's going to correct and only in proportion with that.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Because the social insurance number's a very strong identifier and is used for our most personal files, notably our income tax file. Most of our government files include as an identifier the social insurance number--I think virtually all of them. They are cut across provincially for our health files and so on.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No, the right to vote is clearly a fundamental freedom. It's a cornerstone of the democracy. Canada wouldn't exist if we didn't have the right to vote. But what I'm trying to suggest is how serious are the problems, not that you feel, but that you can objectively have verified through a credible, serious study of electoral problems.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  You're the legislator.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Exactly.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  The problem you've described, honourable member, is a real problem. Many of us who live in urban environments know that. You've talked about the right to be anonymous, to live anonymously, without identifying oneself to one's neighbours. You asked a specific question. I'm not sure I have the expertise to answer it.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Sir, your question is broad and presumes that I am familiar with all of the databanks held in the provinces. I must first remind you that the Canada Elections Act is not subject to the Privacy Act. I believe that this situation should be corrected in the very near future.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I understand, but data protection legislation must work both ways. What can be collected can be shared and circulated. In my view, there is no limit to the information that Elections Canada can legally obtain. This organization is free to modernize its list as long as it respects the usual standards.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, but I have told you that his act is not subject to the Privacy Act; it is completely removed from it. I believe that that is a problem. All of the federal government's agencies and legislation should be subject to the same data protection standards and to the same rules, even if exceptions will be made in practice.