OTTAWA — The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) was quick to condemn yesterday’s tabling of Bill C-11 by the federal government, saying consumer privacy in Canada “will be destroyed” if the Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2020 (including Part 1 – Consumer Privacy Protection Act) is passed.
Intended to replace and strengthen the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), the government’s new bill will hurt consumer privacy by removing key consent requirements, says PIAC in a press release issued yesterday.
“We are aghast that the federal government feels it can weaken consumer privacy with a doublespeak Bill that removes a consumer’s right to protect his or her personal information that is used for any ‘business activity’ if it is ‘de-identified’ or used for what the government deems is a ‘socially beneficial purpose’. This counterproductive Bill should be withdrawn and rewritten to protect consumers, not to favour big business,” said PIAC executive director John Lawford, in the press release, referring to various sections of Bill C-11 which outline exceptions to requirements for consent.
PIAC also takes issue with other changes brought about by the Bill, such as the Privacy Commissioner’s order-making powers and increased fining power, as well as the creation of a separate Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal, which PIAC says do not counter the fundamental flaw built into the Bill.
“People should not look at the shiny new toys offered in this Bill — what one hand is giving, the other is very much taking away,” added Lawford.
