Ad Hoc Privacy Commissioner

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) has been subject to the Privacy Act since April 1, 2007.

The Federal Accountability Act does not include a mechanism under which Privacy Act complaints against our Office would be investigated. Given that it would be inappropriate for our Office to investigate its own actions with respect to its administration of the Privacy Act, we have created the position of Privacy Commissioner ad hoc to conduct such investigations.

On April 1, 2018, Mme Anne Bertrand  was appointed Privacy Commissioner, Ad Hoc. The Privacy Commissioner has delegated the majority of his powers, duties and functions as set out in sections 29 through 35 and section 42 of the Act to the Privacy Commissioner, Ad Hoc to enable her to investigate Privacy Act complaints lodged against the OPC.

Any complaints against the Office of the Privacy Commissioner must be sent directly to the Privacy Commissioner Ad Hoc at:

Anne Bertrand
Privacy Commissioner, Ad Hoc
P.O. Box 30021
Fredericton, NB
E3B 0H8

Email: enquete.adhoc.investigation@gmail.com

Biography of Anne Bertrand, Privacy Commissioner, Ad Hoc

Anne Elizabeth Bertrand hails from the Acadian Peninsula having grown up and educated in French and then pursued her university studies in English in Sciences (Biology) and Law.

She practiced law in Fredericton, predominantly in the areas of administrative law, criminal law, employment law and civil litigation for more than 24 years, acquiring extensive experience as counsel appearing before all levels of courts including two appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada. For many years, Mme Bertrand sat as an adjudicator on various administrative tribunals, including as Vice-Chair of the Labour and Employment of New Brunswick, Member of the Public Service Staff Relations Board, and Alternate Chair of the New Brunswick Review Board to review cases of accused persons suffering from mental disorders.

Mme Bertrand continued to find time to be involved as a volunteer in a number of not-for-profit organizations, and among those, as National Vice-President of the Mounted Police Foundation, Director of the Greater Fredericton Economic Development Corporation, President of the York Sunbury Law Society, President of the Conseil Économique du Nouveau-Brunswick, and Chair of the New Brunswick Foundation for the Arts. She also managed her husband’s group of companies in environmental engineering and scientific consulting services.

She became Queen’s Counsel in 2008, in recognition of her accomplishments and contributions to the legal profession and her community. In 2011, she was inducted in the Hall of Fame of the Réseau des femmes d’affaires francophone du Canada for her vision and exceptional leadership, paving the way in the world of business and her community.

On September 1st, 2010, Mme Bertrand became the province’s first Access to Information and Privacy Commissioner and was required to set up the office in its entirety, hire staff, set procedure, interpret two statutes and investigate matters. The two statutes her Office oversaw extended to approximately 500 public bodies (provincial and municipal, and crown corporations, and 22,000 health care providers in both public and private sectors). Meanwhile, in 2016, she assumed the responsibilities of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner for New Brunswick, an interim appointment she maintained for one year while carrying out her other duties.

As Access and Information and Privacy Commissioner of New Brunswick, and a staff of five professionals, she oversaw approximately 4,000 files of all types and descriptions, that required fact finding, legal analysis, statute interpretation, application of law, and findings and recommendations.