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March 12, 2018
OPC launches selection process for Deputy Commissioner positions
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) announced today that it has launched a selection process for two Deputy Commissioner positions. The positions were created following an organizational review and the adoption of a new structure to support the Privacy Commissioner’s vision to be more proactive, and to focus efforts where there can be an impact for the greatest number of Canadians.
The core responsibility of the OPC is the protection of privacy rights of Canadians. To do this, the OPC’s work will now fall into one of two program areas—Compliance or Promotion. Both areas are part of the OPC’s mandate and are important in protecting privacy.
The Promotion Program, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Policy and Promotion, is future-looking and will aim to inform Canadians of their rights and how to exercise them, and to bring organizations toward compliance with the law. This will involve, for example, the development and promotion of general—yet practical—information and guidance, reviewing and commenting on Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs), and offering industry advice on specific initiatives. The goal is to share information and advice with businesses and departments when they are designing their services so that Canadians may enjoy the benefits of innovation without undue risk to their privacy.
The Compliance Program, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, Compliance, will focus on addressing existing privacy compliance problems through a variety of enforcement activities to ensure violations of the law are identified and that remedies are recommended. The OPC’s investigative work can make a real difference to Canadians' privacy rights and this important work will continue. This will include investigations into complaints filed by Canadians, but will also involve a shift towards more proactive enforcement, such as proactive, Commissioner-initiated investigations or, in certain cases, audits, to review issues that aren’t being addressed through the complaint system.
The OPC’s Departmental Plan is expected to be tabled in Parliament in the coming weeks and will provide additional information regarding what the OPC is trying to achieve for Canadians, and how it will assess progress and measure success to achieve the ultimate goal of ensuring a high proportion of Canadians feel their privacy rights are respected.
Here is more information about the selection process for the Deputy Commissioner positions, and the roles and responsibilities.
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