Announcement

January 28, 2019

Data Privacy Day focuses attention on Canadians’ privacy rights

As people around the world mark Data Privacy Day, Privacy Commissioner of Canada Daniel Therrien is highlighting the importance of protecting, understanding and exercising privacy rights.

“Privacy plays an important role in protecting other fundamental rights and values, including freedom and democracy,” says Commissioner Therrien. “It’s therefore critical for Parliamentarians, organizations and individual Canadians to understand, protect and promote privacy rights.”

Versions of a Data Privacy Day op-ed by Commissioner Therrien reflecting on why privacy is essential were published by two newspapers.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) recently launched a downloadable “Know your privacy rights!” poster that can be used by organizations to mark Data Privacy Day and also to highlight the importance of privacy protection all year round. The poster offers tips such as reading up on privacy law basics and learning how to raise a concern with organizations.

The OPC’s website offers a broad range of other tips and guidance for individuals, including 10 Tips for Protecting Personal Information.

Canada has observed Data Privacy Day on January 28^th since 2008. The day commemorates the 1981 signing of the first legally binding international treaty on privacy and data protection.