Announcement

Commissioner: Pandemic highlights need for strong privacy laws

March 25, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the importance of technologies in daily life, highlighting the importance of laws that allow for innovation while also protecting privacy rights, Commissioner Daniel Therrien told consumer advocates in a speech delivered today.

Speaking at a virtual conference organized by the group Option consommateurs, the Commissioner called for amendments to a privacy law reform bill currently before Parliament in order to ensure it leads to changes that will protect privacy in a digital society.

“The government has set out important objectives for the bill, including increasing consumers’ control over their data, enabling responsible innovation, and establishing quick and effective remedies, namely the ability to impose significant financial penalties,” the Commissioner said.

“I support these objectives, unfortunately, my analysis of the bill’s provisions leads me to conclude that they would not be achieved.”