Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6

Comité permanent de l'accès à l'information, de la protection des renseignements personnels et de l'éthique

For immediate release

Ottawa, June 12, 2009 -

Ottawa, Friday, June 12, 2009 - The House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics released its 10th report today. The report focuses on the Committee’s responses to 12 recommendations of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada for reform of the Privacy Act. This issue was first brought to the Standing Committee’s attention during a study of the Privacy Act which began in April 2008, when the Privacy Commissioner of Canada first presented her recommendations to the Committee.

“The Privacy Act is an important piece of quasi-constitutional legislation which protects the privacy rights of Canadians. In an age of rapid technological development, its reform needs to be carefully studied and considered. With this report, the Committee has now initiated a dialogue on this process with the Minister responsible for the legislation, which we hope will be a high priority.” said Standing Committee Chair Paul Szabo (Liberal Party of Canada – MP for Mississauga South).