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e-2767 (Public safety)
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Minister of Justice
- Saskatchewan has the highest rate of domestic violence among all provinces;
- It is critical that at-risk individuals are protected from potential violence and abuse;
- At-risk individuals should be informed of an intimate partner's past violent or abusive behaviour, including criminal convictions and a history of police responding to domestic violence complaints;
- Saskatchewan unanimously passed the Interpersonal Violence Disclosure Protocol Act (Clare’s Law) to protect citizens from abuse; and
- Section 8(1) of the federally legislated Privacy Act (which states that “personal information held by a federal government institution cannot be disclosed to a third party without the consent of the individual to whom it relates, except in circumstances that are provided for in the Act”) prevents the RCMP from enforcing Clare’s Law;
Response by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable David Lametti
The Government is committed to preventing and stopping all forms of violence in Canada, including domestic violence. We also recognize the utmost importance of protecting at-risk individuals from potential violence and abuse, and emphasize that no Canadian should have to suffer from such violence and abuse. Providing individuals with relevant information on their partner’s past is an important component of this protection.
The Government has committed to reviewing the federal Privacy Act to ensure that it keeps pace with the effects of both technological change and evolving Canadian values. The Act focuses on the protection of personal information held by federal government and federal public-sector institutions, including the RCMP.
On November 16, 2020, we launched online consultations with Canadians on modernizing the Privacy Act. The online consultations seek to obtain Canadians’ input on key issues such as the rules on when federal institutions can collect personal information, how federal institutions can use the information entrusted to them, and when federal institutions can share personal information. Canadians can find out more about the ongoing public consultation by visiting Canada.ca/lets-talk-privacy-act. The consultations have been extended to February 14, 2021.
- Open for signature
- August 7, 2020, at 1:11 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- November 5, 2020, at 1:11 p.m. (EDT)
- Presented to the House of Commons
-
Jeremy Patzer
(Cypress Hills—Grasslands)
November 17, 2020 (Petition No. 432-00232) - Government response tabled
- January 25, 2021
