The Canadian government should make the protection of privacy easier, according to a report conducted by the CD Howe Institute. “It’s important that we continue to build and maintain a culture that emphasizes the importance of privacy while working to protect our personal data, particularly at the level of the firm,” said CD Howe Institute Vice-President, Research and study author Daniel Schwanen in a press release. “As a result, we must develop a common understanding between regulators, businesses and individuals of what privacy protections can be expected and enforced in a commercial setting.”Schwanen noted an update to Canada’s privacy legislation is needed. At the same time, the CD Howe Institute said legislators and regulators can streamline implementation of the Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA), which is embedded in Bill C-27, before Parliament. Since other countries have upped their game, he said it is time for Canada to get up to speed. He added privacy protection is important to maintain trust, which is essential to a well-functioning economy based on the use of data. The CPPA would take major steps by requiring companies to adopt plain language privacy policies and instituting expanded administrative penalties for people infringing the rules. He said it behooves legislators to contain costs and reduce uncertainty stemming from the legislation while helping Canadians better understand and claim their privacy rights. Measures to that effect should include public education campaigns, serious efforts to harmonize federal and provincial privacy laws and a longer implementation period combined with streamlined tools and procedures for smaller businesses.With Bill C-27, Schwanen said it achieves a good balance between the costs and benefits for Canadians of protecting their rights to privacy. “Enforcing privacy rights is necessary to maintain public trust, which is foundational to the ability of the economy and society at large to benefit from the digital age,” he said. Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told MPs on October 1 a new bill would solidify Canadians' fundamental right to privacy.READ MORE: Champagne ‘respects’ Canadians' ‘fundamental right to privacy’Champagne did not provide a written proposal, which left members of the House of Commons Industry Committee frustrated.“We want to ensure Canadians are able to rest easy knowing their privacy will be respected,” said Champagne.
