Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne called this a “pivotal time” for personal rights in Canada, telling a privacy professionals’ conference that stronger protections are needed as data collection accelerates.Blacklock's Reporter said the speech made no reference to Dufresne’s 2023 decision dismissing hundreds of privacy complaints related to pandemic mandates.“Prioritizing privacy reflects our Canadian values and ambitions and is more important now than ever as more and more of our personal data is being collected, used and shared,” Dufresne said in remarks to the International Association of Privacy Professionals. He urged delegates to promote “a culture of privacy by design” to protect fundamental rights while supporting innovation..“Almost every organization is also in the data business, collecting personal information for a variety of purposes,” he said. “Those who protect personal data earn credibility and long-term success.”Dufresne stressed that traditional privacy safeguards were no longer adequate.“At a time when the personal information of Canadians is being collected, used and shared at an unparalleled pace and volume on a global scale, effective privacy protection requires more than the status quo,” he said. “We are doing the important work needed to face the privacy challenges of these pivotal and sometimes chaotic times.”.He did not mention his prior decision to dismiss complaints filed by Canadians required to disclose medical information during the pandemic. In 2023, Dufresne ruled the federal breaches of the Privacy Act were justified due to “the urgency of limiting the spread of the virus.”He previously raised concerns over the 2022 Freedom Convoy response, including the federal government’s use of emergency powers to freeze protestors’ bank accounts. In a submission to the Joint Committee on the Declaration of Emergency, Dufresne wrote that even in crises, “public institutions must continue to operate under lawful authority and act responsibly particularly with respect to handling information that may be considered sensitive.”Internal documents later confirmed police created a blacklist of demonstrators’ names, which was distributed by then-Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office to groups including the Mutual Fund Dealers Association.
