There again, when you look at the text which is currently being discussed, it says ‘nothing in this agreement shall require any party to disclose information (...) which would be contrary to its law or its international agreements, including laws protecting the right of privacy’.

8. Points out that personal data have become an essential ingredient of many business activities, in particular electronic telecommunications; notes that the economic value of personal data and value-added operations based on personal data is growing rapidly; points out that, due to the global nature of electronic telecommunications, personal data can be accessed and used anywhere in the world, which often creates legal uncertainties and obstacles for business on the one hand, and weakens the legal protection of individual citizens on the other; calls therefore for the urgent elaboration of global data protection standards in the cont ...[+++]ext of the Transatlantic Economic Council, so as to guarantee a high level of protection of personal data, and legal certainty for companies;

The Canadian Privacy Act provides individuals with the rights of access, rectification and opposition with regard to any personal information relating to them, under the control of a Canadian supervisory authority.

We believe the code will be more effective in the following ways: first, by providing more consistency in the administration of personal information than is currently the case—not that it is poor, but that we're always looking for improvement—given the various statutory and regulatory provisions governing the disclosure of personal information; second, by providing a greater degree of transparency for Canadians resulting from this harmonization; third, by codifying the current administrative practices for protection of personal information for research purposes; and four, by including an offence provision for knowingly disclosing pers ...[+++]onal information (1115) The proposed code represents a commitment by the department to ensure the continued protection of personal information and provides an appropriate balance between the need to protect Canadians' privacy and the use and disclosure of such information for the administration of programs and services.

Unfortunately, the government has only gone halfway and protected only in part personal information held by the private sector, i.e. information that is given in a commercial context.

Our witnesses today are, from the Department of Public Works and Government Services, Tom Makichuk, director of access to information and privacy; from the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, Jackie Holden, director, access to information and privacy; from the Privy Council Office, Ann Wesch, director, access to information and privacy; from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Monique McCulloch, director, access to information and privacy; and from the Treasury Board Secretariat, Denise Brennan, director, access to information and privacy.