Politics
Friday October 22, 1999
PRIVACY IN PERIL IN CANADA
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
OTTAWA, Oct 22 (LSN.ca) - While some may dismiss concerns over privacy as exaggerated, Canada's Privacy Commissioner Bruce Phillip doesn't agree. In his annual report released this week, Phillip warns Canadians "not to surrender their privacy and freedom in exchange for speed, convenience and exaggerated claims of protecting personal safety." Alarmingly he asks, "Is the beginning of a new millennium to signal the ending of the right to a private life?"
Fulfilling his prediction, in the same week, the throne speech by the Ontario government announced that it would implement a "smart-card," which would register Ontario residents for all government services including health, drivers' licences and birth certificates on a single photo-ID card. The Ontario government excuses the action saying it is being implemented to protect against fraud. Interestingly Phillips addressed the "preventing fraud" motivation for a national ID card in his report calling it a "dubious notion."
Phillips stresses that "privacy and freedom are inextricably linked; one cannot exist without the other." "Those who doubt the proposition," says Phillips, "are invited to consider this: if you would measure the degree of freedom extant in a society, look first to the degree of privacy enjoyed by its inhabitants." "Therein lies the explanation for the acute sensitivity of some European states such as Germany which, mindful of its own history, now is in the forefront of data protection."
For the throne speech promising the "smart-card" see:
http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/english/thronespeech99.htm
For the complete report from the Privacy Commissioner see:
http://www.privcom.gc.ca/02_04_07_e.htm
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- BREAKING: US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 220 to 215
- Stupak Amendment to Health Care Bill Passes 240 - 194 Saturday Evening
- Major Health Care Development - Pro-Life Stupak Amendment Vote OK'd for Today
- NY Times: Dems Banking on Later Squeezing Pro-Life Language Out of Bill in Committee
- USCCB Spokesman: "Definitely Not True" that Bishops Support Bill As it Stands
- TIME Got it Wrong - Prof. George Opposed Grandiose Kennedy Funeral
- USCCB Condemnation Tears Facade off "Phony" Abortion Compromise for Health Bill
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholic Left
- Dirty Fighting on Abortion Funding: Word-Games and Health-Care Theatrics Boggle the Mind
- Commentary on November 6 News
- Note to LifeSiteNews Subscribers with Rogers email addresses
- New York Gov. Declares Nov. 10 Extraordinary Legislative Session for Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Washington's Pro-Family Amendment Effort Defeated - R-71 Almost Certain to Pass
- Vote Pushed Back on Canadian Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Bill to Dec. 2
- Elderly U.K. Couple in Good Health Commit Suicide, Complain of Assisted Suicide Law
- Texas Late-Term Abortionist and Baptist Minister Admits: "Am I killing? Yes, I am"
- New Evidence Contradicts CCHD's Findings on Accused Pro-Abortion Partner
- Quebec Priest Denies Possibility of Sexual Reorientation Therapy on TV
- New Hampshire Same-Sex "Marriage" Law in Crosshairs after Maine's Law Crumbles
- Brooklyn Bishop Criticized for Recorded Message Praising Pro-Abortion Politician
- First Group of "Traditionalist" Anglicans in Britain Votes to Enter Catholic Church
Most Read this Week
- Planned Parenthood Director Resigns after Watching Ultrasound of Abortion Procedure
- Nun Defiant Following Rebuke, but Stops Abortion Escorting
- Breaking: Dominican Community Apologizes for Nun Caught Acting as Abortion Escort
- Over 200 Christendom College Students Protest Abortion at Planned Parenthood Clinic
- TIME Article Setting Burke Against O'Malley Called "Tactical strike" on Behalf of Catholics Left
- Newly Identified Corporate Supporters of Planned Parenthood Named
- Scottish Gay Rights Activists Found Guilty of Pedophilia Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
- US Congress Passes Health Care Reform Bill 218 to 215
- Major Health Care Bill Development - Stupak Hyde Amendment Vote OK'd
- Health Care Bill Includes Monthly Abortion Premium: House Minority Leader Boehner
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.