Politics
Friday October 22, 1999
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PRIVACY IN PERIL IN CANADA
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
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