Notice

May 2006

Privacy Commissioner's Office expands its External Advisory Committee

Originally launched in 2004, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s External Advisory Committee was recently expanded to include a broader spectrum of privacy interests from across Canada, drawing from a diversity of disciplines, practices and backgrounds. The Committee meets twice a year and offers expert advice relating to matters of interest to the OPC.

Members of the External Advisory Committee include:

• Professor Carlisle Adams, Associate Professor in the School of Information Technology and Engineering at the University of Ottawa. Professor Adams also worked for 13 years in design and standardization of cryptographic and security technologies for the Internet.
• The Honourable Perrin Beatty, President and Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. Mr. Beatty is a former federal cabinet minister and was also president and CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
• The Honourable Ed Broadbent, P.C., M.P., former Member of Parliament, Ottawa-Centre, he was the leader of the NDP from 1975 to 1989. A long-time supporter of human rights, Mr. Broadbent was made a member of the Privy Council in 1982, an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1993 and a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2002.
• Professor Paul-André Comeau is a professor with the École nationale d’administration publique in Montreal. He served as President of the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec from 1990 to 1995. Professor Comeau also worked as a correspondent for Radio-Canada assigned in Brussels, as well as Editor-in-Chief for Le Devoir. He taught at the University of Ottawa and was a guest lecturer in political science at the Université Laval, Quebec City.
• Ms. Jocelyne Côté-O’Hara, President of The Cora Group, has been a leader in developing strategic directions in both the private and public sectors. She has spent the last 20 years as a corporate director, executive and CEO in the telecommunications and high tech industries. Prior to this, she held several positions in the federal government.
• Professor David Flaherty is a specialist and consultant in the management of privacy and information policy issues. He served as Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia from 1993 to 1999. Professor Flaherty has written or edited several books and articles on privacy and is adjunct professor in political science at the University of Victoria since 1999.
• Professor Michael Geist is a law professor at the University of Ottawa where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce law. Professor Geist is also a nationally syndicated columnist on technology law issues and the author of the Canadian Privacy Law Review.
• Ms. Mary Anne Griffith is a former Deputy Clerk of the House of Commons and served the Canadian public service for nearly 30 years. Ms. Griffith is currently a consultant and advisor to governments and their agencies, both federal, territorial and municipal, in Canada and abroad, in the areas of parliamentary procedure and operations, and public administration.
• The Honourable Claire L’Heureux-Dubé, C.C., c.r., is a former Supreme Court Justice. Her 50-year career in law focused on family law and human rights.  She was President of the Quebec Association of Comparative Law, Chairman of the Canadian Section of the International Commission of Jurists and International President of the International Commission of Jurists, based in Geneva.
• Mr. Wayne MacDonald works as a Privacy and Access to Information manager with the Government of Alberta, and has specialized knowledge related to the administration of privacy and access to information legislation. Mr. MacDonald was instrumental in the creation, implementation and delivery of Canada’s first online privacy and access to information certificate program at the University of Alberta.
• Mr. David McKendry is a consultant specializing in consumer affairs and communications regulation. He was a CRTC Commissioner from 1997 to 2002. He is also former chair of the Canadian Standards Association’s privacy committee of business, consumer, government and labour representatives, which developed Canada’s national standard for the protection of personal information.
• Mr. Richard C. Owens is the Executive Director of the Centre for Innovation, Law and Policy at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law. He is one of Canada’s leading technology lawyers and has written and published widely on the law of information technology, privacy and the regulation of financial institutions.
• Ms. Teresa Scassa, S.J.D., is Associate Director of the Law and Technology Institute and Associate Professor at Dalhousie Law School. She teaches Property Law and Intellectual Property Law and is the co-author of the book Electronic Commerce and Internet Law.
• Dr. Paul Thomas is the Duff Roblin Professor of Government in the Department of Political Studies at University of Manitoba, where he has taught for more than 30 years. He has published articles and books on topics such as accountability, budgeting, crown corporations, federalism, organizational change, parliamentary reform and party caucuses.
• Mr. George Thomson is Senior Director of International Program with the National Judicial Institute. Prior to this he was the Institute’s Executive Director. Mr. Thomson has also been Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada, Ontario Deputy Attorney General, as well as Deputy Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Citizenship with the Province of Ontario.

February 2004 notice launching the External Advisory Committee