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![]() News ReleaseContained surveillance and increased oversight needed in Anti-terrorism Act to protect against loss of privacy rightsOttawa, May 9, 2005 – Greater accountability, transparency and oversight of agencies involved in national security is needed to curtail the cumulative impact of the Anti-terrorism Act on the privacy rights of Canadians, according to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart. The Commissioner today urged a Senate Special Committee to critically examine the appropriateness and effectiveness of the extraordinary powers granted under the Anti-terrorism Act and the associated loss of established privacy rights. "No one denies the reality of the threat that the Act was intended to address, but we must ask ourselves whether what the Act gains us in security justifies the sacrifice of our privacy and other rights enshrined in our democracy," said Ms. Stoddart. In a submission to the Committee, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada called for the Government of Canada to carefully examine the continued need for the Anti-terrorism Act and to conduct an empirical assessment of the proportionality of the measures adopted in the interests of anti-terrorism. "Canadians are increasingly aware of their privacy rights and expect a reasonable and balanced approach to a national strategy to combat terrorism with greater accountability, transparency and oversight. The absence of serious evidence of the effectiveness of the extraordinary broad powers under the Anti-terrorism Act need to be questioned so security threats do not end up abolishing the very freedoms and democracy we claim to be defending," said Ms. Stoddart. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada tabled a series of recommendations to strike the right balance between achieving national security objectives without unnecessarily encroaching on privacy rights including: Recommendations
According to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada , the security and protection of privacy rights need not be seen as a trade-off, where one is sacrificed in the interest of the other. Both can be achieved with well-designed law, prudent policy and effective but not excessive oversight. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada is mandated by Parliament to act as an ombudsman, advocate and guardian of the privacy and protection of personal information rights of Canadians. For more information, click on the following links:
— 30 — For more information, please contact: Renée Couturier |
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Date published: 2005-05-09 |
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Important Notices |