News Release

The Privacy Commissioner's 1997-98 annual report was released today.

OTTAWA, July 22, 1998--The Privacy Commissioner's 1997-98 annual report was released today. Commissioner Bruce Phillips will be available next week (July 27) for further information and comment.

Among the report's highlights are

• the Commissioner's response to the government's discussion paper on private sector privacy law;
• comment on the proposed national health data network;
• summary and recommendations on the government's encryption proposals;
• comment on the Treasury Board's policy on employee use of electronic networks, and
• more tips on protecting privacy on the Internet.

Also highlighted are a dozen of the 1,821 investigations completed during the year, including those into federal government disclosure of tax information, surveillance of employees, collection of survey data and an employee's improper access to a credit report. Incoming complaints this year reached another record 2,455.

Full text of the report is available on the Office's Web site at http://infoweb.magi.com/~privcan/

Information: Sally Jackson (613)995-8566, 1(800)995-2410