Privacy Commissioner of Canada (original) (raw)

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Canadian government Privacy Agency

Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Commissaire à la protection de la vie privée du Canada
IncumbentPhilippe Dufresnesince June 27, 2022
Office of the Privacy Commissioner
Abbreviation OPC
Reports to Parliament of Canada
Appointer Governor in Council
Term length 7 yearsonce renewable
Constituting instrument Privacy Act
First holder Inger Hansen
Salary $314,100 (Equal to a Judge of the Federal Court of Canada)
Website www.priv.gc.ca

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Commissariat à la protection de la vie privée du Canada
Agency overview
Formed 1977
Headquarters Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Employees 257[1]
Annual budget $39.7 million (2019)

The privacy commissioner of Canada (French: Commissaire à la protection de la vie privée du Canada) is a non-partisan ombudsman and officer of the Parliament of Canada. The commissioner investigates complaints regarding violations of the federal Privacy Act, which deals with personal information held by the Government of Canada or the _Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Ac_t (PIPEDA), which deals with personal information held in federally regulated private sector industries. The commissioner reports to Parliament.

Philippe Dufresne has served as the ninth and current privacy commissioner of Canada since he was appointed on June 27, 2022.[2]

The privacy commissioner has the authority to audit, publish information about personal information-handling practices in the public and private sector, conduct research into privacy issues and promote awareness and understanding of privacy issues from the public.[3]

Since 1983, the privacy commissioner has been a seven-year Governor in Council appointment made after consultation with the leaders of every political party in the Senate and House of Commons, and after the approval of both chambers. Prior to the Privacy Act of 1983, which lays out the present role and appointment process of the office, the appointment was made by the minister of justice on the advice of the chief commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission.[4]

The privacy commissioner reports to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.[5]

List of privacy commissioners

[edit]

There have been eight privacy commissioners since the office was established in 1977.

List of privacy commissioners of Canada[4]

No. Name Term Notes
1 Inger Hansen July 1977 – June 30, 1983
2 John Grace July 1, 1983 – June 30, 1990
3 Bruce Phillips April 17, 1991 – August 31, 2000
4 George Radwanski September 1, 2000 – June 23, 2003 acting, September 1 – October 18, 2000;left role amidst a scandal over expenses[6]
5 Robert Marleau July 2, 2003 – November 30, 2003 acting
6 Jennifer Stoddart December 1, 2003 – December 2, 2013
7 Chantal Bernier December 3, 2013 – June 2014 acting
8 Daniel Therrien June 5, 2014 – June 26 2022
9 Philippe Dufresne June 27, 2022 – incumbent
  1. ^ https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#orgs/dept/256/infograph/financialGC Infobase only reports the combined FTE headcount for both the OPC and the Information Commissioner of Canada.
  2. ^ "Announcement: Philippe Dufresne appointed Canada's new Privacy Commissioner". www.priv.gc.ca. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. June 23, 2022.
  3. ^ "What we do". www.priv.gc.ca. Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. December 14, 2018. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Officers of Parliament - Privacy Commissioners: 1977 to Date". Library of Parliament, Parliament of Canada. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  5. ^ "Parliamentary Activities". Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  6. ^ "George Radwanski, former privacy commissioner, dies". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved October 1, 2020.