Almaden Institute

The Business Privacy Landscape in Canada Abstract: In an increasingly networked world in which instantaneous international data transfers are routine business transactions, knowledge of the data protection policies in the various jurisdictions in which businesses are operating is imperative. Organizations must build privacy into their business practices and systems and develop a culture of privacy—not just security—to earn the trust of clients, potential clients, and data protection regulators. This talk will review the state of privacy legislation in Canada and offer practical privacy tips for business.   Dr. Ann Cavoukian - Bio  Dr. Ann Cavoukian  Information & Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada  commissioner@ipc.on.ca  Web Sites  http://www.ipc.on.ca Biography Recognized as a leading authority on privacy and data protection, Dr. Ann Cavoukian was appointed Information and Privacy Commissioner for the province of Ontario in 1997. As Commissioner, Ann oversees the operations of Ontario’s freedom of information and privacy laws, which apply to both provincial and municipal governments. She serves as an officer of the legislature, independent of the government of the day. Ann joined the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner in 1987, during its startup phase, as its first Director of Compliance. She was appointed Assistant Commissioner in 1990. Prior to joining this office, Ann headed the Research Services Branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General, where she was responsible for conducting research on the administration of civil and criminal law. Ann received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Toronto, where she specialized in criminology and law, and lectured on psychology and the criminal justice system. Increasingly in the public eye, Ann’s expertise has been sought out by industry and media alike. She is particularly interested in advancing privacy protection through the pursuit of privacy-enhancing technologies and has been involved in a number of committees focused on privacy and technology, including the W3C’s P3P (Platform for Privacy Preferences) initiative. She has also served as a member of the American Task Force on Privacy, Technology and Criminal Justice Information. Ann is frequently called upon to speak at leading forums around the world. Her published works include a book entitled Who Knows: Safeguarding Your Privacy in a Networked World (McGraw-Hill, 1996) and most recently, The Privacy Payoff (McGraw-Hill, 2002), in which she and the book’s co-author, journalist Tyler Hamilton, address how successful businesses build customer trust.