The Privacy Act governs how federal government institutions handle personal information. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has highlighted limitations within the Act regarding outsourcing, specifically:
* Lack of Explicit Accountability: While the Privacy Act implies the government institution remains responsible for the personal information, the Commissioner argues that the law needs a clearer, more explicit statement to ensure full accountability when it's outsourced.
* Outsourcing & Privacy Risks: Outsourcing government functions to third parties can add complexity and risk to the protection of personal information.
* References:
* You can find discussions of the Privacy Commissioner's position on outsourcing in reports and resources on the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) website: https://priv.gc.ca/en/ Why Other Options Are Less Relevant
* A. Preventing subcontracting: While controlling further subcontracting might be important, it's not the primary concern identified by the Commissioner.
* B. Commissioner's order power: While the Commissioner advocates for greater powers, this is not the specific gap in the Privacy Act related to outsourcing.
* C. Privacy Impact Assessments (PIAs): PIAs are crucial, but the Commissioner's argument highlights that even with PIAs, the Act lacks clear accountability language when the information leaves the government institution.
Key Points
* The Privacy Commissioner plays an advocacy role, identifying areas where privacy legislation could be strengthened.
* Accountability is crucial in all privacy contexts, especially when third parties handle sensitive data.