Under the Privacy Act, which governs the handling of personal information by federal government institutions in Canada, there is a stipulation that the collection of personal information must relate directly to an operating program or activity of the government institution. This requirement ensures that any personal data collected is directly relevant and necessary for a legitimate governmental function or service, thus preventing the unnecessary collection of personal information. This principle is meant to limit government institutions to collecting only that information which is strictly necessary for carrying out their legally authorized functions, aligning with privacy protection objectives. Option C accurately represents this requirement.