Any further watering down of this Bill to satisfy industry lobbies, and I think we would withdraw our support. The group is particularly concerned about amendments allowing warrantless searches by police, surreptitious exchanges of personal information among insurance companies, and the creation of huge databases of personal health information. Yet when it comes to personal information, that right is being violated with impunity. It's time to bring our laws back into line with our technological capabilities. We are the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, Canada's Coalition for Public Information, the Canadian Health Coalition, Electronic Frontier Canada, the B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, the National Privacy Coalition, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, and the University of Ottawa Human Rights Research and Education Centre.
Legislation governing private sector collection and use of personal information is long overdue.
The technology for data collection and distribution, and market pressure to exploit that technology, have developed far more rapidly than legal protections against unauthorized use of our personal information. It's time to bring our laws into line with our technological capabilities and market realities. Computer technologies now make it possible to compile, store, match and trade personal data at minimal cost. Although it is the desire and expectation of Canadians that their personal data will be used only with their knowledge and consent, this is generally not reflected in business practice. Private companies are routinely collecting, using, and disclosing personal information for their own benefit, without regard to the individual's right to privacy.