Privacy Commissioner of Canada

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 Act (PIPEDA), which deals with personal information held in federally regulated private sector industries. The commissioner reports to Parliament.

Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Commissaire à la protection de la vie privée du Canada
Incumbent
Philippe Dufresne
since June 27, 2022
Office of the Privacy Commissioner
AbbreviationOPC
Reports toParliament of Canada
AppointerGovernor in Council
Term length7 years
once renewable
Constituting instrument Privacy Act
First holderInger Hansen
Salary$314,100 (Equal to a Judge of the Federal Court of Canada)
Websitewww.priv.gc.ca
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Commissariat à la protection de la vie privée du Canada
Agency overview
Formed1977
HeadquartersGatineau, Quebec, Canada
Employees257[1]
Annual budget$39.7 million (2019)

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

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

See also

References
  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. Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of (23 June 2022). "Announcement: Philippe Dufresne appointed Canada's new Privacy Commissioner". www.priv.gc.ca. {{cite web}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  3. Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of (2018-12-14). "What we do". www.priv.gc.ca. Retrieved 2019-04-19. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  4. "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 2012-09-10.
  6. "George Radwanski, former privacy commissioner, dies". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 2020-10-01.
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