tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273930.post4333087954606829409..comments2024-03-08T07:29:54.585-04:00Comments on Canadian Privacy Law Blog: Privacy law freezes health research in British Columbiaprivacylawyerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03943567746055311435noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273930.post-46784979484504698592008-01-09T13:34:00.000-04:002008-01-09T13:34:00.000-04:00I am not sure that the article is exactly right th...I am not sure that the article is exactly right that there is absolutely no information about why those amendments were passed. A cursory search through the hansard revealed the following comments by Hon. S. Santori during the first and second readings of the Bill (Bill 13 - Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2003)<BR/><BR/>First reading:<BR/> <B>It will clarify the requirements for the use of research agreements under the act</B>, clarify the requirements regarding notification for the indirect collection of personal information, add a public body to the definition of a local government body and refine the definition of an educational body, and ensure the protection of solicitor-client privilege for records provided to the information and privacy commissioner.<BR/><BR/>Second Reading:<BR/>Fourth, the bill clarifies that researchers cannot use personal information from a public body for the sole purpose of contacting prospective research subjects. This change will increase privacy protection for individuals in an area where the information is often very sensitive and <B>will have limited impact on researchers. </B><BR/><BR/>Outside of these comments, however, the discussion focused solely on the application of the Bill to privatized services.<BR/><BR/>It is interesting to note that while the Minister said that information cannot be disclosed for the "sole purpose of contacting prospective research subjects", the language of the act in fact says that condition of disclosure is that information is not used for this purpose. <BR/><BR/><I>35 A public body may disclose personal information or may cause personal information in its custody or under its control to be disclosed for a research purpose, including statistical research, only if<BR/><BR/>(a.1) the information is disclosed on condition that it not be used for the purpose of contacting a person to participate in the research,<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>Thus, even if contacting individuals is only <B>one</B> of the purposes for disclosure, it is still prohibited.Seva Batkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06986549720237582235noreply@blogger.com