Saturday, May 13, 2006

War Amps reaches compromise agreement for key tag program in Alberta

Most Canadians are familiar with the War Amps key tag program. This amazing organization, whose chief purpose is to assist amputees in Canada, creates numbered key tags in a sheltered workshop and sends them to Canadians. If you put the tag on your keychain and your keys are lost, they'll find their way back to you if the finder drops them in a mailbox or calls the toll free number printed on the tag. One way that the organization has obtained names and addresses is through agreements with the provinces. Recently, they've encountered problems with the province of Alberta, where the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act limits the province's ability to disclose personal information to third parties. The Calgary Sun is reporting that the War Amps and the province have reached a deal that is a real compromise: all Albertans will be asked if they consent to the disclosure of their personal information when they renew their drivers' licenses. The War Amps is concerned that not all will consent and that it'll increase their costs. See: The Calgary Sun - Privacy form key to deal.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is really interesting. We recently received war amps tags in Ontario and then asked the question how did war amps get our information. Since Ontario's driver's licensing isn't covered by PIPEDA, I guess they are allowed to sell our information or give it to War Amps.

Anonymous said...

I have had this happen to me too even though all my personal information is unlisted. I'm ticked off - and going social media on it.