Watchdog calls Canada's privacy act 'III-suited' to 21st century.

• Position: INFO GOVERNANCE

Canada's Privacy Act, which governs how the federal government uses Canadians' personal information, has not been changed since it was enacted in 1983 and is badly in need of an update, according to Canada's top privacy watchdog.

The privacy law is woefully out of date, and rules addressing the government's handling of private information haven't kept up with technology, Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a Nov. 10, 2015, letter obtained by the Toronto Star.

"One of the biggest changes in the privacy realm is technology, Canadians' relationship to it, and the desires by government and industry to harness its power for various purposes," Therrien wrote in the letter obtained by the Star under the access to information law. "In this complex, new environment, modernization of our privacy framework and the pressing need for greater transparency around how technology is used is critical to maintaining citizens' trust in government and the digital economy."

In a March 22, 2016, letter to the House of Commons committee on privacy issues, Therrien provided 16 recommendations to modernize the Privacy Act--and warned that the legislation is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Those recommendations include the following points:

* Government departments and agencies should report serious breaches to Therrien's office. Current rules require departments only to consider reporting any "material" breach involving a large number of people or where damages may result.

* Give the privacy commissioner the power to compel agencies to take action when necessary. The privacy commissioner currently...