VANCOUVER – Civil liberties and privacy advocates are raising concerns about proposed changes to British Columbia’s privacy laws.
The provincial government has tabled legislation that would change the way residents’ data is stored and allow for more sharing between government ministries.
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association says the new law would allow information to be shared for different purposes other than what it was collected for, including potentially sharing it with non-government agencies.
The association’s Michael Vonn says it means government departments will share the public’s information without permission, and she rejects the suggestion that it will lead to a more efficient government.
Privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham says the legislation strikes the appropriate balance between privacy rights and effectively delivering government services.
Citizens’ Services Minister Margaret MacDiarmid wasn’t immediately available for comment, but she says in a news release that legislation will modernize an outdated law.
Local news from metronews.ca/vancouver
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