GOVERNMENT UPGRADES PRIVACY PRACTICES

The provincial government today announced it has adopted new privacy standards for the development of government policies and practices respecting the protection of personal information.

Today's announcement is the next step forward in addressing the recommendations made by Deloitte & Touche consultants, retained by government in June 2002 to conduct an internal review of its privacy protection procedures and policies. The consultant's report contained 11 key recommendations and was delivered to the government in February 2003.

Information Technology Minister Andrew Thomson says citizens have a right to have their private information protected and government has an obligation to ensure it has the safeguards in place to make sure that happens.

"We now have privacy standards in place that apply to all departments and agencies of executive government and awareness training sessions for all managers are now being developed to be delivered in December," Thomson said.

The CIC Crown Corporations are developing their own parallel framework and staff training programs to reflect the competitive business environments in which they operate.

In developing the policies, the government reviewed similar provincial, national and international frameworks. A set of 11 privacy principles have been incorporated in the standards as well as a vision, goals, objectives, key actions and benchmarks.

Implementation will occur over time with target dates set for completion of key actions. The standards call for certain policies, such as the Data Classification Scheme, to apply to all departments while other policies and procedures will be developed at the department level. This will ensure individual departments have the flexibility to determine how the framework can be applied to the private information they control and the business environment in which they operate.

To oversee implementation of the standards, government will soon appoint a Chief Privacy Officer (CPO). Unlike the independent legislated mandate of the Information and Privacy Commissioner under The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the CPO will work within government as a facilitator, to ensure that the policies, standards, education and awareness initiatives, and procedures for protecting personal information are put into effect.

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For More Information, Contact:

Carey Robertson Executive Council Regina Phone: (306)787-5780