Debates of February 22, 2018 (day 14)

Date
February
22
2018
Session
18th Assembly, 3rd Session
Day
14
Members Present
Hon. Glen Abernethy, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Blake, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Ms. Green, Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Hon. Bob McLeod, Hon. Robert McLeod, Mr. McNeely, Hon. Alfred Moses, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Nakimayak, Mr. O'Reilly, Hon. Wally Schumann, Hon. Louis Sebert, Mr. Testart, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Vanthuyne
Statements

Question 150-18(3): Proposed Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Legislation

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today there was a public hearing with the Information and Privacy Commissioner, and it brought to my mind the long-required need to bring about new access to information and privacy protection legislation in this building. We are still working off of the original legislation that came about in 1996. A lot has changed since then. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice: what progress is being made on updating ATIPP legislation? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Minister of Justice.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. We are working on updating the ATIPP information, and certainly it is important. There were many suggestions made as to how it could be improved, and we are dedicated to improving that piece of legislation. Thank you.

Does the Minister have any timelines that he can inform the House of when this legislation is anticipated to come forward?

Yes. We are engaging and have been engaging with various communities and governments with respect to this legislation, and I hope to be bringing forward legislation this year.

I suppose it is too much to ask for specificity on when the Minister will bring it forward, but I want to ask about another subject. Related to this work is Access by Design or Privacy by Design. Is the Minister doing any work to ensure we are designing government projects and government legislation with Privacy by Design in mind? Has any work been undertaken on that aspect?

We are, of course, very cognizant of our responsibilities under ATIPP and other privacy legislations, so I would hope that all legislation is looked at through that lens.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is the Minister of Hope. He often hopes when we raise questions to him, but can the Minister commit to do more than hope and actually do some work to put a public policy lens? Like we do with gender-based analysis and like we do with Indigenous rights analysis, can he put a Privacy by Design lens on policy proposals? Let's narrow the focus, Mr. Speaker. Can he put a privacy lens on Cabinet submissions? Thank you.

I have not contemplated that to this point, but certainly would be willing to look into it. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.