Vive Le Canada

BC To Guard Against PATRIOT Act

Posted on Monday, July 26 at 10:35 by N Say
The province will introduce rules this fall to forbid Canadian subsidiaries of American companies from handing over private information to American law enforcement agencies. Under the Patriot Act, passed in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, U.S. agencies are allowed access to the information in the name of U.S. homeland security.

Civil liberty and privacy activists say there's an easier way around the Patriot Act – stop contracting out government data services to American-owned companies. The province is currently negotiating seven different contracts where private information could be exposed under the act, including financial and medical records.

Geoff Plant, B.C.'s attorney general, says the Patriot Act presents "a small and largely theoretical risk to personal information" collected in B.C. The B.C. Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU) has already gone to B.C. Supreme Court to try to block what it calls privitization of the Medical Services Plan.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/07/24/bc_privacy040724

Note: http://www.cbc.ca/stori...

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  1. by KWL
    Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:24 am
    Instead of having to pass laws to try and protect citizens from the US and the Patriot Act, how about not giving out contracts to US contractors who could be put in the position of having to give Canadian citizens' information to the US Government.

    It seems to me that Gordon Campbell is doing anything he can to not give Government contracts to Canadian companies.

  2. by avatar whelan costen
    Tue Jul 27, 2004 2:19 am
    Right on! I second that!

    ---
    If I stand for my country today...will my country be here to stand for me tomorrow?

  3. by Anonymous
    Tue Jul 27, 2004 2:51 am
    Funny, maybe they should start by taking a look at this BarWatch system. A blatantly illegal privacy invasion which is supported by the police. <A HREF="http://www.hackcanada.com/canadian/freedom/barwatch/barwatch.html">http://www.hackcanada.com/canadian/freedom/barwatch/barwatch.html</A>

  4. by RPW
    Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:46 am
    <P>Yes. Gordon Campbell is so determined to show that free enterpise can do a better job than "socialist" centralization, that he will spend practically ANY amount to prove it!</p> PS. Even though the BC Libs might pass a law forbidding subsidiaries fro giving out information, we will never know, because the subsidiaries are forbidden to tell us if and when they do. It is part of the P.A.<p>---<br>RickW

  5. by Anonymous
    Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:39 pm
    I don't know how accurate that is. I have been at some of the clubs listed in Edmonton and they were not using the system. (of course that was about 3-4 months ago...)

    If this is being used it clearly violates the terms of PIPA (Alberta's Privacy law, similar to Canada's, but a little more strict) in PIPA bars would only have the right to collect the information solely to insure there patrons are over 18, any other use of the information would be considered unreasonable and therefore requiring written consent.



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