Personal info law becoming archaic, says federal privacy watchdog

OTTAWA – Canada’s privacy czar says the federal law governing how companies handle personal information is too old to keep up with the rapidly expanding digital age.

In her annual report on the law, Jennifer Stoddart says the 13-year-old legislation was designed for another age — before online fraud, cyberbullying and data breaches routinely grabbed headlines.

Stoddart notes that other nations’ data protection authorities have power to make binding orders, levy hefty fines and take significant action in response to serious data losses.

However, the federal legislation restricts the Canadian privacy commissioner’s office to persuasion, encouragement and — at most — the possibility of publishing the names of transgressors.

The commissioner says she has no power to enforce her recommendations, short of a time-consuming court battle.

A federal bill that would make some changes to the law has been stalled in Parliament for well over a year.