Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, Frank Work, is welcoming the passing of Bill 44: the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
“This is a good law. It is faithful to the federal law, but offers Alberta businesses a number of refinements and more clarity,” said Commissioner Work.
PIPA governs the means by which private sector organizations handle personal information, recognizing both the right of an individual to have his or her personal information protected and the need of organizations to collect, use or disclose personal information for purposes that are reasonable.
“I understand that it will take time for businesses and organizations to implement the requirements of PIPA,” said Commissioner Work. “However, on January 1, 2004 individuals have the right to file a complaint under the Act. We prefer that organizations have the first opportunity to resolve complaints with the individual. Organizations should therefore establish good internal procedures to deal with privacy issues,” added the Commissioner.
A private-sector privacy team has been established under the leadership of Elizabeth Denham. This team is located in Calgary. The Commissioner and his staff look forward to working with industry groups and organizations on the implementation of the Act. For additional information about PIPA, organizations are encouraged to visit the Commissioner’s website at www.oipc.ab.ca or call 1-888-878-4044.