Collection of RCMP member's health information unnecessary (RCMP) - November 17, 2014
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada investigated a complaint concerning the RCMP's collection of a member's medical diagnosis and financial information from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). The OPC found that the RCMP's National Compensation Policy Centre collected sensitive personal information that was not necessary for the administration of pension benefits or health care, contravening the Privacy Act. The investigation revealed this practice was systemic and occurred over several years, despite the transfer of responsibility for pension adjudication to VAC.
- Necessity of collecting medical and financial information by the RCMP from VAC.
- Consistency of collection with the purposes for which information was originally collected by VAC.
- Systemic nature of the inappropriate collection of sensitive personal information.
- Adequacy of information sharing agreements between federal institutions.
Complaint well-founded — corrective measures recommended
The OPC found that the RCMP contravened the Privacy Act by collecting the complainant's medical diagnosis and financial information, as this collection was neither necessary nor consistent with the purpose for which VAC collected it, especially after responsibility for pension adjudication was transferred to VAC.
AI-generated summary for reference only. Always verify against the official decision ↗
The OPC recommended that the RCMP update its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with VAC to include comprehensive information about the proper flow of sensitive personal information and urged the RCMP to reconsider restricting access to its members' sensitive personal information within its Health Service Manual.
- s. 4 Privacy Act
- s. 3 Privacy Act
- para. 8(2)(a) Privacy Act
This summary is informational only and not legal advice.