Canadian privacy & access decisions

A woman complained to the OPC that Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) was putting her at risk of identity theft by publishing her full name and date of birth in the Canada Gazette, which is available online. This information was published as part of the enrollment process for the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. The OPC investigated whether this disclosure was consistent with the Privacy Act. The OPC determined that the disclosure was for the purpose for which the information was originally collected, which was for the identification and recognition of Band members. Therefore, the disclosure was permissible under the Privacy Act without the individual's consent. The complaint was found to be not well-founded, but the OPC recommended AANDC explore future options to mitigate identity theft risks.

• Whether the disclosure of full name and date of birth in the Canada Gazette was consistent with the Privacy Act
• Whether personal information can be disclosed without consent when it is for the purpose for which it was originally collected