Privacy is not just an important individual right. Privacy supports and underpins a myriad of other democratic values including free speech, autonomy, security and equality. Invasive mass surveillance by our government has no place in Canada.
For the last 50 years, the BCCLA has been committed to protecting the privacy of Canadians. We have advocated for strong privacy laws in a wide variety of contexts, from health care decision making to cross-border information sharing. Our lawsuit against CSEC is just one more important step to ensure that privacy matters – now and in the future.
BCCLA Resources on Privacy:
Background and theory:
- If you have 90 minutes, we recommend the full length lecture delivered by BCCLA Policy Director entitled “Public Lives: What Eroding Privacy Means for Democracy
- Executive Director talks to MegaPhone Magazine: “Eye Spy: Civil liberties advocate Josh Paterson looks at a changing culture of surveillance in Canada”
- Board Member Greg McMullen breaks down this summer’s surveillance revelations. Play catch up on the news: “It’s Secret Spying Scandal Week!”
- Micheal Vonn and Board Member Reg Whitaker discuss surveillance in the historical and Canadian context. What it means, and what we’ve got to lose. “Surveillance & Society: Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”
Our recent advocacy work on privacy:
- The largest pro-privacy coalition in Canadian history: BCCLA joins OpenMedia.ca and partners from across the country to stand up for privacy rights in Canada
- The Washington Statement: the BCCLA spearheads an international coalition calling for better data protection
- A National ID Card by Stealth: a report on the BC Services Card
We are proud to have partnered with Openmedia.ca on a national action campaign in support of this case. Click here to sign onto the statement in support of the case.
