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Canada Wants to Protect Itself from the Patriot Act

I came across this interesting article from Truthout.org which was originally published in Le Devoir.com where you will find it in French. t r u t h o u t's French language correspondent Leslie Thatcher translated it into English.

Canada Wants to Protect Itself from the Patriot Act
By PC
From Le Devoir

Monday 12 December 2005

Ottawa - According to a federal proposition, a Canadian governmental agency could annul a contract with an American company should the latter transmit personal information concerning Canadians to American agencies in the fight against terrorism.

This measure aims to respond to the fear that the American FBI can now access confidential Canadian data that the government supplies to American companies working with the Federal Ministries in Ottawa.

The Patriot Act, adopted in the United States following the attacks of September 11, 2001, allows the FBI broader access to the files maintained by US companies. Thus, the FBI can ask an American court to force a company to reveal its files - including those containing information concerning Canadians - in order to assist its investigations that aim to prevent terrorism or espionage. That means that American authorities could have access to information on Canadians through the intermediary of American companies or their subsidiaries, even if that data were stored in Canada.

The Treasury Council has charged a work group to elaborate special dispositions that would have to be included in future documents and business contracts to reduce this risk. According to the preliminary proposal, federal data bases containing confidential information created by businesses would have to be situated in Canada and accessible only from inside the country. The government suggests that businessmen not be able to conclude a contract until they have committed to respect Canadian privacy laws.

posted by Annamarie at 1:43 AM