The federal government is threatening to impose fines that could run to millions of dollars on private companies that violate Canadians’ privacy.
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains introduced the Digital Charter Implementation Act today — officially called an “Act to enact the Consumer Privacy Protection Act and the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts.” It represents one of the biggest shakeups in Canada’s privacy law in decades.
If the bill passes, companies could face fines of up to five per cent of global revenue or $25 million — whichever is greater — for the most serious offences. Bains said the legislation provides for the heaviest fines among the G7 nations’ privacy laws.
“The fines are there to provide accountability,” Bains told reporters.
The legislation also would give the federal privacy commissioner order-making powers — something Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien has long asked for — including the ability to force an organization to comply and to order a company to stop collecting data or using personal information.
Bains said the commissioner also would be able to recommend fines to a new Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal, which would levy administrative monetary penalties and hear appeals of orders issued under the new law.
According to the wording of a government press release, the legislation also would give Canadians the option of demanding that their personal online information be “destroyed”.
Consent rules
The federal government has been signalling a more user-friendly system since it first floated the idea of a digital charter.
if the draft legislation passes, companies would have to obtain consent from customers through plain language — not a long, jargon-filled legal document — before using their personal data.
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority, the not-for-profit agency that manages the .ca internet domain, praised the new bill.
WATCH | Bains explains how fines would be laid if companies contravene the new privacy legislation
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains tabled new privacy legislation today in the Commons. 1:25
“Trust is critical to the digital economy, and central to a well-functioning internet. Canadians must be able to trust that their personal data will be protected and not abused,” said CIRA president Byron Holland in a media statement.
“Companies that handle massive troves of personal data must be held accountable for protecting that data, be transparent about how they use it and face real consequences should they break the trust of their users.”
Conservative MP James Cumming, the party’s innovation, science and industry critic, said that if the Liberals truly cared about Canadians privacy rights they’d ban the Chinese telecom giant Huawei from operating in Canada.
“While other countries have taken decisive action to stand up for the privacy of their citizens and banned Huawei, the Trudeau Liberals have failed to make a decision and stand up for the privacy of Canadians. There is no excuse for this delay by the Trudeau government,” he wrote in a statement.
“When it comes to Liberal legislation, the devil is always in the details. Conservatives will review the legislation to ensure that it protects privacy without imposing burdensome regulations on small businesses who are struggling to keep their doors open during the second wave of the pandemic.”
Canada already has two privacy laws. The Privacy Act covers government agencies and federally regulated industries, while the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act applies to private-sector organizations.
Statistics Canada said that about 57 per cent of Canadians online reported experiencing a cyber-security incident in 2018.
WATCH | Bains on Privacy Commissioner’s powers
Industry Minister Navdeep Bains explains the new powers of investigation that the Privacy Commissioner will have under the new Consumer Privacy Protection Act. 0:43
The bill is a “big win for privacy in Canada,” said Laura Tribe, executive director of OpenMedia, which has long pushed for stronger laws.
“For years, people have been calling on the government to increase protections for our digital privacy, to no avail,” she said. “As a result, protecting the data and privacy of Canadians has been an afterthought for many companies, knowing that there were no meaningful penalties or consequences for bad behaviour.”
The group noted the legislation says consent is not required when an organization lacks a direct relationship with a person, which could water down the protections.
The bill is a step in the right direction, said Jim Balsillie, founder of the Centre for Digital Rights. “However, what seems to be missing is a clear recognition of privacy as a fundamental human right.”
Increased bureaucracy
Goldy Hyder, president of the Business Council of Canada, said the legislative proposals set out clear rules to protect consumers, promote innovation and strengthen Canadians’ confidence in the emerging digital economy.
B.C.’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy told CBC News that while the bill is a good start, he has issues with how it limits a privacy commissioner’s authority to recommending to a tribunal that a company be fined for breaching the law.
“It seems to me there is no reason why the commissioner shouldn’t have the power to administer those fines — subject, of course, to the courts,” he said.
McEvoy said that requiring a tribunal to review a commissioner’s recommendation to impose a fine adds an extra layer of bureaucracy that puts people one step further away from getting justice.
He said he likes the provision in the proposed law that would require privacy companies to state in plain and easy-to-understand language how they collect information and how they use it.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
