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Annual Report on the Privacy Act for the Period Ending March 31, 2012

2.  Key Activities and Accomplishments

2.1   Education and Training

This year, the ATIP Office participated in an Elections Canada CIO Sector Open House and shared tools and information about access to information and privacy processes and responsibilities with about 100 employees. Another eight training sessions were delivered to 130 Elections Canada staff regarding the agency's Privacy Breach Protocol. In addition, 36 employees participated in a PIA workshop. Agency ATIP officers led two workshops for offices of primary interest to review and discuss the ATIP process and best practices under the Acts; these workshops were attended by 15 Elections Canada staff.

The current chapter of Info Source is published on Elections Canada's website and Intranet to help Canadians and Elections Canada staff understand how the agency organizes its programs and uses personal information to fulfill its mandate. The Intranet also provides agency staff with training materials and guidance to help them fulfill their ATIP responsibilities.

2.2   Institutional Privacy Policies and Procedures

During the 2011–2012 reporting period, Elections Canada developed a template for its personal information-sharing agreements that is fully aligned with Treasury Board guidelines on personal data sharing. New or renewed agreements for personal information collected from or exchanged with other Canadian electoral bodies will be based on the template agreement and will thus reflect the best practices incorporated in it.

In response to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner's 2009 audit report Privacy Management Frameworks of Selected Federal Institutions, Elections Canada finalized a Privacy Breach Protocol to ensure quick and appropriate action in the case of privacy breaches. The protocol adheres to the Guidelines for Privacy Breaches issued by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. These guidelines outline best practices for responding to improper or unauthorized access to or disclosure of personal information.

2.3   Privacy Impact Assessments

The ATIP Office consistently undertakes PIAs and privacy impact risk assessments to address privacy risks in new or existing departmental programs, initiatives or projects that collect and retain personal information.

In this fiscal year, Elections Canada completed a PIA regarding its Online Elector Registration Service, which went into effect in April 2012. E-Registration offers fast, timely, secure and convenient access to electors who wish to confirm or update their registration information over the Internet. Summaries of completed PIAs are posted at: www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=res&dir=rep/pro/atip&document=index&lang=e