June 28, 2007
“…unseen, uncontrolled or excessive surveillance activities also pose risks that go much further than just affecting privacy. They can foster a climate of suspicion and undermine trust. The collection and use of vast amounts of personal information by public and private organizations leads to decisions which directly influence peoples’ lives. By classifying and profiling automatically or arbitrarily, they can stigmatize in ways which create risks for individuals and affect their access to services. There is particularly an increasing risk of social exclusion.”
(a) Refer the Program to a Parliamentary committee for comprehensive public scrutiny, debate and report to Parliament on:
(b) Enact comprehensive legislative criteria, procedures and powers to govern:
(c) Confer on an appropriate oversight body that is independent of government the duty and function of regularly reviewing and reporting on the use and operation of no-fly lists (including the Program) in Canada, their capacity to promote public safety, and their impact on fundamental rights and freedoms; and
(d) Suspend the operations of the Program and the Identity Screening Regulations, pending the completion of the foregoing or, in the alternative, ensure that the Program functions under strict ministerial scrutiny with regular public reports to Parliament until such time as Parliament completes the foregoing review and report.
(a) Defend and advance privacy principles, transparency and strong privacy protections in their establishment of any standards, rules or common practices governing the screening 'of travelers using watch lists or other passenger assessment programs which affect personal data handling within the jurisdictions of their constituent members;
(b) Ensure that travelers are given timely written notice of which no-fly lists are in operation on each airline or air route, with the notice including at a minimum a clear description of the purposes of any related collection, use or disclosure of personal information, the contact information for the government agencies with legal responsibility for the creation and administration of the listing regime, and information setting out the nature of and contact information for available administrative and legal redress mechanisms; and
(c) Include representation from the privacy and data protection community.
News Release: Canada's privacy guardians call for comprehensive changes to no-fly list program
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