Daily BrewCBSA to share Canadians’ travel data with other federal departments
If you believe we're already living in the post-privacy era, this piece of news won't surprise you.
The Toronto Star reports that it has learned Ottawa plans to share personal information gleaned under the new Canada-U.S. border data exchange program with other federal departments.
We're already coping with the reality that national security snoopers are hoarding our phone metadata and Internet activity. Now, apparently, if you head into the United States for business, a little shopping or for a winter break, the personal particulars American border agents get from you will be funneled to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and from there to, say, Canada Revenue Agency.
Starting this summer, Ottawa and Washington will begin sharing their citizens' travel and biographical information, the Star reported Monday.
In Canada at least, that data will be passed on to other government departments, but only under strict rules, the CBSA told the Star.
It's the final part of an element in the Canada-U.S Beyond the Border initiative, launched in 2011. It was aimed at enhancing security in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks while expediting movement across the thickening Canada-U.S. border, where goods and individuals were facing increasing delays.
[ Related: Canada-U.S. 'Beyond the Border' project beset by delays ]
The first phase of the Entry/Exit Information System was implemented in 2012, with the CBSA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security exchanging data on the movement of third-country nationals with the aim of reconciling (matching) incoming and outgoing travel information.
After a successful test phase, the two countries last June expanded the program to exchange biographical data on third-country nationals, such as students, tourists, those here on work permits and immigrants who are permanent residents, to all automated common land border points of entry. The program is subject to privacy rules and data can only be kept for a limited time.
This year, the data exchange will extend to all Canadian and U.S. citizens who cross the border, the Star said.
CBSA spokeswoman Esme Bailey would not tell the Star if the new program would be used as an enforcement tool for anything other than border security, nor which federal departments would have access.
“Access to the information will be limited to designated users with an operational requirement for the information on a 'need-to-know' basis," she said.
“All personal data received will be stored in a secure database and IT safeguards and restrictions will be in place in accordance with the Government of Canada security policies and standards.”
[ Related: Civil liberties watchdog sues Ottawa over massive electronic surveillance of Canadians ]
But immigration policy analyst Richard Kurland told the Star the program "is a blank cheque to the Big Brother."
"Where you go and when you go becomes government property,” he said.
The data conceivably could be used as an immigration enforcement tool, or in areas such as health care and taxation by counting the number of days spent in Canada, he said.
The information collected includes a traveller's name, data of birth, nationality, sex, the document used and other facts.
Bailey said the data would not be shared with the provinces, which administer health care.
So trust the government to ensure your personal information is not used improperly. And besides, if you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to fear anyway. Right?
