Monitoring The Mayor – B.C. Mayor Alleges That Computer Monitoring Violated His Privacy

A recent case involving the Mayor of the District of Saanich in British Columbia illustrates the fine balance that employers must achieve between protecting secure networks and complying with privacy laws.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia (the "Commissioner") has issued an investigation report on the use of security software by the District of Saanich (the "District"), which illustrates the importance of undergoing a privacy audit of new and existing programs and policies. With Canadian privacy law moving towards increased regulation and greater penalties in both the public and private spheres, companies and agencies seeking to limit liability must identify whether their programs and policies encroach on personal privacy.