Month: July 2018

Bringing competing values in consumer protection into focus

The Competition Bureau recently brought into focus ongoing regulatory barriers to online sales of prescription eyewear. The Competition Bureau’s advocacy comes in the middle of a dispute between Ontario self-regulatory bodies and a major player in the online sale of… Read More ›

Linear points programs – Legal and marketing challenges

Given the cost and effort associated with customer acquisition, loyalty programs are an important customer-retention tool. However, linear reward programs in which customers simply accumulate points that can be used towards the purchase of goods and services may not always… Read More ›

Should marketers be worried by the latest OPC decision?

Canadians would likely find it difficult to argue with the outcome of a recent Report of Findings issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) involving the repurposing of public profile information of Facebook users by a… Read More ›

De-identified information is still particular

On Friday, July 13, the Supreme Court of Canada had occasion to consider whether the personal health information of residents of British Columbia should be disclosed to tobacco companies in a fight over whether those companies are responsible for reimbursing… Read More ›

Bill C-58 – Flaws in the government’s access to information reform

Freedom of information nerds may be interested in following the debate on reforms to Canada’s Access to Information Act proposed by the Liberal government. The Government is making enemies of lawyers (through the perceived incursion on solicitor-client privilege) and judges… Read More ›

Does the OPC really need a massive increase in funding?

In a recent letter to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, Daniel Therrien, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, suggested that a 90% increase in funding for the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) was required to… Read More ›

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