By Melissa Lukings, JD Candidate, Faculty of Law, University of New Brunswick (UNB)
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Dr. Arash Habibi Lashkari, Assistant Professor and Research Coordinator, Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity (CIC), University of New Brunswick (UNB)The Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act were both implemented by the Canadian federal government in 1985 and have acted as a starting point for more recent legislation and privacy laws, including those pertaining to the cyber sector. These Acts work together to provide a legislative framework for personal data collection, use, retention, disclosure, and individual access within the federal public sector. First, the Privacy Act, which regulates governmental bodies’ access to the information of individuals. Then, the Access to Information Act, which serves to provide a method for individuals to access their own personal information as held by those governmental bodies. Our collective national journey into the realm of cybersecurity law begins with these two Acts, which set a basis for future governmental legislation regarding privacy and data access in Canada.
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