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The Personal Information Protection Act (“the Act”)
regulates the way private sector organizations within British Columbia
collect, use, keep, secure and disclose personal information. “Personal
Information” means all information about an identifiable individual.
Cameron IP, the “Firm”, recognizes the importance of
privacy and recognizes the sensitivity of personal information received
by us in the course of our legal practice.
We recognize our professional obligation to maintain the confidentiality
of our clients’ information, and recognize our obligations
concerning the personal information of all individuals that we collect,
use or disclose in our practice. This policy has been developed
with those obligations in mind.
In order to be able to give legal advice to our clients, we need
access to all relevant facts and information that relate to our
retainer and to the representation of our clients. This information
will necessarily include personal information about our clients
and about individuals other than our clients.
Where practical, we endeavour to collect personal information directly
from the person to whom the information pertains. When necessary,
we will collect personal information from other sources.
By retaining this firm for legal advice or representation, an individual
consents to our necessary collection, use or disclosure of the individual’s
personal information in order to properly advise and represent the
individual.
It is our policy to collect personal information about individuals
other than our clients in accordance with the provisions of the
Personal Information Protection Act.
The Act deems that an individual has consented to our collection,
use or disclosure of personal information about that individual
if, at the time the consent is deemed to be given, the purpose would
be considered obvious to a reasonable person. In such circumstances,
we will collect, use or disclose personal information without obtaining
a written or verbal consent to do so.
The Act also permits us to collect, use or disclose personal information
about an individual in some circumstances without the individual’s
consent. Those include (but are not limited to) circumstances in
which:
- the collection, use or disclosure is clearly in the interests
of the individual and consent cannot be obtained in a timely way;
- it is reasonable to expect that the collection or use of personal
information with the consent of the individual would compromise
the availability or accuracy of the information, and the collection
or use of the information is necessary for an investigation or
proceeding;
- it is reasonable to expect that the disclosure of personal
information with the consent of the individual would compromise
an investigation or proceeding, and the disclosure of the information
is necessary for an investigation or proceeding;
- the personal information is available to the public from a
prescribed source;
- the collection, use or disclosure of personal information is
required or authorized by law.
When we collect, use or disclose personal information, we will make
reasonable efforts to ensure that it is accurate and complete.
We recognize our professional and legal obligations to protect the
confidential information of our clients. We recognize as well our
legal obligations to protect the personal information we have gathered
about our clients and about other individuals during the course of
our practice of law.
We have therefore made arrangements to secure against the unauthorized
access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification, disposal
or destruction of personal information.
The Act permits individuals to submit written requests to us to provide
them with:
- their personal information under our custody or control;
- information about how their personal information under our
control has been and is being used by us;
- the names of the individuals and organizations to whom their
personal information under our control has been disclosed by us.
We will respond to requests in the time allowed by the Act and will
make a reasonable effort to assist applicants and to respond as accurately
and completely as reasonably possible. All requests may be subject
to any fees and disbursements the law permits us to charge.
An individual’s ability to access his or her personal information
under our control is not absolute. The Act provides that we must not
disclose personal information when:
- the disclosure could reasonably be expected to threaten the
safety or physical or mental health of an individual other than
the individual who made the request;
- the disclosure can reasonably be expected to cause immediate
or grave harm to the safety or to the physical or mental health
of the individual who made the request;
- the disclosure would reveal personal information about another
individual;
- the disclosure would reveal the identity of an individual who
has provided personal information about another individual and
the individual providing the personal information does not consent
to disclosure of his or her identity.
The Act further provides that we are not required to disclose personal
information when:
- the personal information is protected by solicitor-client privilege;
- the disclosure of the personal information would reveal confidential
commercial information that, if disclosed, could, in the opinion
of a reasonable person, harm the competitive position of an organization;
- the personal information was collected without consent for
the purposes of an investigation, and the investigation and associated
proceedings and appeals have not been completed;
- the personal information was collected or created by a mediator
or arbitrator in the conduct of a mediation or arbitration for
which he or she was appointed to act:
(i) under a collective agreement,
(ii) under an enactment, or
(iii) by a court.
The law permits individuals to submit written requests to us to correct
errors or omissions in their personal information that is in our custody
or control. We will:
- correct the personal information and, if reasonable to do so,
send correction notifications to any other organizations to whom
we disclosed the incorrect information; or
- decide not to correct the personal information, but annotate
the personal information that a correction was requested but not
made.
If you have any questions with respect to our policies concerning
the handling of your personal information, or if you wish to request
access to, or correction of, your personal information under our care
and control, please contact our Privacy Officer at:
Norman M. Cameron
Suite 1401 – 1166 Alberni Street
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada, V6E 3Z3
Telephone (604) 688-6442
Fax (604) 688-6445
If you are dissatisfied with our handling of your personal information,
we invite you to contact our Privacy Officer in writing, setting
out the reasons for your concern. If, after our Privacy Officer
has reviewed and responded to your concern, you remain dissatisfied,
you may wish to contact the Office of the Information and Privacy
Commissioner at:
P.O. Box 9038, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria; British Columbia
Canada, V8W 9A4
Telephone (250) 387-5629
Fax (250) 387-1696
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