B.C Privacy Commissioner says the USA Patriot Act violates privacy laws

David Loukidelis, the Privacy Commissioner of the province of British Columbia (where I live), is recommending an immediate freeze on all outsourcing of public data to US-connected firms. CBC is carrying an article about this where they point out that B.C Privacy Commissioner says the USA Patriot Act violates provincial privacy laws, because it can order American companies to hand over information on British Columbians in secret.

You can get the report from Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) in two documents:

1. The Summary Decision
   
2. Detailed Report

I am both proud and happy to see Canada taking a stance like this. I have always thought the Patriot Act was WAY to open, and the fact it could bleed into my own civil rights is bothersome. While I respect the need for the intelligence community in the USA (and Canada for that matter) to gather information, there are ways to go about it without infringing on other countries rights and freedoms. You cannot say you fight for freedom in the world and then scoff at the very rules that this freedom provides.

Good job David. My respect to you and your office in taking this stance.