Big Brother is watching

It’s never a good sign when the federal privacy commissioner announces that he is launching a formal investigation. It becomes more alarming when that inquiry is targeting Statistics Canada. Why? Because the national data-gathering agency wants to delve into the personal banking records of Canadians to satisfy federal curiosity about consumer trends and our spending habits.

It’s alarming that Statscan claims it has the legal authority to gather such information, without informing or consulting Canadians. It’s a double invasion of our privacy.

The federal plan would compel banks to hand over records so Statscan can track how and where Canadians spend their money. It seems that traditional data-gathering methods can no longer accurately measure Canada’s economy and social changes.

Statscan simply sent letters to financial institutions, ordering them to provide details on customers’ banking details, such as social insurance numbers, phone records, credit bureau reports and electricity bills. But this plan goes beyond that.

The government will know if we buy a morning coffee at Tim Hortons, if we shop for Atlantic salmon at Sobeys on the way home from work and if we prefer Domino’s over Pizza Delight for a late-night snack.

Of course, we are given assurances about the highest level of privacy and confidentiality. Ottawa can’t even pay its own public servants without getting into a gigantic payroll mess. And last year the federal government paid $17.5 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over a privacy breach involving more than 580,000 student loan applications.

How long will it be before the first hacker breaks into the Statscan computers? Hi-tech and social media giants have their cybersecurity routinely breached; so why should data banks in our federal system be immune from such attacks?

The original Statscan demand is for the records of 500,000 Canadians, starting in January. It’s safe to assume that 10 per cent or more will live in Atlantic Canada.

A new sample will be chosen every year so the database will quickly grow into the millions. No one will be safe from federal prying eyes in this region.

Somewhere in Ottawa, alarm bells should be ringing. If the federal privacy commissioner is so concerned that he is launching a full probe, it’s time to rethink this scheme.

It’s one thing to be informed, asked and then voluntarily check a box, i.e. as on our income tax forms. Ottawa should look at bringing back the long-form census questionnaire as a better forum to obtain the financial information it needs.

Atlantic Canadians have a message for Trudeau and Statscan – butt out of our banking and our privacy.

Statscan can glean enough information elsewhere, without providing bureaucrats or politicians or whomever, the chance to delve into our financial information.

Accessing our private banking is the easy, lazy way out for Statscan.

Hopefully, the privacy commissioner will put a quick end to this foray by federal snoops. Statscan can determine consumer trends and spending habits elsewhere. This scheme is going way over the line.

Atlantic Canadians have a message for Trudeau and Statscan – butt out of our banking and our privacy.