A recent report interestingly demonstrates the role of economics and trade regulations playing a part in the rationale for attempting to gain access to data stored in Canada that US companies are blocked from. The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) has learned of mounting political pressure from US corporate lobbyists to effect change in British Colombia's data protection laws. US documents collected through a Freedom of Information request speaks of "frustration with Canada limiting bids on information technology contracts to Canadian companies, or conditions in bids requiring local storage of personal information as opposed to, say, storage in a U.S.-based server or cloud."
As a side note, whereas Canada's laws are seen as a restrictionist barrier to trade in the eyes of the US, talks between Canada and the European Union for a NAFTA-like agreement but with the EU may have issues of its own to deal with. A re-examination by the European Parliament is planned to determine whether Canada's privacy laws are adequate to allow data transfer with Europe.
It will be interesting to follow the various and competing economic pressures on Canadian privacy and data protection policy.
Another article discusses German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently expressing a need to shift the bulk of data transfer that the internet patches through the US central internet hub. She declared plans to set up an independent European infrastructure that is intended to keep internet traffic that occurs within Europe to stay within Europe and away from the prying eyes of the NSA (and other FIVE EYES intelligence gathering agencies including CSEC).
As a side note, whereas Canada's laws are seen as a restrictionist barrier to trade in the eyes of the US, talks between Canada and the European Union for a NAFTA-like agreement but with the EU may have issues of its own to deal with. A re-examination by the European Parliament is planned to determine whether Canada's privacy laws are adequate to allow data transfer with Europe.
It will be interesting to follow the various and competing economic pressures on Canadian privacy and data protection policy.
Another article discusses German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently expressing a need to shift the bulk of data transfer that the internet patches through the US central internet hub. She declared plans to set up an independent European infrastructure that is intended to keep internet traffic that occurs within Europe to stay within Europe and away from the prying eyes of the NSA (and other FIVE EYES intelligence gathering agencies including CSEC).
Good catch. The issue of privacy regulation as barriers to trade could be an interesting paper topic. I'm also not sure how this EU-centric internet infrastructure will work when the UK is a partner in surveillance alongside the US, Canada (etc).
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