The province’s new Information and Privacy Commissioner has been travelling across British Columbia, listening to residents as he develops a strategic plan to guide his office’s future work.
Michael Harvey, appointed in May 2024, leads both the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) and the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists.
One of seven stops, Kelowna hosted a public session on May 27, that brought together representatives from municipal government, healthcare and education sectors, community groups, and non-profit organizations. The discussion covered a wide range of issues—from public trust and digital surveillance to the question of who’s responsible for protecting personal data.
“This is part of our public engagement sessions to get people’s feedback and perspectives,” Harvey said. “We’re developing ideas that we’ll release—hopefully in early fall—as a strategic plan to guide the work of our offices.”
A Province-Wide Conversation
Harvey says he’s hearing recurring concerns, including frustration with the Freedom of Information system, growing data collection, and questions about the influence of artificial intelligence.
Video surveillance is also drawing scrutiny—especially at the municipal level. “There’s a lot of attention on it there,” Harvey noted, though it's not exclusive to local governments.
Trust in a Digital World
One theme that has surfaced consistently across the province is trust, or the erosion of it.
“There’s a literature in political science that talks about the decline of trust going back for generations,” Harvey said. “It ties into the rise of television, cable news, and now the internet,” he said.
In Kelowna, participants raised concerns about who is collecting their data, how it’s being used, and whether they can trust the information they’re receiving. Harvey says these anxieties are shared across the communities he’s visited.
Who’s Watching Whom?
It’s a recurring question Harvey noted. “Is too much personal data being collected—and by whom?”
While he encourages individuals to understand and exercise their privacy rights, he says the burden shouldn’t fall entirely on them.
“Yes, we need higher rates of data literacy,” he said. “We should be teaching it in an age-appropriate way throughout our education system. But we also need to build stronger guardrails around how organizations and governments handle personal data.”
B.C.'s Strong Privacy Laws—With Room to Grow
Harvey says B.C. stands out in terms of privacy protection.
“B.C.’s legislation sets a high bar—in terms of both scope and strength,” he said. “That’s part of why I wanted this job.”
Still, he believes many British Columbians don’t realize how well-protected they already are.
“That’s part of the outreach goal that I set. I think if they understood the strength of protection that they have, maybe that would help the trust issue.”
Harvey also pointed out that B.C.’s privacy protection laws are far from perfect.
“They need to change to keep up to changing demands,” he said. “I'll keep pushing for improvements, but I think that the people of this province should be happy to know that the laws that they have are solid laws and that they're well protected.”
A Legacy of Advocacy
Harvey credits both political will and a long tradition of advocacy for the strength of B.C.’s privacy and data laws.
“Yes, the legislature had to pass these laws,” he said. “But there’s also been a strong history of commissioners, going all the way back to the mid-1990s when David Flaherty was the first commissioner. He was a giant in privacy circles and the inspiration for a lot of this work.”
That legacy continues today through scholars, institutions, and organizations like the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA).
“I think it reflects the sophisticated way people in this province think about access, privacy, and their rights,” Harvey added.
What the Commissioner Actually Does
Harvey said there are four main areas of work his office handles.
Quasi-judicial role: “We investigate complaints, can issue orders with the force of law, and even impose monetary penalties in lobbying transparency cases. We also initiate our own investigations.”
Education and outreach: “We raise public awareness and provide information. That’s why I’m out here doing these workshops.”
Research: “We conduct our own research and encourage others to explore privacy and access issues relevant to our mandate.”
Policy and legislation: “We comment on new laws, propose legislative reforms, and review privacy impact assessments from public bodies and organizations.”
More Work Ahead
While optimistic, Harvey says his office still has work to do in promoting privacy rights and building public awareness.
“I think there’s more to be done in helping people understand what our office does, the mandates we have, and how they can exercise their rights,” he said.
More information about the OIPC is available on its website.
