MINISTER OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF ASSISTANT PRIVACY COMMISSIONER

OTTAWA, November 2, 2007 − The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, on the recommendation of the Privacy Commissioner, today announced the appointment of Elizabeth Denham as Assistant Privacy Commissioner. Her appointment is effective November 1, 2007.

This position is provided for in the Privacy Act to assist the Privacy Commissioner in carrying out her duties and responsibilities under the Act.

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner was created in 1983 under the Privacy Act. An agent of Parliament, the Privacy Commissioner is mandated by Parliament to act as an ombudsman, advocate and guardian of the privacy and protection of personal information rights of individuals.

Biographical notes follow.

-30-

Ref:

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
613- 995-0103

Darren Eke
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Justice
613-992-4621

ELIZABETH DENHAM

Elizabeth Denham was most recently Director of Research, Analysis and Stakeholder Relations with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. On secondment from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta, she had been the Director, Private Sector, responsible for the enforcement of Alberta’s new Personal Information Protection Act.

From 2001 to 2003, Ms. Denham ran her own privacy policy consulting business, with clients in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Ottawa. Working with the Calgary Health Region from 1997-2001, she held the positions of Information and Privacy Coordinator and Director, Legal and Regulatory Affairs.

Previously, she led the Archives of the City of Calgary and the City of Richmond, B.C. Ms. Denham holds a Masters of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia.