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### Viewing cable 06OTTAWA2458, CANADA'S PRIVACY COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCES

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
06OTTAWA2458 | 2006-08-16 22:05 | 2011-04-28 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Ottawa

`

    VZCZCXRO2296
    RR RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
    DE RUEHOT #2458/01 2282205
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    R 162205Z AUG 06
    FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3497
    INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE
    RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASH DC
    RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC
    RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 002458

    SIPDIS

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR WHA/CAN, EB/IFD/OIA, EB/CBA, AND S/CT
    TREASURY FOR IMI:HOEK

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: EFIN ECPS ECON PTER CA
    SUBJECT: CANADA'S PRIVACY COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCES
    INVESTIGATION OF SWIFT BANK TRANSACTION MESSAGING SYSTEM

    REF: A. OTTAWA 2158

         ¶B. OTTAWA 2149
         ¶C. OTTAWA 2060 (NOTAL)
         ¶D. STATE 103650

    ¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  THE JUNE 23 U.S. PRESS ARTICLES DISCLOSING
    THE EXISTENCE OF THE USG'S TERRORIST FINANCING TRACKING
    PROGRAM AND THE COOPERATION IT RECEIVED FROM THE
    INTERNATIONAL "SWIFT" BANK TRANSACTION MESSAGING SYSTEM HAVE
    RESULTED IN THE AUGUST 14 ANNOUNCEMENT OF TWO INVESTIGATIONS
    OF SWIFT BY CANADA'S OFFICE OF THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER
    (OPC).  ONE INVESTIGATION WAS SELF-INITIATED BY THE PRIVACY
    COMMISSIONER HERSELF AND THE SECOND WAS REQUESTED BY TWO
    PRIVACY WATCH DOG GROUPS.  THE INVESTIGATIONS WILL SEE
    WHETHER THE POSSIBLE DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL BANKING DATA
    ABOUT CANADIANS TO THE USG OUTSIDE APPROVED PROCESSES FOR
    SUCH DATA TRANSFERS (I.E., WITH JUDICIAL AUTHORIZATION; VIA
    FINTRAC, CANADA'S FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT; OR VIA A
    MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TREATY (MLAT) WAS APPROPRIATE AND
    VIOLATED CANADA'S PRIVATE SECTOR PRIVACY LAW.  END SUMMARY.

    ¶2. (U)  ON AUGUST 14, CANADA'S OFFICE OF THE PRIVACY
    COMMISSIONER (OPC) OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION OF
    THE SOCIETY FOR WORLDWIDE INTERBANK FINANCIAL
    TELECOMMUNICATION (SWIFT), THE BELGIAN-BASED COMPANY THAT
    OPERATES AS A WORLDWIDE MESSAGING SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING
    BANK TRANSACTION INFORMATION IN MORE THAN 200 COUNTRIES,
    INCLUDING CANADA.  THE OPC SAYS THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE
    INVESTIGATION IS "TO DETERMINE WHETHER PERSONAL INFORMATION
    RELATING TO CANADIANS' FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS IS IMPROPERLY
    DISCLOSED BY SWIFT TO FOREIGN AUTHORITIES."  THE OPC HAS
    NOTIFIED SWIFT OF ITS INVESTIGATION.

    ¶3. (U)  PRIVACY COMMISSIONER JENNIFER STODDART NOTED THAT
    "THE RISKS RESULTING FROM PERSONAL INFORMATION FLOWING ACROSS
    BORDERS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN EXPRESSING CONCERNS
    ABOUT FOR SOME TIME.  THE SWIFT SITUATION CONCERNS PRIVACY
    COMMISSIONERS WORLD WIDE AND IS SOMETHING WE NEED TO EXAMINE
    IN MORE DETAIL.  ALTHOUGH THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE ARE UNABLE
    TO LAWFULLY INVESTIGATE A COMPLAINT ABOUT SOMETHING TAKING
    PLACE OUTSIDE CANADA WITH CANADIANS' PERSONAL INFORMATION, WE
    HAVE DETERMINED THAT WE ARE, IN FACT, IN A POSITION TO
    INVESTIGATE THIS IMPORTANT MATTER."

    ¶4. (U)  BEFORE LAUNCHING ITS OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION, THE OPC
    LOOKED INTO THE SITUATION TO EXAMINE WHAT WAS TAKING PLACE
    AND TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH IT COULD GET INVOLVED,
    GIVEN QUESTIONS OF JURISDICTION AND THE APPLICATION OF
    CANADA'S PRIVACY LAWS.  BASED ON THE INFORMATION HER OFFICE
    GATHERED, THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER DECIDED THAT SHE HAS
    REASONABLE GROUNDS TO SELF-INITIATE A COMPLAINT AGAINST SWIFT
    TO SEE IF THERE HAS BEEN A VIOLATION OF THE PERSONAL
    INFORMATION PROTECTION AND ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS ACT (PIPEDA),
    CANADA'S PRIVATE SECTOR PRIVACY LAW.

    ¶5. (U)  MOREOVER, THE OPC HAS RECEIVED A COMPLAINT AGAINST
    CANADA'S SIX LARGEST BANKS AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE SWIFT
    MATTER.  THIS WAS TRIGGERED BY A JULY 27 COMPLAINT FILED WITH
    THE OPC AGAINST THE ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, THE
    TORONTO-DOMINION BANK, THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA, THE CANADIAN
    IMPERIAL BANK OF COMMERCE, THE BANK OF MONTREAL AND THE
    NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA.  THE CANADIAN INTERNET POLICY AND
    PUBLIC INTEREST CLINIC (CIPPIC) AT THE LAW FACULTY AT THE
    UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA, AND PRIVACY INTERNATIONAL, A
    LONDON-BASED SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY WATCH DOG, FILED THE
    COMPLAINT.  NO TIME FRAME FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE SWIFT
    INVESTIGATIONS WAS DISCLOSED.
    QINVESTIGATIONS WAS DISCLOSED.

    ¶6. (U)  THE WATCH DOG COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT CANADIAN BANK
    DISCLOSURES OF CUSTOMER DATA VIA SWIFT TO THE USG CONSTITUTE
    A VIOLATION OF PIPEDA, SINCE THEY "ARE MADE A) IN RESPONSE TO
    ADMINISTRATIVE SUBPOENAS OR OTHER REQUESTS OF QUESTIONABLE
    VALIDITY, AND B) ENTIRELY OUTSIDE THE LEGAL PROCESSES
    ESTABLISHED BY CANADA, THE U.S., AND OTHER COUNTRIES OFR THE
    INTERNATIONAL SHARING OF SUCH DATA."

    ¶7. (U)  EMBASSY COMMENT: WHILE THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER'S
    ACTIONS AND REPORTS RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT PRESS ATTENTION IN
    CANADA, THE COMMISSIONER IS AN OFFICER OF PARLIAMENT, NOT OF
    THE GOC, AND SHE HAS NO DIRECT ENFORCEMENT POWER.  THE OPC'S
    FUNCTION IS TO ADVISE AND INFORM PARLIAMENT AND ITS VIEWS MAY
    DIFFER FROM THOSE HELD BY THE HARPER GOVERNMENT.  END COMMENT.

    Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at
    http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa

    OTTAWA 00002458  002 OF 002

    WILKINS

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