Overview

• Canadian Heritage says it was made aware of the oversight and is looking into how the privacy clause vanished from the statute.
• Officials note that existing public- and private-sector privacy laws still bind the CRTC and broadcasters regardless of interpretive wording.
• The removed clause was added in 2023 by Sen. Julie Miville-Dechêne at the federal privacy commissioner’s urging to ensure the law is read consistent with privacy rights.
• An official languages bill inadvertently swapped out the privacy section, creating two similar provisions on official-language minority communities and none on privacy.
• Legal experts warn the error creates uncertainty for courts, while Miville-Dechêne and Michael Geist call for a prompt legislative fix.