OTTAWA --
The Home of Commons known as on the federal government Tuesday to droop plans by the Public Well being Company of Canada to gather knowledge from tens of millions of cell phones to assist perceive journey patterns through the COVID-19 pandemic.
MPs handed a movement urging the federal government to droop a plan to increase the gathering of cellphone location knowledge till the privateness implications are seemed into.
The vote by MPs follows the passing of a movement by the Home of Commons ethics committee to halt the gathering of knowledge till privateness issues are addressed.
The committee movement was unanimously backed by MPs on the committee from all events, together with Liberals. However on Tuesday, when the movement got here earlier than the entire Home, the Liberals voted towards it.
The movement mentioned the tender shouldn't be prolonged till the Commons ethics committee studies that the privateness of Canadians won't be affected by the plans to gather cell phone location knowledge. It was supported by the Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois and NDP.
The federal government can ignore the movement if it needs and permit the general public well being company to press forward with its plans, although the movement was handed by a majority of MPs.
However John Brassard, the Conservative Home chief who sits on the ethics committee, urged the federal government to pay heed to the desires of MPs.
He mentioned in an interview it was a "affordable request" to permit the Commons ethics committee to analyze the implications of knowledge assortment for Canadians' privateness, and to halt the tender till it has the possibility to report its findings.
On Monday, the privateness commissioner gave proof to the ethics committee on the proposal.
"The privateness commissioner supplied to look below the hood of this system," Brassard mentioned. "He mentioned he had acquired many complaints."
In December, the federal public well being company issued a brand new request for proposals to trace countrywide cell tower-based location knowledge between Jan. 1, 2019, and Could 31, 2023.
The discover mentioned the information have to be correct, accessible and well timed, in addition to guaranteeing privateness and transparency. It should even be stripped of all figuring out info.
The general public well being company didn't instantly reply to requests for remark. It has beforehand mentioned that it has seemed into the privateness implications of the proposal and consulted its personal privateness specialists.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Feb. 8, 2022.
The Peace Tower is pictured on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
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