In May 2010, IAPP Canada held its largest event yet, the IAPP Canada Privacy Symposium, at Ryerson University in Toronto. The Symposium was billed as the “must-attend” event of the year for the Canadian privacy profession and certainly lived up to its expectations. Keynotes speakers Federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart and Robin Bienfait, CIO of Research In Motion, kicked off the event. The Symposium may best be remembered as a fitting swan song for outgoing Commissioner Stoddart, whose tenure in office has certainly been an impactful one; placing a “Made in Canada” stamp on the international privacy scene. Stoddart graciously lauded her staff and was especially complimentary of the efforts of newly appointed BC Commissioner Elizabeth Denham.

Networking opportunities galore were afforded by activities, such as Privacy Cafes, where attendees were able to rub shoulders with respected members in the Canadian privacy field. The Privacy Symposium Soiree, hosted by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC), at the fabulous Art Gallery of Ontario featured Commissioner Stoddart’s announcement of a new Toronto branch of the OPC in September 2010 and the naming of Robin Gould-Soil, CPO at TD Bank Financial Group as its inaugural director. Little was disclosed about the new branch’s mandate so it remains to be seen how this will affect the privacy landscape in Ontario, given  that Toronto is already home to  Ontario’s own Information and Privacy Commissioner Office (IPC) headed by Commissioner Ann Cavoukian, who was noticeably absent from the event.

The Symposium promised more educational sessions than ever before. This was certainly delivered upon as industry experts presented on a wide variety and range of topics. Results from the first Annual IAPP Survey of Canadian Privacy Professionals were presented in one of these sessions. The key findings gave a sense of who we are, what our functions are, how and where we operate as privacy professionals in Canada.

IAPP Canada’s version of the Newlywed Game, coupling federal Commissioner Stoddart with Royal Bank of Canada’s CPO Jeff Green, BC Commissioner Elizabeth Denham with Holt Renfrew CPO Lorne MacDougall and Alberta Commissioner Frank Work with CIHI CPO Mimi Lepage proved to be a light hearted way to close off the conference. Of note were MacDougall’s revelation of Denham’s penchant for shopping at Holt Renfrew and Jeff Green’s remark that Stoddart had been fighting above her weight this past year and that she should extend her soon to be completed term in office.  Stoddart took both these comments in stride; remaining tongue in cheek while receiving encouraging applause from the audience.

The IAPP should be commended for their efforts, as the Symposium certainly delivered great value for all who attended.