Definition: The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is a federal government ombudsman and advocate for the privacy rights of Canadians. The Privacy Commissioner investigates complaints about personal information held by the federal government of Canada, under the Privacy Act. The Privacy Commissioner also investigates complaints about privacy issues in relation to private sector companies covered by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
The Privacy Commissioner is an Officer of Parliament and reports directly to Parliament. The Privacy Commissioner is appointed for a seven-year term, although the term may be extended.
The Office of the Privacy Commission of Canada was established in 1983.
