OIPC Blog - Elizabeth Denham

About the Author

Since her appointment in May 2010 Elizabeth Denham, Information and Privacy Commissioner, has been actively engaged in raising the profile of information rights and promoting transparency in government in British Columbia. Denham believes in taking a modern, proactive approach to regulation. Her Office’s 2014 report Use of Police Information Checks in British Columbia led to an important policy prohibiting the disclosure of mental health and non-conviction information in employment screening, while her 2015 investigation of the Mount Polley Mine tailings pond failure concluded with a re-interpretation of the public interest disclosure requirement in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for public bodies.

Denham collaborates closely with international privacy regulators as well as with other Canadian commissioners, co-authoring statements about proposed surveillance legislation as well as guidance documents for individuals, organizations and governments. Prior to her appointment in British Columbia, she served as Assistant Privacy Commissioner of Canada and Director, Private Sector, for the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta.