Steve Payne
Ontario College of Trades violates privacy laws: Doug Leitch, Ontario Contractor and Small Business Association
Canadian Contractor canada DisclosureThis is a copy of a letter sent by Doug Leitch, and electrical contractor in Eastern Ontario, founder of the Ontario Contractors and Small Business Association, to the Ontario College of Trades, asserting that the College is in violation of federal privacy laws. This is a serious charge.
Editor’s Note: Doug Leitch, an electrical contractor in Eastern Ontario and a tireless advocate to get the new “tax grab” Ontario College of Trades abolished, sent us a copy of a letter he has recently sent to the Ontario College of Trades.
It seems as if they are in violation of federal privacy laws.
Here’s the letter…
If you’d like to support Doug in his efforts to get rid of the Ontario College of Trades, or at least reform it dramatically, email him at power_up@hotmail.ca
Chief Privacy Officer – Ontario the College of Trades
Ontario the College of Trades
655 Bay St., Suite 600
Toronto, Ontario M5G 2K4
Phone: (647) 847-3000
E-Mail: privacy@collegeoftrades.ca
RE: The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
To whom it may concern,
I have accessed the Membership directory of the OCOT and viewed my personal information. Under the PIPEDA legislation and as per the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (see attachment), personal information is defined to include other identification numbers. Considering the definition of personal information I feel that the membership directory discloses personal information protected under PIPEDA and I have not consented to this disclosure. Other membership directories exist and disclose only the member’s name, license or designation held and if they are in good standing, however do not disclose license or membership numbers and other personal information.
Per the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009 c. 22 s. 42
(3) Despite clauses (2) (f) and (g), a committee shall not direct and the by-laws shall not prescribe more personal information to be included in the register than is necessary to serve and protect the public interest under this Act. 2009, c. 22, s. 42 (3).
The personal identification numbers for OCOT membership and Licenses are not included as part of what the Act prescribed as information to be contained within the public registry (OCTA Act. 2009, c. 22, s. 42 (2) (a) to (g) section attached for reference) nor is other information that is being disclosed on the registry.
In viewing the OCOT privacy policy (excerpt attached), it states that “You agree” yet I ask when did I agree? I have not signed any agreement with the OCOT to disclose personal information to the general public nor am I aware that this information was publically available prior to the establishment of the OCOT. If you read further into the OCOT privacy policy (included below) it defines where the College may disclose my Personal and/or confidential information and this does NOT include disclosure freely to the general public nor have I agreed to allow the OCOT to disclose personal information to the general public. I understand that the OCTA Act stipulates that a public registry be maintained and I have no issue with that, yet the OCOT policy statement is inconsistent with the provisions of the Act, as is the disclosure of membership & license identification numbers and other non-mandated information.
I respectfully request that the membership directory be amended to remove personal information which the OCOT has not received consent to disclose. This includes but is not limited to license and membership numbers and non-essential information not relevant to the objectives of the organization and not included under OCOT Act, 2009 c.22 s. 42 (2) and (3), to ensure that the membership directory only disclose such information which has been directly prescribed under the Act.
I await your response.
Sincerely,
Doug Leitch
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The Ontario College of Trades is simply another make work project for Liberal patronage. It seems to me that the Ontario Liberals have appointed themselves controlling authority over all workers in the province. No one has tried to convince me to join their group, nor have I been asked to join, yet I have received a threatening letter if I do not join their group and all of my personal information is already on their website for all to see.— WWWHHHAAATTT TA HHHEEELLL IS THIS?
Beware !!!, if I ever find out who has done this to me!— Stan Thayer.
Dear Dough Leitch,
Thanks for you wisdom, we all licence electricians in this province should demand all these parasites off our backs. I fought them on the phone twice
I am thinking in getting a layer and start a class action lawsuit against the OCOT and the ECRA to. also against Mac guilty and all their cronies for let this insane thing happen, was he a real teacher?
Both are in violation of the freedom of job career chose and the Canadian Charter of rights and Freedoms. I believe they are in violation of the human rights code to. Any force attitude is an harassment, coercing, treats, etc.
If you not pay, you can’t perform your work, this is against any principle of the human survival, this is no different then the capone outlaws.
I believe using a court injunction at the supreme court of justice can put a stop at
this insane thing until all trades people be allowed to a free vote if the need arise. A proposal like the one describe or similar to show the judge. Maybe another one better and simple ways to promote the trades and not policing and destroy them, I think is fair.
A, Electrical licence in Ontario photo Id
B, Master licence at the local college after then years of experience in diverse electrical work, automation, electronics, and other advance technology.
That should be free chose not mandatory. A master electrician should be able to teach on his business or where is employed to help apprentices to do better in their jobs. I believe this way we all can have success.
C, Electrical contractor Licence on the respective city where anyone works or
if is provincial could even be done at the MTO like the Health card, or on line at the ministry of industry and commerce.
D, Any Licence Electrician could have one or more apprenticeship if is a family business depending on the years of experience, the more experience the more award for apprenticeship. At least 1:1 for the first five years, 2:1 and so on.
After the certificate seals completed should enter a grace period, it should stand as the honorable way of reward.
F, No ECRA no OCOT, no WSIB no force insurance.
The MOL have the rules in place for what is in need., Insurance matters could be in different ways, private insurance or at the builders liability insurance, the same with home owners, Industrial/ commercial. Could be a mater of free negotiation to whom anyone perform work. This should be done on a form. A lot of home owners no not have property insurance, anyone doing work in this conditions can be responsible in case of an accident.
The Liberal government are destroying our way of life in this Province.
This is all well say. I’ve been working in the automotive industry for the past 30 years and yes I am licensed for well over 25 years now. I wish we had balls like the electrician but we dont. I’m against the college of trades big time. Every year they come down to my shop and we get arass. And every year whenever she shows up I leave. Don’t know what to do because the guy I work with and must if the guys have famely and are just afraid to lose there job are cant afford to pay the fine. And the one thing I don’t understand we’re supposed to live in a democratic country meaning freedom of speech ,freedom up vote and again we are against the college of trades and they still implement it, where’s the democracy????
OCOT have not only breached but also WSIB, you may want to go further and get your CRA information since your business began. I know we did and it was very telling of whom were given access to our information.
I am just going to leave this out here as to Patrick Dillon of the Working Families Coalition who sits on all of these boards. Pushed with his Unions these two ram and scam tax grabs.
Harassing Unions (and worse MOB), harassing, inundated with phone calls to make sure you do this safety course REPEATEDLY, then the emails cometh, then the PROPAGANDA mail outs.
I have had 5 people fired at WSIB so far.
Someone tell me why Livingston McGuilty’s sidekick was requesting our information from CRA, further Sousa who was only a Municipal Councilor for his riding.
Both bills need to be repealed!