The Public Interest Advocacy Centre

New Reports

Where Should the Green Choices Be Made

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Privacy: Shopping into Surveillance

• About Us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • PIAC Toronto Counsel
  • Donate
  • Articling Positions with PIAC (2009-2010)
  • PIAC OCA Project Team
  • Project Team
  • Contact PIAC
  • Board of Directors
  • Members
  • 25 Years Representing the Public Interest
  • Lawyers and Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal Statement

• Consumer Protection
  • Electronic Commerce
    • Documents 2004
      • Regulation of Internet Services
        • Consumer Issues with Internet Service: Is Industry Self-Regulation Working?
        • Media Release
      • Spam
    • Documents 2003
      • Consumers International statement to World Summit on the Information Society
      • PIAC Comments on Spam
    • Documents 2002
      • Comments on proposed rules for jurisdiction in cross-border transactions
      • Comments on use of charge-backs as a form of consumer protection
    • Documents 2001
      • Comments on Competition Bureau’s Draft Internet Advertising Guidelines
      • Comments on the CMC draft Template for Internet Sales Contract Harmonization
      • Comments on the Hague Convention on Jurisdiction
      • Survey and Report by Consumers International
    • Documents 2000
      • Comments on Building Trust and Confidence in e-commerce
      • Comparative Analysis of BBBOnline Draft Code
      • Digital Authentication and Consumers' Privacy
      • Electronic Authentication: An Element of Canada’s Trust Agenda
      • Letter Re: Uniform Electronic Commerce Act and Consumer Protection
      • PIAC Submission to Senate Committee, on Privacy and Security on the Internet
    • Documents 1999
      • Achieving Universal Access to the Internet: An Impossible Dream?
      • Consumer Protection after the OECD Guidelines
      • Improving Internet Access: The Canadian Approach
    • Documents 1998
      • Achieving Universal Access to the Information Highway
      • Consumers Call for Legislated Protections
      • Letter to Ministers
      • Lettre aux Ministres
      • Protecting Personal Information on the Internet: The Canadian Approach
      • The Summit on Electronic Commerce
    • Mandatory Arbitration and Consumer Contracts
  • Cable TV and Broadcasting
    • A helping hand for cable customers
    • Amendment to the Broadcasting Act
      • Sheila Finestone’s remarks in the Senate
    • Consumers Finally to Get a Say in Some Basic Cable TV Prices
    • Media Release (AOL TIME WARNER MERGER)
      • Letter to the Minister re: AOL TIME WARNER merger
    • National Broadband Task Force
    • Negative Option Marketing
  • General Advocacy
    • A Garland For Consumers: Will The Garland Case Provide Safeguards For Vulnerable Consumers?
    • Consumers Council of Canada seeks input from Canadians
    • Corporate Retaliation Against Consumers
    • Grants and Contributions Program Budget
    • Ontario Consumer Protection Act, 2002 and draft regulations
    • Ontario Consumer Protection Law Reform
    • PIAC study seeks public input
    • Smart Regulation Will Need Public Input To Succeed
    • THE USE OF ADMINISTRATIVE MONETARY PENALTIES IN CONSUMER PROTECTION
    • Treatment of Efficiencies in the Competition Act
  • PIAC Reports
  • PIAC Media Releases
    • PIAC Wants Canadian Broadcasting to Serve the Consumer Not the Distributors
  • Other PIAC Documents
  • Proposed amendments to the Competition Act represent a fairly balanced take on necessary refinements
  • Consumers ask Minister to fix local TV and expensive basic cable-satellite service
  • New Consumer Services Ministry Hailed by Consumer Group
  • Report Concludes Consumer Protection Usually Better in Europe
  • The Consumer Perspective of Trade & Commerce Powers: PIAC report
  • Curb those extra fees: PIAC report calls for consumer protection legislation
  • Consumer groups call on Minister Moore to “put consumers first” in the war over cable fees
  • PIAC opposes amendments to consumer product safety bill (C-6)

• Energy
  • Ontario Energy Board Stakeholder Conference this week to tackle request for big rate increases
  • Ontario Natural Gas Customers to Pay $100 Million More Annually to Texas-based Owner of Union Gas
  • Restructuring and Competition
    • Deregulation of the Canadian Natural Gas Market
    • Media Release: Union Gas Gobbles Up Ontario Storage Competitors
    • New Increased Ontario Electricity Rates - A Symptom not a Solution
    • Ontario Electricity Restructuring
    • Presentation to the Standing Committee on Resources Development
    • Standard Offer By Utilities: Making Competition Work For All
    • Utility Shopping: Are Consumers Ready?
  • Billion Dollar Giveaway
    • Media Release: Consumer Groups appeal Ontario Energy Board¹s Billion Dollar Giveaway
    • Media Release: Ontario Gas Customers Slam Billion Dollar Giveaway to Texas–Based Energy Corporation
  • Environmental Concerns
    • Letting Everyone Help: Removing Barriers to Consumer Participation In Energy Conservation
    • Where Should the Green Choices Be Made
  • Low-Income Concerns
    • Keeping the Lights On: Maintaining Universal Access to Electricity
    • PIAC submission on security deposits
    • Utility Reconnection Services
  • PIAC Reports
  • PIAC Media Releases
  • Other PIAC Documents
  • Links

• Financial Services
  • Consumers Left Out in the Code
  • Regulate Financial Planners in the Public Interest
  • New PIAC Report Studies Importance of Credit Cards to Canadians
  • Proposed Ontario Payday Loan Rate Astronomically High
  • Are You Sure You Want to Continue? Consumer Authentication at the Crossroads
  • Consumer Group Report Reveals High-interest Borrowing Pitfalls
  • Credit Counselling: A Way Forward
  • Credit Reporting
    • Credit Reporting: How Are Consumers Faring?
  • Identity Theft
    • Canadian Consumer Initiative Identity Theft Policy Position
    • Identity Theft as a Justification for a National Identity Card
    • Identity Theft Insurance – Miserly Upon Misery
    • Identity Theft News and Links
    • Identity Theft: The Need for Better Consumer Protection
      • PIAC RELEASES REPORT ON IDENTITY THEFT
  • Payday Lending
    • Consumer Measures Committee
    • Fringe Lending and “Alternative Banking”?
    • Payday Lender Responds to PIAC Report
    • Pragmatic Solutions to Payday Lending: Regulating Fringe Lending and “Alternative Banking"
  • Banking
    • PIAC comments on Ontario proposals for mutual fund disclosures
      • Link to proposals
    • Speaking Notes on Bill C-38
    • “White-label” ATMs
    • Advocis/POLLARA Report on Canadian’s Views of Banks and Life and Health Insurance
    • Automatic Teller fees
      • Say NO to ATM Convenience Fees!
        • Letter re ATM fees
    • Bank Mergers and the Public Interest
    • Bank Mergers Flash Presentation
    • Canadians Attitudes to Financial Services
    • CBA Research Report on Banks and Insurance: Canadian Attitudes toward Access to Insurance Information and Obligation to Purchase
    • Comments on Bill C-38
    • Comments regarding the creation of a new framework for electronic fund transfers in Canada
    • Consumers Benefit Through New Federal Banking Policies and Regulation
    • Financial Service Sector Reform
    • Future of the Canadian Financial Services Sector
      • Presentation
    • Government Must Go Further with Reform of Income Trusts Consumer Group Concludes
    • Negative Option Marketing
    • PIAC Applauds New Financial Sector Legislation
    • Rural Bank Branch Closures
    • Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance
    • Time to cut up your debit card?
  • Links
  • PIAC Reports
  • PIAC Media Releases
  • Other PIAC Documents

• Privacy
  • PIAC files Privacy Complaint Against Nexopia
  • Tracking Consumers Online – Behavioural Targeted Advertising and a “Do Not Track List” in Canada
  • Children’s Privacy Threatened by Play Websites and Social Networking
  • Data Breach Notification Proposal is Carte Blanche for Business Data Spills
  • Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
    • Bill C-54: The Government Moves to Protect Privacy in the Private Sector
    • Letter to Minister Anne McLellan regarding the Privacy Act review
    • Privacy in Canada: A Public Interest Perspective
    • Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
    • PIAC comments on CSA Privacy Code
    • PIAC Criticizes Industry Canada’s Privacy Comments
    • Report: Consumer Privacy Under PIPEDA: How Are We Doing?
  • Other Privacy Law in Canada
    • A Consultation Paper: Proposed Ontario Privacy Act
    • Consumer Privacy Implications of Bill C-22
    • PIAC Submission to Ontario government re: proposed privacy legislation
    • Protection of Personal Health Information
  • Privacy Commissioner of Canada
    • Complaint to Privacy Commissioner
      • Commissioner’s Findings
        • Bank of Nova Scotia
        • Bell Canada
        • Bell Express Vu
        • Bell Mobility
        • Bell Nexxia
        • Hudson’s Bay Company
        • Loyalty Management Group Canada Inc
        • MBNA Canada Bank
      • Inadequate approaches to opt-out consent
      • PIAC News Release
    • Consumer Reporting Practices
    • Letter to Privacy Commissioner of Canada
    • Privacy Commissioner Response to PIAC Proposal
    • Revised Letter Findings
      • Bell ExpressVu Complaint
      • Bell Mobility Complaint
      • PIAC Response to Revised Complaint Findings
      • Privacy Commissioner Response to PIAC Response
  • Identity Theft
  • Reverse Directory Services
    • Comments to CRTC on Reverse Directory Services
      • Initial comments
      • Reply comments
  • Lawful Access
    • Fed.Gov.Cybercrime and Lawful Access Proposals
    • PIAC Comments on “Customer Name and Address Information Consultation”
  • Spyware
    • PIAC REPORT: Spyware: Looking Out for Consumers
  • Marketing
    • Consumer advocates cheer privacy finding re: Aeroplan
    • Survey of Canadians views (Direct Marketing)
      • COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE
      • Conclusions en français
      • Conclusions in English
      • News Release
      • Résultats en français
      • Survey Results in English
    • Telemarketing Irks Canadians
  • National Identity Cards and Biometrics
    • PIAC REPORT: National Identity Cards, Biometrics and the Consumer: Displacing the Personal from the Person
  • Radio Frequency Identification
    • Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Privacy: Shopping into Surveillance
  • PIAC Reports
  • PIAC Media Releases
  • Other PIAC Documents

• Surveys
  • Year: 2006
    • February
      • CRTC Deferral Account: What Consumers Want

• Telecom
  • PIAC comments on the telecommunications foreign ownership provisions in the budget
  • Consumer groups call for better telecommunications services for all Canadians
  • PIAC says government issues contradictory broadband and wireless (Globalive) decisions
  • Canadian Consumers Need More Net Neutrality
  • Review of Globalive Wireless Management Corp. under the Canadian ownership and control regime
  • CRTC’s Net Neutrality Decision Rubber Stamps ISPs’ Throttling
  • Deferral Accounts: Supreme Court decision shows need of legislative reform
  • Tell the CRTC What YOU Think About Net Neutrality
  • National Do Not Call List—Making It Work Better For You
  • National Do Not Call List-How to Make it Work For You
  • PIAC Welcomes Do Not Call List, Urges Consumers to Sign Up
  • Major Parties Asked to Support Consumer Rights in Telecommunications
  • Supreme Court of Canada grants leave to appeal CRTC “deferral acounts” decision
  • New text messaging charges criticized by consumer groups
  • The Big Grab and How to Fight It
  • Wireless
    • Inappropriateness of Spectrum Auctioning in a Canadian Context
    • Mobile Commerce: Making it Work for Canadians
    • Mobile Number Portability: Moving with the Times
    • Proposed Acquisition by TELUS Mobility of Microcell
    • Wireless Number Portability Promises Should Be Kept
  • Telephone Service
    • A Comparative Analysis of Residential Telephone Service: 1992-2002
      • Press Release
      • Executive Summary
    • Basic Telephone Service in the Information Age: A Consumer Perspective
    • Consumers cheer cap on local phone rates
    • Declaration of telecommunications principles in the public interest of all Canadians
      • Background: Declaration of telecommunications principles
    • Eliminating Phonelessness in Canada: Possible Approaches Second Edition
    • Eliminating Phonelessness in Canada: Possible Approaches Second Edition
    • Media Release: CRTC Abandons Canadian Telephone Customers to Phone Companies’ Price Hikes
    • PIAC and Telephone Companies Work to Ensure Consumers are Aware of Toll Rates
    • Telco “Discount” toll plans no discount for many consumers
    • TELUS $2.95 Long Distance Access Charge Defeated
    • Why Phone Service is Deteriorating for Most Consumers
  • CRTC Proceedings and Decisions
    • AT&T Petition re: CRTC Price Cap Decision
      • Consumer Group Comments on AT&T Petition re: CRTC Price Cap Decision
      • Consumer Groups Additional Comments on AT&T Petition
    • Bell overcharging for party-line rental phone sets
      • PIAC Reply to Bell’s Comments
    • Comments to CRTC on Affiliate Data Sharing
      • Reply Comments to CRTC on Affiliate Data Sharing
    • Comments to CRTC on Reverse Directory Services
      • Initial comments
      • Reply comments
    • Consumer groups call for telemarketing controls
    • Consumer Groups comments on telco “winback” activities
      • Initial comments
      • Reply comments
    • Consumer Groups demand monthly bill detail by Bell and Aliant
      • Supplementary comments
    • Consumer Groups given leave to appeal CRTC $650 million Deferral Account Decision
      • UPDATE: Consumer Groups File Notice of Appeal of CRTC Deferral Accounts Decision
    • Consumer Groups make proposals for 900 service rules
    • Consumer Groups Petition Cabinet to Reverse Payphone Price Hike
    • Consumer Groups' submissions to CRTC on Payphone Access
      • Cover Submission
      • Executive Summary of Argument
    • CRTC Price Cap Review
      • Expert Evidence filed by Consumer Groups
      • Final Argument filed by Consumer Groups
        • Consumer Groups call for end to local phone rate increases
        • Opening Statement of consumer groups
        • Oral Argument of consumer groups
    • CRTC Proceeding on Telecom Consumer Bill of Rights
      • Consumer Groups Initial Submission
      • Initial proposed Bill of Rights
      • PIAC Media Release: Consumer Bill of Rights Needs Enforcement
    • CRTC Says You Can Keep Your VoIP Number
    • CRTC Tells Canada’s Telephone Companies To Stop Disconnecting Paying Customers
    • Directory Assistance Appeal
    • Media Release: CRTC DECISION ON VoIP GOOD FOR CONSUMERS
    • Modem Hijacking: The CRTC Must Act
    • PIAC application to CRTC for disclosure by telcos of long distance rates
      • PIAC Reply Comments
    • PIAC Media Release CRTC Local Forbearance Decision
    • PIAC Media Release: Minister’s Proposed Directive to CRTC is One-Sided and Beyond his Powers: PIAC
    • PIAC opposes disconnection of local phone service for non-payment of toll charges
    • PIAC: CRTC Deferral Accounts Decision: Telephone customers lose
  • Do Not Call List and Telemarketing
    • Do Not Call List Rules to Protect Consumers
    • Do Not Call Registry (Bill C-37); PIAC submission to the Senate Standing Committee
    • National Do Not Call List—Get on the List!
  • Internet and Broadband
    • BAD LUCK FOR CONSUMERS: SUPREME COURT LEAVES ONLINE CONSUMERS TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES
    • Canadians Want Increased Consumer Protection For Internet Services
    • Letter to Minister of Industry Regarding Extension of Broadband Access to Rural and Remote Areas of Canada and Deferral Accounts
    • PIAC participates in National Broadband Task Force
    • SHOULD CONSUMERS TRUST TRUSTED COMPUTING?
  • Deregulation and Competition
    • A Consumer Advocate’s View of the Experience with Telecommunications
    • Can the Competitive Model of Telecommunications Deliver the Goods?
    • Consumer Charter for A Connected Canada
    • Consumer Groups Oppose Bernier Plan to Deregulate Local Telephone Service
    • Consumers Question Need for Minister’s Direction to CRTC
    • Deregulation of Telecommunications - Speaking Notes Michael Janigan Executive Director and General Counsel Public Interest Advocacy Centre February 26, 2007
    • IN THE MATTER OF a proposed Order under Section 8 of the Telecommunications Act – Policy Direction to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission - Speaking Notes Michael Janigan Executive Director and General Counsel Public Inter
    • PIAC Comments Regarding Local Telephone Deregulation Coming
    • PIAC slams BCE-Telus merger proposal
    • PIAC: Don’t hold your breath waiting for lower phone bills
    • PIAC: Local Telephone Customers Will Pay the Price for Deregulation
    • PIAC: POLLARA Survey Shows Phone Company Deregulation Plans Unpopular with Canadians
    • Presentation to the Standing Committee on Industry on Bill C-17
    • Residential Consumers and the Transition to Competition in the Long Distance Market
    • The End of (Traditional) Regulation?
  • Complaints
    • Complaint about Telephone, Cellphone, or Internet Services?
    • Consumers Finally Have Somewhere to Complain about Telephone, Internet and Cellphone Service
    • Process for the Nomination and Selection of Consumer Group Directors of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS)
    • Re: Order Requiring the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to report to the Governor in Council on Consumer Complaints
    • TELECOMMUNICATIONS OMBUDSMAN FOR CANADA
    • Telecommunications: Consumers Need the Right Kind of Help
  • PIAC Reports
  • PIAC Media Releases
  • Other PIAC Documents
  • Links

• Transport
  • Misleading Airline Advertising
    • Make airlines advertise the real price
    • PIAC and Option consommateurs call for end to misleading airline advertising.
    • Text of Press Conference
    • Travel Protection Initiative slams airline advertising decision
  • Canadian Association of Airline Passengers
    • Airline Passenger’s Bill of Rights
      • Airline Passenger Bill of Rights
      • Summary of Bill of Rights
    • CAAP Members and Links
    • House of Commons Committee on Transport
      • Speaking Notes before the Commitee
      • Speaking Notes Before the Committee November 22, 1999
      • Speaking Notes Before the Committee October 27, 1999
    • Remarks to the Ad Hoc Committee on Air Transportation (1999)
    • Sign Our Petition
  • Airline Market Restructuring
    • Permanent holding pattern for Canadian air travellers
    • The airline ticket pricing game
    • The Restructured Airline Market in Canada
    • Turbulence ahead for Canadian air travel
  • Letters to the Editor and Opinion Pieces
    • Airline at the Trough
    • Opinion Piece: Bill C-11 – A Unique Opportunity for Airline Passengers
    • Opinion: Feds: Report to passenger service
  • PIAC Reports
    • Links to PIAC Reports on Transport
    • The Life and Times of Airline Travel in Canada
  • PIAC Media Releases
    • Common Sense Protection in Light of Jetsgo Collapse
    • Consumer Groups Respond to Air Merger (1999)
    • Links to PIAC Media Releases on Transport
    • No consumer protection from misleading airline ads in C-11: PIAC
    • Travellers' Protection Initiative
  • Other PIAC Documents
    • Air Canada treats passengers shabbily, letter to Minister Collenette, 2001
    • Letter to the Minister of Transport
    • Links to other PIAC documents on Transport
    • Re: Consumer Protection Airline Passengers
    • Travellers’ Protection Initiative / Coalition pour la protection des voyageurs: Follow up letter to the Standing Committee on Transport and Communications Considering Bill C-11, an Act to amend the Canada Transportation Act and the Railway Safety Act

• Other
  • World Trade
    • Competiton Policy, Consumers and the Multi-Lateral Trading System
    • International Trade Negotiations (July 1999)
    • Presentation to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade
  • State Security
    • Consumer Privacy and State Security: Losing Our Balance
    • National Cyber Security Task Force
  • Newsletter Archive
    • April 1997, Vol.4 No.1
    • April 1998 Vol.5, No.1
    • April 2000, Vol.7, No.1
    • August 1997 Vol.4 No.2
    • August, 1999 Vol.6, No.2
    • December 1996, Vol.2, No.3
    • December 1997 Vol.4 No.3
    • December 1998 Vol.5 No.2
    • March 1996, Vol.2, No.1
    • May 1999 Vol.6, No.1
    • November, 1999 Vol.6, No.3
    • October 1998 Vol.5 No.2
    • September 1995, Vol.1, No.2
    • September 1996, Vol.2, No.2
    • September 2000, Vol.7, No.2
  • Public Interest News: March - June 2007
  • Public Interest News: July - November 2007
  • Public Interest News: December 2007 - September 2008
  • PIAC Annual Dinner Invitation November 14, 2008
  • Public Interest News: Sept. 2008 - Feb. 2009
  • Public Interest News: OEB acts / Second Life / Net throttling / Produits hypothécaires / Competition Bureau works / Competition Act amendments / Aviation safety / Big Brother
  • Public Interest News: Energy recovery fee / Canada: Land of payday loan opportunity / Flyers' rights / Energy marketers / Net throttling / Travel Industry Council of Ontario / Basic basic TV
  • Public Interest News: Globalive / Net throttling / 10 pillars of consumer protection / Quebec Consumer Protection Act / Ontario Consumer Services ministry
  • Volunteers Sought
  • Public Interest News: Interprovincial trade / Cell complaints / Cell rates / Belus: Probable fusion / TV fees up in September / Copyright Consultation / Merchant Processing Fees / La surtaxe de carburant
  • Public Interest News: Supreme Court decision today / Curb those extra fees / Basic telecom / La manière forte / Industry cell calculator / More TV fees / Trade deals: No texts
  • Public Interest News: Watchdog barks / Marketplace manners / L’Accord sur le commerce intérieur / Cellphone cost calculator / Surveillance rules
  • Public Interest News: Net throttling appeal / Recours collectif contre The Brick / The TV war / Credit cards beyond reach / Broadband expensive / Satisfy warrant or lose welfare
  • Public Interest News: Rogers regulation / Mauvais service chez Bell Canada / Is your teen on Nexopia / Credit cards / La loi 60 / Globalive / Net neutrality

• Copyright
  • Canadian Consumer Groups Release Copyright White Paper
  • CANADIAN COPYRIGHT LAW: A Consumer White Paper
  • Digital copyright issues
  • Letter to Ministers of Industry and Heritage Regarding Copyright Policy
  • Media Release: Canadian Consumer Groups Call for Copyright Laws that Put Canada First
  • Reform of the Copyright Act
  • Report: The Consumer’s View of Copyright
  • Response to the Interim Report on Copyright Reform