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March 04, 2022

ARTICLE

Canada’s privacy leaders: 10 inspiring women shaping the data privacy landscape

By Eloïse Gratton, Partner and National Co-leader, Privacy and Data Protection, BLG

Headlines about gender-based inequality, particularly in the technology sector, remain all too common. The exciting exception is data privacy, where women and men found a level playing field as far back as 2015. In fact, there are more female chief privacy officers (CPOs) than male CPOs in Canada.

For a long time, I have wanted to recognize the women who have built our profession and inspired me. This year, in the lead-up to International Women’s Day, I finally put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). It was no easy task to narrow my list to 10, but here they are, in alphabetical order.

Chantal Bernier

Chantal Bernier

 

The team player

 

Chantal Bernier is smart and humble with a contagious passion for privacy. She leads the Canadian Privacy and Cybersecurity practice group at Dentons and has held several important national public sector roles in both privacy and safety. Chantal and I co-advised a client following a global security incident; we formed a dynamic team, working together as colleagues not competitors. Chantal’s courage to make a mid-career leap from the public sector to the private sector demonstrates that our skills are transferrable and we can stay current and relevant no matter how long we have been in the business.

Jill Clayton

Jill Clayton

 

The guide

 

Jill Clayton has been the Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner since 2012. I have always admired Jill’s focus on accountability in data governance and found her published decisions on breach notifications a goldmine when I’m advising clients following a cyber breach — they offer clear guidance that’s easy to put into action. I’ve been on privacy panels with Jill but it was my dinner with Jill and BLG colleague Bonnie Freedman that gave me insight into Jill as a person: thoughtful, soft spoken and community minded.

Elisa Henry

Elisa Henry

 

My better half

 

It took a few years of strong hints and discussions, but I eventually convinced Elisa Henry to join us at BLG, where she co-leads the national Privacy and Data Protection practice group with me. We strike a powerful balance of productivity and care, delivering outstanding results for our clients, motivating the team and even co-writing two books. Elisa is a new breed of lawyer: a strong communicator who fully understands new and emerging technologies. She is also a member of the Paris Bar and offers our clients a global perspective. She has a great sense of humour and a brilliant mind. I hope to spend the rest of my career working with her.

Sylvia Kingsmill

Sylvia Klasovec Kingsmill

 

The Energizer Bunny

 

Spend time with Sylvia Kingsmill and I guarantee you will get excited about putting privacy principles into practice. Sylvia’s privacy career began more than 15 years ago at the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. More recently, she launched a Privacy by Design certification program with former Ontario privacy regulator Ann Cavoukian (another world-renowned privacy leader who could have easily made this list). Today, Sylvia brings her boundless energy to her role as Global Cyber Privacy Leader at KPMG, helping clients transform their corporate compliance and privacy programs.

Patricia Kosseim

Patricia Kosseim

 

The connector

 

Patricia Kosseim is proof that a career in privacy can take you anywhere. She’s been in public roles with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research and, most recently, was appointed Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. She has also been counsel at Osler and held an executive position at Genome Canada. I experienced Patricia’s sharp mind firsthand when I presented my PhD thesis to her team at the OPC. Ten years later, I appreciate how approachable she is as Ontario’s top regulator — you can find her interacting with the business community on LinkedIn.

Suzanne Morin

Suzanne Morin

 

The straight shooter

 

If you want a practical, business-minded approach to privacy, look no further than Suzanne Morin. After spending over 20 years in privacy-focused roles for Blackberry and Bell, Suzanne now leads privacy at Sun Life and its subsidiaries worldwide, where she has pioneered an impressive automated privacy impact assessment process and co-published a useful report on the practices and challenges of generating nonidentifiable data. A big believer in giving back to the community, Suzanne was on the board of the Standards Council of Canada for over a decade and is currently involved with the Canadian Bar Association and MediaSmarts.

Diane Poitras

Diane Poitras

 

The reformer

 

Diane Poitras is putting Québec on the privacy map. She was appointed President of the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec (CAI) in 2019 after having served as interim President, Vice-Chair, administrative judge and serving in the legal department. When it comes to privacy, we are undergoing a period of great reform in Québec. Diane’s role is crucial, since it will set the tone and raise the bar for other jurisdictions. Already she has contributed, alongside other Canadian privacy regulators, to important decisions dealing with artificial intelligence. Even better, she has not been afraid to talk about privacy developments and the CAI’s position on some of them.

Teresa Scassa

Teresa Scassa

 

The change agent

 

Teresa Scassa is not your typical academic. Her ability to write clearly, focus on what matters and propose innovative solutions has made her an indispensable ally to all of us in the privacy field — check out her blog for proof. She is the Canada Research Chair in Information Law and Policy at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law, and has contributed to a number of national committees, panels and associations. Teresa is a multidimensional change maker who bridges academic excellence, leadership, intercultural dialogue and human rights. Her books on law, the internet and globalization have pride of place on my bookshelf.

Pam Snively

Pam Snively

 

The trailblazer

 

While I’ve shared the podium and sat at the table with most of the women on this list, to date I’ve only admired Pam Snively from afar. Pam is Chief Data & Trust Officer at TELUS Communications. “Trust Officer” is not only a cool job title; it truly expresses the connection between privacy and people: what they do, think and want. Pam and her TELUS team are leaders when it comes to a customer-first approach to handling data, with their Privacy Centre being a prime example. Outside TELUS, Pam co-leads the Business Privacy Group, an industry forum for exchanging ideas and sharing initiatives. I’m thrilled she asked me to join.

Jennifer Stoddart

Jennifer Stoddart

 

Canada's privacy queen

 

Last on the list but first in my heart is Jennifer Stoddart, whose tireless trailblazing while the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (2003-2013) earned Canada respect around the world. Perhaps the most prestigious of her many awards was to be named an Officer of the Order of Canada “for her international leadership in privacy rights and for her exemplary public service as the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.” Imagine my excitement when my professor and good friend at the University of Ottawa, the late Ian Kerr, suggested I present my thesis to her! Jennifer is now a strategic advisor in the Privacy and Cybersecurity group at Fasken and mentoring the next generation of lawyers and women executives.

 

What’s next

Canadian women have just as many seats at the privacy table as our male colleagues and our efforts have resulted in progress. We are policy-oriented and business-minded, ambitious and collaborative. We model open communication, sharing and lifelong learning. We move between the private sector, public sector and academia with ease.

In short, Canadian women haven’t simply “made it” in the privacy field. We are changing the landscape.

As I look to the next generation of women in data privacy, I am extremely optimistic. I see a cohort of creative go-getters who are developing their practices by focusing on their passions. I look forward to working with them — and to my next Top 10 article, where I can recognize their contributions.

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