While privacy law, “in theory,” protects immigration status as personal health information, there are “discretionary windows” where healthcare professionals may disclose that information, says Hudson, who is also JD Program Director at Ryerson. Hudson recommends that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, or the Privacy Commissioner of Canada Daniel Therrien, make a statement and an official policy that the CBSA “will not ask for, or in other ways attempt to get,” personal health information related to COVID. He also says the provincial government should clarify the conditions under which personal health information is shared with the CBSA.
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