Happy holidays everyone! I can’t believe another year has already flown by. Since this is the last Digest for 2016, it’s also my opportunity to wish you a happy New Year.

I wonder what next year will bring in the privacy world. Will we get meaningful privacy law reform — at any level? Will the fact that the rest of the world seems to be moving headlong with big changes make a difference in Canada?

How many big breaches will there be next year? Will there be another Ashley Madison?

Will the privacy commissioner’s voice on national security matters be truly heard by our politicians? Lord knows he has worked hard on that file for the last year.

And what will come about from the consent consultations? Are we going to see anything significant in terms of how our laws are enforced? Will the current consent model actually change? Will innovative businesses that care about privacy come up with solutions to the conundrum?

I’m predicting that next year will bring about the largest number of PIAs completed to-date. It’s an idea that is really starting to catch on … so much so, that we’re planning a PIA workshop for the Symposium. Along with PIAs, I think we will also see advancements in information security. As in, I think we will see cases or guidance that really describe, with prescriptive detail, what type of security is expected.

On this last point, maybe that’s more of a wish than a prediction.

What about you? Considering what we’ve seen the last year, what are you predicting will be the big privacy topics for 2017?

Have a great holiday.