I’m probably going to use this space at least twice this year to remind you about the Symposium, coming up in May.

Registration is now open. Check out the site; the entire program is there. You’ll see that we have lined up the best program in the Symposium’s 10-year history (that's right, it's our 10th anniversary!).

I bet the next time I write about the Symposium will be to announce that it is sold out.

Why am I mentioning this now? Because I don’t want you to be that person who sends me a personal email asking if I can somehow make an exception and allow you in after registration is closed. Please don’t be that person. All you have to do to avoid that awkward moment is register early — like right now! I really don’t have all the power you think I might have, you know.

After you register for the conference, check out this week’s news. Of interest to me is that the mainstream press has started talking about the imminent data breach notification regime coming into force. In the privacy industry, we’ve been talking about this for years. It’s interesting to see that it is starting to reach the average Joe out there, too. Whether or not small- and medium-sized businesses notice is another thing. What do you think are the odds that businesses in Canada — no matter their size — will be well-prepared when these provisions in PIPEDA come into force?