OTTAWA — The privacy watchdog is calling on federal authorities to keep better track of informal requests to telecommunications companies for subscriber data after finding shoddy record-keeping at the RCMP.
In his annual report tabled today, privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien says shortcomings in the RCMP's information management systems meant he was unable to tell whether proper controls were in place.
Therrien says it was impossible to determine how often the Mounties collected subscriber data without a warrant.
As a result, his office could not assess whether such requests were justified.
The Mounties have agreed to bring in a system to monitor and report on warrantless requests for information.
Therrien wants other federal agencies that ask telecommunications firms for customer data to do the same.