Dr. Brenda McPhail

Director, Privacy, Surveillance, and Technology Program, Canadian Civil Liberties Association

Dr. Brenda McPhail is the Director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s Privacy, Surveillance, and Technology Program. She guides CCLA’s litigation and advocacy at the junction of privacy and emerging technology; recent examples include the Supreme Court of Canada cases R. v. Marakah and R v. Jones, which confirmed privacy rights in electronic communications, and R. v. Jarvis, which addressed video recording of individuals in public spaces. Brenda has often served as an expert witness before parliamentary, senate, and legislative committees on legal reforms related to privacy. Her research and public education activities currently concentrate on the social implications of technology, including, most recently, health information sharing, digital surveillance including facial recognition, AI and human rights, smart cities, and data trusts.