We understand the sensitivity of your business information and hold it in the strictest possible confidence.
Privacy and disclosure of information
Our commitment to you
Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is committed to protecting the privacy rights of individuals and safeguarding the personal information under its control in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act.
“Personal information” is defined as any information, in any form, about an identifiable individual, including details of an individual’s personal experiences, opinions or views. Please refer to section 3 of the Privacy Act for further details regarding personal information.
Personal information is being collected under the authority of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Development and Trade Act, Section 10(2)(e) and protected from disclosure to unauthorized persons and/or agencies pursuant to the provisions of the Privacy Act.
The Canadian Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) of Global Affairs Canada delivers key information on foreign markets and provides an extensive network of contacts to Canadian businesses and organizations interested in doing business abroad.
Your personal and organizational information may be shared with partners including federal, provincial, municipal and private sector associations in support of the functions of the TCS. Given the nature of TCS functions and activities, we may also disclose limited contact information to companies overseas when arranging trade events.
Client confidentiality is a core value of the TCS and is part of our employees’ commitment to integrity and professionalism. We collect and use relevant information to better serve you or refer you to an appropriate resource.
If an access to information request is received by Global Affairs Canada, and if records related to your business activities are recovered, we will abide by Section 20 of Canada's Access to Information Act and will seek your input in the processing of the records.
Personal information will not be used for a secondary purpose without first obtaining your explicit consent. In addition, personal information will not be used for administrative purposes. Information related to the collection of personal information will be summarized in an institution-specific Personal Information Bank (PIB) currently under development.
You have the right to request access to your information and to request corrections where you believe there is an error or omission. You may contact the Department’s Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division at dcp@international.gc.ca to exercise these rights. You also have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) at any time regarding the Department’s handling of your personal information. For information on submitting a complaint, please consult the Office of the Privacy Commissioner website.
For details on how we treat your company’s information, please refer to our privacy notice statements below.
Electronic client relationship management system (TRIO) privacy notice statement
When your organization interacts with the TCS, we will collect a limited amount of professional and organizational information, such as your name and business contact information, organization name, industry sector, information about your organization (including general product or service descriptions) and other business information that will support our efforts in assisting you with your international business development objectives as they relate to growing or maintaining Canadian exports, innovation partnerships or investment.
The TCS uses your information to promote Canada’s economic interests in global markets by engaging in a range of activities including contributing to export market development, attracting foreign direct investment to Canada, facilitating R&D collaboration and technology transfer, developing a network of international business contacts, identifying and communicating business leads, fostering strategic alliances, linking Canadian businesses to global value chains, and facilitating Canadian direct investment abroad.
Information in the TRIO database is maintained on a secure network accessed only by staff with a working need to do so. Your business contact information (name, phone number, email address) will be retained until you notify us that you wish it to be removed from the TRIO database.
MyTCS privacy notice statement
Through the process of subscribing for MyTCS, you will receive email notifications related to TCS programs and services, upcoming trade missions and events, new guides, market reports and tools based on your interests. You may unsubscribe from a MyTCS marketing list at any time.
Your contact information, organization information (when relevant) and preferences such as language of correspondence and sectors of interest are required for MyTCS registration so that we can send you relevant communications. You may choose to unsubscribe from receiving email notifications and delete your profile at any time. To unsubscribe you can use the link at the bottom of every MyTCS email you receive or for any questions regarding this activity, you may contact us by sending an email to tcs-sdc@international.gc.ca.
Your MyTCS profile information is maintained on a secure network accessed only by staff responsible for TCS marketing and digital engagement.
Your personal information will be retained until such time that you notify us that you would like it to be removed from the MyTCS database.
Should you decide to subscribe for MyTCS notifications, it is important to know that your registration to MyTCS constitutes your consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of the information provided therein as described in this privacy notice statement.
User-experience recruitment privacy notice statement
Personal information is being collected under the authority of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Development and Trade Act, Section 10(2)(d) and (e) and includes the name, address, and email address of you, the respondent, and the name of your organization, institution, or business. This information will be used to develop a database of potential participants for internal UX research. Please be advised that your personal information will not be used for a secondary purpose. Your personal information will not be shared.
The collection and use of any personal information resulting from the survey is described in the Standard Personal Information Bank, Outreach Activities (PSU 938).
The information you provide is voluntary and you may, without prejudice, decide not to participate in this application process. If you make a submission, please limit the information you provide to only fact-based statements that do not include your personal views and opinions about another individual as the Privacy Act considers this to be personal information pertaining to the other individual.
Your commitment to us
It is imperative that companies we support do business responsibly, ethically and within the law. If we receive information regarding the commission or possible commission of offences under Canadian law, this may be disclosed to law enforcement or other authorities.
For certain types of services for which the reputation of the Government of Canada may be affected, the TCS requires a signed Integrity Declaration. This attests that your company understands our ethical expectations, has not been charged, convicted or sanctioned for bribery or corruption, and will not engage in such illegal activities. By signing the Integrity Declaration, your company will abide by Canada's Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA) and will operate in a manner consistent with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on responsible business conduct. If a company has had issues with bribery or corruption previously, it must disclose this information in the Integrity Declaration. We will then assess and determine the level of support we can provide to your company. For information about the Integrity Declaration, please contact a trade commissioner.