The launch of the IAPP's newest certification program for Canadian privacy professionals - the CIPP/C - was featured recently in the December 2006 issue of Canadian Privacy Law Review. The article, "Birth of a Credential: How the IAPP Created the First Professional Certification for Canadian Privacy," outlines the creation of the CIPP/C, from its inception at an informal discussion of Canadian and U.S. privacy officers to the premiere of the first CIPP/C exam at the IAPP's Privacy Academy in Toronto in October 2006.

Led by a team of renowned privacy experts, Canadian Privacy Law Review gave the IAPP the opportunity to showcase the CIPP/C in Canada. It was the first major piece devoted to the Canadian credential in a publication read by Canada's privacy pros.

According to the article, at the initial discussion, "These chief privacy officers (CPOs) expressed strong agreement in the need for a formal designation that recognizes the evolving nature of privacy in Canada and which establishes a knowledge standard for Canadian privacy."

The Canadian CPOs cited a number of areas that needed to be addressed by a Canadian credentialing program. The group came to the consensus that, "despite the existence of a dedicated privacy role in some of the larger Canadian corporations, confusion persisted - particularly in middle management ranks - regarding corporate privacy issues… ."

Based on this early meeting, a CIPP/C advisory board was formed to partner with the IAPP to design a core curriculum for a Canadian certification that would, among other things, offer a vehicle for ensuring a broad understanding of regulatory requirements and define a set of best practices.

The article goes on to examine the formation of the Canadian-based curriculum, and profile the key standards, laws and practices, including Canadian privacy fundamentals, international privacy laws and practices, Canadian public sector and private sector privacy laws and practices, and information privacy and security in which the exam is grounded.

The CIPP/C exam will be coming to Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa over the next few months. Watch for exam dates and locations.