Following up yesterday's post about our diminishing privacy, I'm just off the phone with a representative of the Canadian Privacy Commissioner and we had a good conversation (and, it was nice of him to return my calls).
He told me that temporary agencies such as the one that asked Erin to go pee in a cup were not covered under federal privacy legislation... yet. In one year's time, however, privacy legislation will come into effect for agencies such as these, and Erin would be fully within her rights to launch a complaint, and the onus would be on the agency to justify its request.
He also mentioned that he felt that Erin could consult with a lawyer if she wanted to. He wasn't sure if the temp agency was in violation of provincial privacy laws, and we could investigate that course. We won't, of course. Right now, it's one temporary agency, and two more have talked to Erin without asking her for a sample of her urine. However, it is comforting to know that legislation is in the works to limit the authority of companies such as Smelly's Services to do something like this. Intrusive agencies take note.