Collection of Personal Information, Building Information, and After-Hours Contact Details in the Event of an Emergency

Circular Note No. XDC-1122

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Office of Protocol) presents its compliments to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and notified Chargés d’Affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada, and has the honour to update a program to assist the Government of Canada in fulfilling its obligations with respect to the protection of foreign representatives, members of their family, and the premises they occupy.^{Footnote 1}

In order to further efforts by Canadian authorities to both provide an adequate level of protection to foreign representatives and efficiently respond to urgent matters, the Department renews its request of Heads of Diplomatic Missions and notified Chargés d’Affaires to provide, at their sole discretion, the residential addresses and telephone numbers for all accredited foreign representatives, information regarding official properties, and 24-hour emergency contacts.

The Department assures Their Excellencies that the use, collection and retention of this information will be conducted in accordance with Canada’s Privacy Act, under which it is committed to safeguard personal and other sensitive information under its control by limiting its disclosure only to the RCMP for the strict purpose of providing necessary protective measures and responding to emergency situations.

1. Collection of Personal Information

As a means of furthering efforts to meet its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the Department seeks to obtain the home addresses of all foreign representatives, along with their personal telephone numbers.

2. Collection of Official Property information

The Department also seeks to obtain, on an entirely voluntary basis, up-to-date floor plans and photographs of all official properties, including diplomatic and consular offices and their respective residences, as well as a list of persons mandated to interact professionally with the RCMP and other Canadian law enforcement officials at these sites.

3. Emergency Contact Information

Finally, the Department asks that each mission identify a 24-hour contact person, along with their contact information, who can be reached by either the Office of Protocol or by the RCMP in the event that the intervention of a representative of the mission is required after-hours. The contact person need not be the Head of Mission, but should be someone who is designated to respond to emergencies involving official properties, embassy staff or their family members, and who can assist the Department or police in critical situations.

The information in any of the above categories may be relayed by way of note or sent to the following email address: Office of Protocol.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Office of Protocol) avails itself of this opportunity to renew to Their Excellencies the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and notified Chargés d’Affaires, a.i. accredited to Canada the assurances of its highest consideration.

OTTAWA, June 14, 2010