Privacy Policy

At TASMAN, we know the importance of protecting the privacy of the individual. We have a strict privacy policy that outlines specific guidelines governing the collection and use of personal information by TASMAN Financial Services.

At TASMAN Financial Services (hereinafter referred to as “TASMAN”), respecting privacy and the sensitivity of information is an important part of our commitment to our clients. That is why we have developed the TASMAN Financial Services Privacy Policy.

The TASMAN privacy policy is a statement of principles and guidelines regarding the minimum requirements for the protection of personal information provided to TASMAN by its clients. The objective of the TASMAN Privacy Policy is to promote responsible and transparent personal information management practices in a manner consistent with the provisions of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (Canada) (PIPEDA).

As you view our website, know that we do not keep any personal information you may voluntarily provide to us, other than for the purposes for which you may provide it.

Privacy is an evolving area, so our policies will be monitored to ensure that they are accurate and in compliance with evolving legislation, case law and administrative decisions. TASMAN will also continue to review the TASMAN privacy policy to make sure that it is relevant and remains current with changing industry standards, technologies and laws.

A. OVERVIEW

1. What this policy covers

This Policy covers our treatment of the personal information we collect from you, in the course of commercial activities. Specifically, this policy concerns how information is collected, used, securely maintained and ultimately disposed of properly.

Personal information is generally any information about an identifiable individual. It may include, inter alia, name, age, mailing address, residential phone numbers, email addresses, personal history (including financial and credit information, donations, personal health information, billing history), personal information relating to corporate involvements, work experience, income and other benefits, medical records and tax records.

“Commercial activities” are defined in the PIPEDA as activities including every transaction, act or conduct that is of a commercial character, whether it is a single transaction or occurs in the course of business.

2. Purposes for collection of personal information

TASMAN collects personal information for the following limited purposes:

3. How personal information is used

TASMAN is a fee-only financial planner, providing tax planning, portfolio planning and monitoring and estate planning activities. Personal information is used to service clients’ financial planning needs. TASMAN also maintains a contact list containing personal information. From time to time, TASMAN may contact you requesting additional personal information to assist us in maintaining our contact or mailing lists.

4. How personal information is maintained

We do not sell, barter, trade or give away your personal information to any third parties, unless authorized by you. For example, we do not provide our constituent mailing lists to any other parties. TASMAN stores and maintains personal information in conformity with the requirements of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (the “Act”) and the Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information (the “Code”) created and approved by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

5. Links

This website may contain links to other websites. This privacy policy applies to TASMAN only.

6. Your IP address

Like most websites, each time you visit the site, we automatically collect your IP address. It is used to help diagnose problems with our server, and to better administer the site for all users. Your IP address is not used to help identify you or to gather broad demographic information, as some websites do.

B. APPLICATION OF THE CANADIAN STANDARDS ASSOCIATION’S MODEL PRIVACY CODE
TASMAN applies the 10 principles of the Code as follows:

1. Accountability

TASMAN is responsible for the personal information collected and maintained by it and which is under its control. In order to fulfill this responsibility:

We have designated an official(s) to be responsible for the day-to-day care and control of personal information, namely our Chief Privacy Officer (CPO), Mr. Scott Robertson, President of TASMAN;
TASMAN has taken the following measures to ensure compliance with this privacy policy:
developing procedures to protect personal information;
developing procedures to receive and respond to complaints and inquiries;
training our staff about our policies and practices respecting personal information; and
developing and distributing information to our staff and the general public explaining our policies and procedures respecting personal information.

2. Identifying purposes

TASMAN is committed to openness to you regarding its collection and use of personal information. As discussed above, we collect and use personal information for the following limited purposes:

to communicate with clients and financial institutions;
to communicate with suppliers;
to establish, maintain or terminate any TASMAN-client contractual relationship;
for administrative or management requirements;
to respond to mandated government reporting requirements;
to enhance our relationship with clients;
to establish and maintain mailing contact lists.
To demonstrate this openness, we require the consent of our clients prior to using their personal information for any purpose other than that for which it was originally collected.

Similarly, if any individuals wish to be advised of the personal information we have related to them, they can contact us at the address set out in Section C below.

3. Consent

TASMAN is committed to ensuring that you are aware of how your personal information is used. We are dedicated to obtaining the consent of individuals who provide us with their personal information. To this end, all our employees or agents are instructed to provide information about how personal information is used by us to all interested individuals who inquire, as well as obtain the consent of those who provide their personal information. You may provide your consent to us either orally or in writing.

As well, we may periodically request written confirmation from you to ensure that the personal information collected and maintained by us is up-to-date and accurate. We also may ensure that we have your continuing consent to the use and retention of your personal information.

TASMAN will disclose your personal information, without notice, only if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

conform to obligations imposed by law or statute;
meet an emergency need; and/or
as required pursuant to a criminal investigation.

4. Limiting collection

TASMAN restricts the collection of personal information only to that information that is necessary for the limited purposes noted above. We are committed to collecting personal information in a fair, open and lawful manner. For this reason, TASMAN does not indiscriminately collect personal information. We collect personal information to fulfill the above-noted purposes only, and for no other purposes.

5. Limiting use, disclosure and retention

TASMAN does not use personal information for purposes other than those for which it was originally collected, unless it has first obtained the consent of the person from whom such information was received. We retain personal information only for as long as it is needed, or for as long as required by law, and only for the fulfillment of the purposes for which it was originally collected.

6. Accuracy

TASMAN is committed to maintaining accurate, complete and up-to-date personal information. If you are aware of changes to the personal information you have given to us, simply inform us of the changes and we will update our records accordingly.

You may check and correct your personal information by contacting us through the CPO, whose responsibility it is to oversee the day-to-day care and control of personal information, by writing or emailing your request to the address set out in Section C below.

7. Safeguards

TASMAN has developed and implemented security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information kept by us. These security safeguards include:

physical security measures, such as locked cabinet storage and restricted access to areas where personal information is stored; and
internal employee security measures, including restricted computer access, employee confidentiality agreements and limited access to where personal information is stored.
If we use the services of any third parties to process personal information, we will enter into legal agreements, which require them to protect this personal information in a manner acceptable to us. In entering into these legal agreements, we do not transfer any interest in this personal information to them. Rather, the purpose of these legal agreements is to ensure that the personal information delivered to third parties is maintained at a level of security equal to that provided under this privacy policy.

If we collect information from you or from third parties we will have obtained the necessary consent to do so, or will do so as otherwise permitted by law. Third parties include, as examples, service providers, references and other persons that we need to contact to provide services, to establish, manage or terminate an employment relationship, or for administrative or management purposes.

We also ensure that any of our employees who deal with personal information are properly trained and are aware of the necessary and appropriate measures required to protect personal information.

Any personal information kept by us is disposed of once it is no longer needed to meet the purposes for which it was collected, unless we receive your permission to keep such information, or is kept as required by law.

TASMAN operates a regular shredding procedure, to ensure the confidentiality of personal client information. Tax records are maintained for the requisite legal amount of time.

8. Openness

TASMAN makes information about its policies and practices respecting the collection and maintenance of personal information available to all interested parties.

We are pleased to answer any questions that you may have regarding the collection and maintenance of personal information. Please forward any questions in writing or email to the CPO at the address set out in Section C below.

9. Individual access

You can also request access to your personal information held by us. However, we reserve the right to confirm the identity of the person seeking access to personal information before complying with any access requests. Please forward your access request in writing or email to the address set out in Section C below.

Upon request, we will inform you if we have any of your personal information in our care and control, as well as providing you with the details of such personal information. In responding to your request, we may charge you a reasonable fee.

We are also committed to ensuring that the personal information that is collected and maintained by us is correct, accurate and complete.

As well, you can challenge the completeness of your personal information under our care and control. Where you can successfully demonstrate that an error in the accuracy or completeness of your personal information exists, we will amend your personal information appropriately. When a challenge is not resolved to your satisfaction, then we will destroy your personal information under our care and control.

If we are unable to provide you with access to all of the personal information we hold about you, then the reasons for the denial of access will be provided to you.

10. Challenging compliance

As noted above, TASMAN has designated an official(s) who is responsible for the day-to-day care and control of personal information. This official(s), the Chief Privacy Officer, will receive and respond to all information requests regarding our privacy policies or about your personal information under our care and control.

If you wish to be added or removed from any of the lists TASMAN maintains, please write or email your request to the mailing list administrator at TASMAN Financial Services, 301–2039 Robertson Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K2H 8R2.

We investigate all complaints received by us and will respond in writing in a timely manner. If any complaint is found to be justified, then we will take appropriate measures to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of the complainant.

Changes to this privacy policy

Since TASMAN regularly reviews all of its policies and procedures, including the laws that impact upon the operation if its businesses, we may change our privacy policy from time to time to ensure that it remains compliant with the law.

C. HOW TO ADD, REMOVE OR AMEND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
If at any time you wish to amend your personal information with us or remove your name from our mailing lists, simply inform us in writing at the address below or by email, to the attention of:

Mr. Scott Robertson
TASMAN Financial Services
301–2039 Robertson Road, Ottawa, Ontario K2H 8R2
613-820-0270 (fax: 613-820-2787)

We are proud to demonstrate our commitment to privacy protection. We will investigate all complaints or enquiries received by us in a timely manner. If any complaint is found to be justified, then we will take the appropriate measures to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of the complainant.