Privacy and Protection of Personal Data is Your Responsibility

Protection of Private and Personal Data is Everyone's ResponsibilityA recent audit by the office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has found that a certain big box store has not been properly removing customer data from returned laptops and storage devices before reselling them.  CBC News reports that Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddard said these findings are 'particularly disappointing' given that her office has investigated previous complaints involving returned storage devices in 2004 and 2008, and Staples Business Depot had committed to corrective action at that time.

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BC Business and the HST Referendum

BC Faces an Important Taxation DecisionWith the deadline for voting on the HST Referendum only weeks away, local business owners in the Okanagan, and all over British Columbia, have a very important decision to make.  The results of this referendum will impact all of us living and working in BC for years to come, and as with any political decisions we the people make, it is important to know the facts and avoid the propoganda.

In her article for the Vancouver Sun, economic analyst Sasha Coad points out some of the misinformation being generated around this issue. 

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GARP - The Principle of Accountability

Accountability Builds a Responsible and Effective Recordkeeping ProgramThe Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles begin with Accountability.  ARMA's guidelines, found in the download section of our website, state:  "An organization shall assign a senior executive who will oversee a recordkeeping program and delegate program responsibility to appropriate individuals, adopt policies and procedures to guide personnel, and ensure program auditability."

What this boils down to is responsibility.

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The Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles

ARMA's Principles Make Good Recordkeeping PracticeARMA International's Generally Accepted Recordkeeping Principles have become the benchmark for records managers in Canada and around the world.  You can now find the basics in the download section of the CanDox website, and in the coming weeks we'll take a closer look at each of the 8 principles and how they can affect Okanagan businesses.

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Records Management for the Home Office

Homes and Home Businesses Must Manage Records TooSo you've set it all up and are now the proud owner of a home office.  Record keeping remains a major and critical responsibility for anyone, not just businesses.  Are you maintaining every single bill, invoice, tax receipt, and medical document for the last ten years?

If your answer is no, don't fret - you're not alone.  Many people and home-based businesses are unsure how long records remain valid and should be kept.  A general rule to be used whenever you are uncertain of a particular record's retention is the ten-year rule, but there are some guidelines for different record types.  Let's outline some basics:

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