Prime Minister Stephen Harper has tapped the federal government’s top lawyer on national defence and public safety to serve as Canada’s next privacy watchdog.

The nomination of Daniel Therrien for the position of privacy commissioner, at a time when Canadians are just coming to know the scope of government access to their personal information, has privacy experts suggesting the government is trying to send a message.

In his current position as assistant deputy attorney general of public safety, defence and immigration, Therrien is the Justice Department’s point man on matters of national defence, public safety, and immigration law.

“Obviously the jury is out . . . and you have to give the benefit of a doubt,” said Michael Geist, a digital privacy expert at the University of Ottawa who also writes for the Star. “But surely the government is sending a bit of a signal that in an environment when there were other privacy commissioners and people with deep backgrounds on the privacy side, that they’ve chosen to focus on someone whose most recent emphasis has been on safety and security.”

Called to the Quebec bar in 1981, Therrien has spent his entire law career with the federal government. Over his 33-year career, he has advised Correctional Service Canada, the National Parole Board, and Citizenship and Immigration. He was promoted to assistant deputy solicitor general in 2005.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Therrien was instrumental in negotiations with the United States on cross-border information sharing — a program the previous privacy commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart, raised serious concerns about.

Jason MacDonald, Harper’s director of communications, said Therrien is “eminently qualified” to take on the privacy watchdog role

“His appointment was made following a rigorous process,” MacDonald wrote in a statement emailed to the Star.

“Through that process Mr. Therrien was identified as the best candidate and he will have the opportunity to discuss his extensive experience once his nomination is referred to the appropriate standing committee, as per normal practice.

MacDonald refused to share the name of other candidates considered for the post, citing privacy concerns.

The opposition parties have already signaled that they do not approve of Therrien’s appointment. In a letter to Harper dated May 23 obtained by the Star, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said Therrien has “neither the neutrality nor the necessary detachment to hold this position.”

“As the main person in charge of protecting Canadians privacy, the commissioner is responsible for auditing the policies and practices enacted by the government,” Mulcair wrote in the letter. “However, throughout his career, Therrien has helped develop and implement several government initiatives on public safety that have been criticized for their failure to protect our fundamental rights.”

Mulcair specifically mentions the Canada-U.S. security perimeter initiative as an example, and has asked Harper to withdraw Therrien’s nomination. The appointment of an agent of Parliament requires a vote in both the House of Commons and the Senate. The Conservatives enjoy majorities in both chambers.

Privacy lawyer David Fraser said both privacy advocates and the business community will be very interested to hear Therrien’s take on the issues currently dominating privacy debates — warrantless access to Canadians private data, voluntary disclosure from telecommunication and internet service providers, and government agencies snooping on social media.

“It’s a surprising and interesting choice in light of all of the current discourse going on related to government surveillance, to have as a nominee an individual that has been advising the Government of Canada on that subject for quite some time,” Fraser said.

“I think it will be very interesting to hear his perspective because, at least in the privacy community, he’s not well known.”

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If his nomination is approved, Therrien will replace interim Privacy Commissioner Chantal Bernier. The privacy commissioner’s office told the Star they had only learned of the nomination Wednesday evening, and declined further comment.

Correction - May 29, 2014: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated Daniel Therrien's current position.

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