Last updated April 1, 2026
Privacy Policy
Effective date: [1 April 2026] Last updated: [31 July 2026]
Who we are
This website is marcbedard.ca, operated by Marc Bedard, based in Ontario, Canada. This policy explains what personal information I collect through this site, why I collect it, how I protect it, and what rights you have over it.
If you have any questions about this policy or how your information is handled, you can reach me at: [contact@marcbedard.ca]
What personal information I collect and why
Blog comments
When you leave a comment on a blog post, I collect the information you enter in the comment form (name, email address, and your comment text), along with your IP address and browser user agent string. This is used to help detect spam and, if needed, to follow up on your comment.
An anonymized hash of your email address may be shared with the Gravatar service to check whether you have a profile picture associated with that address. If you do, your Gravatar profile picture becomes publicly visible next to your comment. Gravatar is operated by Automattic; you can review its privacy policy at https://automattic.com/privacy/.
Comments and their metadata are kept indefinitely so that follow-up comments from returning visitors can be recognized and approved automatically, rather than held in a moderation queue every time.
If you opt in when leaving a comment, your name, email, and website may be saved in a browser cookie for your convenience on future visits. This cookie lasts one year.
Contact form
When you submit the contact form, I collect the information you provide (such as your name, email address, and message) so I can respond to your inquiry. This information is not used for any other purpose without your consent and is retained only as long as needed to handle your request and any related follow-up.
Newsletter sign-up
If you sign up for the free newsletter, I collect your email address (and any other information the sign-up form requests) in order to send you the content you requested and related updates. Sign-up is handled through a third-party email marketing platform, which processes your information on my behalf under its own security and privacy practices. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link included in every email, and doing so removes you from future mailings. This complies with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL): every commercial message identifies who sent it and includes a working unsubscribe mechanism, and I only send commercial messages to people who have consented to receive them.
Media
If you upload an image to this site (for example, as part of a comment or submission), please avoid images that contain embedded location data (EXIF GPS), since other visitors could extract that location data from the image.
Analytics
This site uses Google Analytics (via Google’s Site Kit plugin) to understand how visitors use the site — for example, which pages are viewed and how visitors arrive at the site. Google Analytics uses cookies and collects information such as your IP address (which may be shortened/anonymized), browser type, and general location. This information is processed by Google in accordance with Google’s own privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites using Google’s browser opt-out add-on: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. This site does not currently run any advertising network (such as Google AdSense); if that changes, this policy will be updated accordingly.
Cookies
- Comment cookies: if you opt in when commenting, a cookie saves your name, email, and website for one year.
- Login cookies: if you log in to the site (for administrative purposes), temporary and session cookies are used to keep you logged in; these last between one day and two weeks depending on the cookie and your settings.
- Analytics cookies: Google Analytics sets cookies to distinguish visitors and sessions, as described above.
Embedded content from other websites
Blog posts may include embedded content (for example, YouTube videos). Embedded content behaves exactly as if you visited the other website directly — it may set its own cookies, collect data about your interaction, and track you if you’re logged into that service, according to that service’s own privacy policy.
Who I share your information with
I don’t sell your personal information. I share it only with:
- Service providers who help operate this site — for example, my web host, email marketing platform, and Google Analytics — solely to provide those services on my behalf, and only to the extent necessary.
- Legal or regulatory authorities, if required by law.
- If you request a password reset (for site administration), your IP address is included in the reset email.
How long I keep your information
- Comments and their metadata: kept indefinitely (see above).
- Contact form submissions: kept only as long as needed to respond to and resolve your inquiry, then deleted or archived.
- Newsletter sign-up information: kept until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
- Analytics data: retained according to Google Analytics’ default retention settings.
Your rights
Under Canada’s federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), you have the right to:
- Know what personal information I hold about you and why it was collected;
- Access a copy of the personal information I hold about you;
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
- Withdraw consent (for example, unsubscribe from the newsletter) at any time;
- Request that I delete personal information I hold about you, subject to any legal, administrative, or security obligations to retain it;
- Challenge my compliance with these principles.
To exercise any of these rights, contact me at [contact@marcbedard.ca]. I will respond within the timeframes required by applicable law.
If you’re not satisfied with how I’ve handled your request, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) — https://www.priv.gc.ca
Children’s privacy
This site is not directed at children, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information through this site, please contact me and I will delete it.
How I protect your information
Personal information collected through this site is stored on secured, password-protected servers and transmitted using SSL encryption. Access is limited to what’s necessary to operate the site and respond to inquiries.
Data breach notification
If a data breach occurs that creates a real risk of significant harm to you, I will notify affected individuals and, where required under PIPEDA, report the incident to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, as soon as feasible.
International visitors
This site is operated from Ontario, Canada, and is intended primarily for a Canadian audience, though it can be accessed from anywhere. If you’re visiting from outside Canada, your information will be processed in Canada in accordance with this policy and Canadian law.
Changes to this policy
I may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in the site, the law, or the services I use. The “Last updated” date at the top will always reflect the most recent revision. I encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your personal information? Reach out to our Administration: [contact@marcbedard.ca]