Nunavut does not have laws in place to protect patient information when electronic health records are introduced, according to the territory's information and privacy commissioner.

Elaine Keenan Bengts said she does not have the power to investigate any privacy violations that might occur after patients' medical records go electronic.

"Unfortunately, the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act has privacy rules, but no oversight and no way to address breaches," Keenan Bengts told a committee of MLAs in Iqaluit on Friday.

Health officials are working toward introducing electronic health records in Nunavut in the next six months.

Once in place, the electronic records will allow doctors and other medical staff to share patient charts digitally, rather than rely on cumbersome paper records as they do now.

Keenan Bengts said while she is confident the electronic records will be secure and well-designed, the system will be in place before any privacy-related laws are passed to oversee it.

"Legislation should precede the electronic record. That's not going to happen here," she said.

Quttiktuq MLA Ron Elliott said Nunavut is the only Canadian jurisdiction that has not started working on health-specific privacy legislation.

"We haven't seen any legislative proposals as far as I know," he said.

Keenan Bengts said Nunavut patients especially need to be protected from privacy breaches because their medical information is often shared with hospitals in other parts of Canada.

Keenan Bengts said the lack of oversight powers can be addressed without introducing new legislation. The government could amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to allow her to review privacy breaches, she said.