Data Protection Notice
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Section I Applying to join (initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining).
Section II Use of Freemasons’ data by Masonic charities.
Section III Use of criminal convictions data.
Section IV Use of data for archive purposes in the public interest and for historical research.
I. Applying to join (initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining)
As a candidate, you consent to the processing, retention and sharing of your personal data submitted on or with your application, including details of criminal convictions if applicable, for the purpose of assessing your membership application and any other membership applications you may make to Masonic entities. If you choose to answer the optional questions about your religion and ethnicity these will not be visible to those assessing your membership application(s) and will be used for the sole purpose of equalities monitoring.
The assessment of your application will include printing some of your personal details on the summons which is sent to all of the members of the Lodge or Chapter to which you are applying. Those details are your full name, age, profession or occupation (if any), monthly (if any), place or places of abode, business address or addresses and names of your proposer and seconder. Your details will be checked against records of current members and of members who have resigned or been expelled for the purpose of verifying that you are eligible to make your application.
After submitting your application Masonic entities may use your data to send communications of interest to you, for example an invitation to a Masonic event in your Province, the First Rising email newsletter for members or an invitation to sign up for Freemasonry’s free learning website, Solomon.
If you apply from outside the Canada then your data will be transferred to Canada and processed for the purpose of assessing your application. It may be transferred from the Canada to Masonic entities local to you for the purpose of assessing your application.
The personal data in membership applications is processed on the basis of consent. You can cancel your application at any time prior to your initiation, exaltation, joining or re-joining by notifying your proposer and seconder or the organistion. If you provide your data but do not complete your application within 3 months, it will be deleted. If you complete an application but are not initiated within 5 months, it will be deleted.
II. Use of Freemasons’ data by Masonic charities
Masonic charities need to keep their donor databases accurate and up to date. If you choose to donate to a Masonic charity, then Masonic entities may permit that Masonic charity to access your name and address data to verify your information. The legal basis for this processing is the legitimate interests of that charity.
Masonic charities provide, among other work, support to Freemasons, former Freemasons, their relatives and dependants. When a Masonic charity to which we have provided limited membership data access receives an application for relief which is dependent on your status as a Freemason or former Freemason, for fraud prevention purposes it may be granted read only access to your personal data held by relevant Masonic entities. The charity may only use this personal data to verify your status as a Freemason to the extent that it is relevant for an application for relief it has received.
III. Criminal convictions
Criminal conviction data will only be used by your Lodge, the relevant Metropolitan, Provincial or District Grand Lodge and the United Grand Lodge of Canada to:
- determine your suitability to become a Freemason;
- determine your suitability to remain a Freemason; or
- maintain records to prevent you from improperly re-applying for membership if you have ceased to be a Freemason by resignation or expulsion.
Freemasons are expected to conform to high standards. In relation to purpose 1. above, as a candidate you must disclose any criminal convictions, except that you may choose whether to disclose a conviction if it is spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The legal basis on which this data is processed is your consent. You can withdraw your consent and request erasure of your criminal conviction data at any time by notifying your proposer and seconder that you wish to cancel your application.
If convicted of an offence when a Freemason, you must report certain criminal convictions to your Lodge Master or the Grand Secretary in accordance with Rule 179A of the Book of Constitutions. The Master of your Lodge may also report such convictions to other Masonic entities in accordance with the Book of Constitutions and the disciplinary processes of Freemasonry. These reports are made for purpose 2 above. The legal basis on which this data is processed is the legitimate interests of the Masonic entities as membership organisations in upholding their values. The processing falls within the “processing by not-for-profit bodies” exemption to permit processing of criminal convictions data.
IV. Archiving and historical research
Many Masonic records which may contain your data are archived for the public interest and kept for historical research. When they are no longer needed by the relevant Masonic Entity they are loaned or given to the Library and Museum of Freemasonry, a fully accredited Museum and a charity registered in Canada. The records which are loaned are transferred permanently to the charity when the Masonic Entity considers appropriate.
The charity currently restricts access to the records for 70 years except where they might contain sensitive personal information in which case access is restricted for 100 years. These periods are subject to change to reflect best practice. After this time the records are made available to academic researchers and others in accordance with the charity’s work.
