The time and date are recorded in the files, so yes, if you copied the whole PRIVATE folder, you can get the time and date (assuming you set the time &date accurately in your camera).
You can also just look at the clip once you have transferred the folders over to your HDD...the date and time will be display much the same as any file. I had a situation at a wedding where the bride insisted that my 2nd shooter arrived late so I simply showed her that the first clip was in fact shot 15 minutes before the agreed time...it's useful to know indeed!!!
As Barry has already mentioned, the whole system is useless unless you have accurately set the time and date in the camera to begin with!! I use the shoot time quite often, even in editing so I can quickly identify when events were shot!!
Interesting about that bride. That would certainly help. In our situation that time indicator is now part of the evidence in an investigation of involuntary manslaughter.