PRESS RELEASE
QUEEN’S PARK—Yesterday it was revealed by the Ontario PC Party that the personal information of anglers and hunters is at risk of a privacy breach.
The Ministry of Natural Resources moved to a new electronic licensing in January, and the contract was awarded to a company in Tennessee. When the system was introduced in January there were significant delays and operational problems with it. However, today when you call the Ministry’s 1-800 number, you are greeted by a recording that says, “Personal information may be stored outside of Canada and is subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is stored.”
“I think we potentially have a serious and major breach of privacy protection for Ontario citizens,” said Thompson. “The PC Caucus has been hearing from angry Ontarians and I don’t blame them—their personal information is potentially being compromised.”
The Minister of Natural Resources yesterday however, claimed that the information is safe, as they put privacy protections in place in the contract with the Tennessee company. But, according to information issued by the Treasury Board of Canada, under the Patriot Act, U.S. officials could access information about citizens of other countries, including Canada, if that information is physically within the United States or accessible electronically.
“We found out today that the Patriot Act absolutely trumps any contract that the Government of Ontario has signed with the Tennessee company,” said Thompson. “We also have to question why the contract went to a Tennessee company, and not to an Ontario based company. We have a jobs crisis, yet we’re shipping contracts and jobs to Tennessee.”
The 730,000 anglers and hunters in Ontario who have registered their personal information are at risk of a breech of privacy protection.
