Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn has apologized to Sean Bruyea, a veterans advocate and Gulf War veteran, for the department's privacy breach of his medical and financial records.
Earlier this month Jennifer Stoddart, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, reported that an investigation of the Bruyea case by her office found that the Veterans Affairs department had contravened the Privacy Act in the way it handled Bruyea's personal information.
The department had compiled 14,000 pages of documents on the former intelligence officer and outspoken critic of the department, and confidential information on Bruyea was viewed more than 4000 times by 850 government staff members over the last 10 years. Sensitive personal information was also included unnecessarily in minister's briefing notes.
The Minister offered to expedite the mediation process to settle the $400,000 privacy lawsuit filed by Mr. Bruyea against the department. He also said that Veterans Affairs will co-operate on an in-depth audit being conducted by the Privacy Commissioner and follow up on the results and recommendations of that audit.
Privacy and Veterans Affairs Canada
Apology by Minister of Veterans Affairs
Role of Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Jennifer Stoddart, Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Privacy in Canada
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