A Saskatoon bus driver who was worried a mandatory background check with a U.S. security firm would result in a loss of her privacy has scored a victory.
Stephanie Sydiaha drives for First Student Canada, formerly known as Firstbus Canada.
She had refused to let her employer do a background check on her because it was using a U.S.-based security firm.
Sydiaha was concerned about what would happen to her personal information once it crossed the border, where privacy laws are more lax than Canada's. She was also worried that, by refusing to submit to a check, she'd lose her job.
But First Student announced Wednesday that from now on, it will use a Canadian company to do background checks.
"It's something that we've been looking at doing, but also because of concerns, some of the ones that have been raised," company spokesman B.J. Langdon said.
Sydiaha said she was glad to hear the company has changed its mind.
"I think it's a good move," she said. "I guess my preference would still be that it be done by a police agency rather than another third party company, but certainly I'm glad that the information isn't going to be available to American authorities."
Sydiaha said the government needs to do more to protect worker privacy. She wants Saskatchewan to adopt laws that cover private sector workers.
Under the current system, the privacy commissioner's office can investigate privacy concerns only of people who work in the public sector.
As well, she said she still doesn't know whether, come fall, she'll be recalled to work for the school bus company.
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