Oct 14/10 - Pt 2: Veterans Affairs Leak

Veterans Affairs Leak

Last week Canada's Privacy Commissioner reported that officials at Veterans Affairs had passed around thousands of pages of confidential medical records and financial statements. They were seen by mid-level managers all the way up to the minister. They belonged to Sean Bruyea, a Canadian veteran and a vocal critic of the department. And he told us on The Current that he believes the goal was to use the information to discredit him and he alleges much worse.

The privacy commissioner found the actions of public officials alarming. Sean Bruyea found them unconscionable. But it is their inaction that troubles Amir Attaran. He's a law professor at the University of Ottawa. And he's especially concerned about the fact that this behaviour went on for years, reportedly involving hundreds of bureaucrats and that not a word of it was leaked to the public - by anyone. Amir Attaran was in Ottawa. And Ralph Heintzman is a Professor in the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Ottawa and Senior Fellow at Massey College at the University of Toronto.