Alberta's Chief Electoral Officer, Gordon McClure, is advocating for a temporary halt to the sharing of the province's list of electors with political parties until amendments are made to the current legislation. McClure's call to action follows the unauthorized distribution of nearly three million voters' personal information, raising significant concerns about privacy rights.
McClure stated that the existing Elections Act lacks sufficient safeguards for protecting Albertans' personal information, especially compared to the protections outlined in the province’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Diane McLeod, Alberta's information and privacy commissioner, echoed these concerns, highlighting a "concerning gap" in PIPA, which doesn't apply to political parties. She noted that similar legislation in British Columbia does govern political parties.
The issue gained prominence after a group called the Centurion Project reportedly posted a list containing names, addresses, and phone numbers of 2.9 million Albertans on their website. Elections Alberta issued 568 cease and desist letters to individuals who accessed the leaked list. The list was allegedly obtained from a registered political party's copy, raising questions about data security and privacy protocols. Elections Alberta, supported by the Edmonton Police Service, took action to ensure the Centurion Project ceased accessing the list.
The Legislative Assembly is expected to consider McClure's recommendations to strengthen legislation and protect the privacy of Albertans. The RCMP and Elections Alberta are currently investigating the leak.
