More than 500 individuals in Alberta have received cease-and-desist letters for accessing a searchable database containing personal information of numerous voters in the province. An investigation into the matter has been initiated by Diane McLeod, Alberta’s information and privacy commissioner, following allegations. Elections Alberta and the RCMP are also conducting their separate investigations.
The focus of McLeod’s investigation is on the Centurion Project Ltd., a separatist group registered as a third-party advertiser in Alberta, which managed a website featuring a publicly accessible database with details of nearly three million individuals from the Alberta List of Electors. Cease-and-desist letters were issued by chief electoral officer Gordon McClure to 23 individuals who received the voter list and 545 individuals who accessed it.
Elections Alberta recently obtained a temporary injunction against the Centurion Project and the Republican Party of Alberta for unauthorized use of an official Alberta electoral list. The court-mandated shutdown of the database revealed that the list contained fictitious names to trace potential breaches. The investigation aims to determine the handling of personal information by the Centurion Project and its compliance with privacy regulations.
McLeod’s authority to launch the investigation under Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act was confirmed, allowing scrutiny of the Centurion Project’s actions regarding the voter list. The legal battle is set to resume in late July, with Elections Alberta seeking a permanent injunction. The Centurion Project and the Republican Party of Alberta are expected to provide necessary information, while legal teams prepare for the upcoming court proceedings.
The Centurion Project has since removed the database and pledged cooperation with Elections Alberta’s inquiry. David Parker, the group’s leader, likened the database to a phone book, intended for volunteer canvassing activities. The exposure of voter information has prompted calls for legislative changes and a public inquiry to address privacy concerns. Premier Danielle Smith expressed the need for accountability and adherence to the law regarding the breach involving the voter list.
The involvement of political entities in accessing the database has raised questions across Alberta’s political landscape, with the United Conservative Party caucus acknowledging attendance at a Centurion Project meeting. Premier Smith emphasized the importance of holding those responsible for the breach accountable.