FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2002

Confidential files shocker: Tories violate our privacy again

Thousands of confidential patient records have been abandoned in a former government building sold off by the Ontario Realty Corporation, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has learned.

Striking OPSEU members at Whitby Mental Health Centre discovered boxes of personnel and patient records in the strike office the union is leasing from a private landowner.

The building is part of the former Whitby Psychiatric Hospital site, sold in 1996.

Joan Gates, President of Local 331, immediately notified the hospital administration and the Ontario Privacy Commissioner’s office as soon as this matter was brought to her attention.

“Once again, this government has shown it does not care one bit about public safety or security,” said OPSEU President Leah Casselman at a press conference with Gates and NDP Labour Critic, Peter Kormos, MPP.

“It’s disturbing that these confidential records could be left lying around when a property is sold to a private landlord by this government,” she added, noting that these files contained enough information for criminals or terrorists to create a false identity. “The Conservative government has violated the privacy of Ontarians once again.”

“Mental health and personnel records are extremely private,” noted Gates. “This is not the fault of the hospital administration but of the Conservative government that has allowed this to happen time and time again,” said Gates.

This government’s repeated privacy breaches include the release of confidential bank account information from the Province of Ontario Savings Office to a polling firm.

OPSEU is on strike to rebuild Ontario’s public services, to protect public health and safety and the public interest. OPSEU represents workers at Ontario’s mental health institutions operated by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

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For more information, contact:

David Cox, OPSEU Communications: 416-443-8888 x 314 or 416-788-9197 cell
Joan Gates, President, Local 331 905-435-3003