Alberta class-action lawsuit alleges privacy breach of voter data

A retired Alberta lawyer has filed a proposed classaction lawsuit in Edmonton over an alleged privacy breach involving the province’s list of electors. The claim says personal information tied to about 2.9 million voters may have been accessed and shared without authorization. The lawsuit names the Alberta government, the chief electoral officer, Centurion Project Ltd., the Republican Party of Alberta, David Parker and unnamed defendants. It alleges the voter data was used for purposes not permitted under Alberta’s Elections Act and says the breach created risks including identity theft, profiling, harassment and distress. The case has not been proven in court and must still be certified as a class action. Elections Alberta, the RCMP and the province’s privacy watchdog are investigating the matter, while the defendants have not yet filed statements of defence.