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MNR under fire over hunting, fishing license outsourcing

NEWS RELEASES SARAH CAMPBELL, MPP KENORA-RAINY RIVER VIC FEDELI, MPP NIPISSING ****************************** NDP: Decision to outsource hunting and fishing licenses threatens privacy, costs jobs NDP’s Campbell urges Privacy Commissioner to inv

NEWS RELEASES

SARAH CAMPBELL, MPP
KENORA-RAINY RIVER

VIC FEDELI, MPP
NIPISSING

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NDP: Decision to outsource hunting and fishing licenses threatens privacy, costs jobs

NDP’s Campbell urges Privacy Commissioner to investigate

QUEEN’S PARK – In a letter today to Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner, NDP Natural Resources Critic Sarah Campbell called for an investigation into privacy concerns stemming from the government’s decision to outsource hunting and fishing licensing to a U.S. company.

“When a member of the public calls the MNR licensing phone line, they are now warned that personal information will be stored outside of Canada, and will be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is stored,” writes Campbell.

In the previous system, personal information remained entirely within province, and largely in the control of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

As of January 1, 2012 the entire licensing process was outsourced to a Nashville, Tennessee-based company called Active Outdoors.

This has raised privacy concerns in light of American laws like the Patriot Act that can require private information be turned over to a third party.

In Question Period today, Campbell grilled the Minister of Natural Resources over the decision to outsource the services.

“Why are Ontarians losing out on jobs because services are being sold off to companies in other countries, all while putting our privacy at risk?” asked Campbell. “There’s close to 600,000 people out of work in this province and now more jobs that could very well be performed by people in this province as a public service have been outsourced to the United States for profit.”
 
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Fedeli wants action on MNR licensing fiasco

QUEEN’S PARK - Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli is demanding the Minister of Natural Resources take steps to safeguard the privacy of information collected through licensing of Ontario’s anglers and hunters.

PC Natural Resources Critic Laurie Scott (Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock) revealed in the Ontario Legislature on Wednesday that a Tennessee company was awarded the contract to manage that data when the province moved to its electronic licensing system in January.

Scott says a call to the Ministry’s 800-number gets you a recording which states ‘personal information may be stored outside of Canada and is subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is stored.’

“It’s unbelievable to me that this government would treat the personal information of Ontarians with such blatant disregard,” Fedeli said.

Fedeli shares the concerns expressed by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters that this information could be accessed by U.S. authorities under the Patriot Act.

Fedeli also believes the Ontario Privacy Commissioner needs to look into this matter.

"There is potentially a serious breach of privacy protection for Ontario citizens here,” added Fedeli.

"The Minister can’t be taken seriously when he claims their personal information is secure when it clearly isn’t.”

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