Officials at the Canadian Wheat Board are wondering why federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz didn’t ask them about their privacy policies instead of relying on a news report before asking the privacy commissioner to investigate.
A Canadian Press story published Nov. 21 said an internal CWB audit report completed in 2008 suggested the board was sharing producer information too freely with grain handling companies and the Canada Revenue Agency.
On Nov. 23, Ritz, also minister responsible for the CWB, sent a letter to privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddardt asking her to look into whether the board had violated privacy requirements in its dealings with farmers.
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CWB officials say they wish Ritz had taken a different approach.
“We are very disappointed that a decision was made on the basis of a CP news story to request the involvement of the privacy commissioner without first asking the CWB any questions or giving us any opportunity to explain the facts,” said CWB spokesperson Maureen Fitzhenry.
Phone calls and e-mails to Ritz’s office seeking comment were not returned.
The board says the audit on which the CP news story was based was poorly written and misleading. It said there was no breach of privacy provisions and farmers’ information was shared only with the Canada Revenue Agency, under a longstanding agreement, and with grain handling companies acting as agents of the CWB.
The board stopped sharing information with the CRA in 2006.
In his letter to the privacy commissioner requesting the investigation, Ritz said the government was “deeply concerned” about the issue.
“My first priority is protecting farmers’ interests and I am requesting your office investigate this matter and provide recommendations to address the situation as soon as possible,” he said.
A spokesperson for the privacy commission confirmed that the agency is looking into the matter.
