OTTAWA --
The corporate overseeing the federal authorities's $900-million settlement cope with navy members who skilled sexual misconduct in uniform has admitted to extra privateness breaches.
Epiq Class Motion Companies Canada confirmed the extra errors final week after a second veteran got here ahead to The Canadian Press to report having acquired an electronic mail containing the private particulars of a unique claimant late final 12 months.
France Menard mentioned she determined to talk up after studying a Canadian Press report final month about Epiq having inadvertently despatched fellow veteran Amy Inexperienced the names, electronic mail addresses and declare numbers of dozens of different claimants.
Epiq at the moment mentioned it had mistakenly disclosed "restricted data" about fewer than 100 of the 20,000 individuals who have utilized for compensation as a part of the class-action settlement to 1 different claimant.
"Clearly she's not the one one," Menard mentioned in an interview from her dwelling in Fredericton, N.B. "Individuals now are questioning: Is my data on the market?"
The Division of Nationwide Defence and lawyer Jonathan Ptak, who represents a few of the veterans and energetic service members concerned within the three lawsuits settled by the federal government, mentioned Epiq has since confirmed three totally different privateness breaches.
These embrace two breaches reported by the corporate on Feb. 8, when The Canadian Press first requested concerning the data despatched to Inexperienced, and one other on Feb. 24, when Epiq was requested concerning the electronic mail despatched to Menard, which she acquired in November.
"We're conscious of the 2 incidents of inadvertent disclosures that affected 91 class members which have been reported about earlier in February and have simply been made conscious of a further inadvertent disclosure involving one class member," Ptak mentioned in an electronic mail.
Epiq didn't verify the variety of precise or suspected breaches to The Canadian Press. However the firm, which the Federal Court docket appointed to manage the November 2019 settlement deal, mentioned it has launched an "in depth" investigation and brought steps to stop future points.
"Epiq takes any points related to knowledge safety very severely," mentioned Angela Hoidas, vice-president of promoting and communications, in an announcement.
"Whilst our investigation stays ongoing, we're speaking straight with our shoppers, notifying claimants we verify have been affected, and have carried out further enhancements to current processes."
The knowledge despatched to Menard and Inexperienced consists of the names of particular person claimants in addition to their declare numbers, which can be utilized to submit paperwork by a safe hyperlink on the class-action web site.
Hoidas has mentioned such paperwork would then be reviewed by Epiq, and that particular person information can't be accessed.
Menard and Inexperienced say they're unhappy with Epiq's response, significantly given the delicate nature of the claims and settlement deal.
Each say they're now fearful about their very own data having been launched, and imagine the corporate has not been as forthcoming accurately concerning the inadvertent disclosures.
"They only wish to fake prefer it by no means occurred," mentioned Inexperienced, who mentioned she acquired private details about 40 different claimants final 12 months. "How many individuals are affected? It is plain that it is extra than simply myself now. They're as much as three (breaches)."
Each mentioned that regardless of the corporate's requests, they've declined to delete the emails they inadvertently acquired till they're assured concerning the true scope of the privateness breach. Inexperienced mentioned she has additionally sought authorized recommendation on subsequent steps.
The workplace of the privateness commissioner confirmed on Friday that Epiq has reported a privateness breach, and that the privateness watchdog was persevering with to work with the corporate and the Defence Division to acquire extra data and decide subsequent steps.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed March 6, 2022.
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