Elections Alberta says provincial law change slowed its probe into alleged personal data breach
Elections Alberta delayed its investigation into a potential data breach involving 2.9 million residents due to a higher legal threshold imposed by recent legislative changes. The agency received a tip in March about the Centurion Project allegedly accessing and using the provincial electors list without authorization but could not act immediately. Both Elections Alberta and the RCMP are now investigating the matter, while opposition leaders call for the law to be revised.
- ▪Elections Alberta says new legislation requires 'reasonable grounds to believe an offence has occurred' before launching investigations, a higher standard than before.
- ▪The Centurion Project allegedly used the provincial electors list to identify support for Alberta's independence movement.
- ▪Justice Minister Mickey Amery's 2025 amendments to election laws included changes that reduced Elections Alberta's investigative and sanctioning powers.
- ▪Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi has called for the government to reverse the changes to the election watchdog's authority.
- ▪The RCMP and Elections Alberta are both investigating the alleged unauthorized access and distribution of personal voter data.
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Open this photo in gallery:A voter leaves a polling station in Calgary in 2023.TODD KOROL/ReutersShareSave for laterPlease log in to bookmark this story.Log InCreate Free AccountPremier Danielle Smith’s government last year raised the threshold for Elections Alberta to launch investigations, imposing a standard that the watchdog says prohibited it from probing an early tip about the alleged misuse of personal information for 2.9 million residents.Elections Alberta is under fire for not taking action after receiving information that a separatist group, known as the Centurion Project, may have had unauthorized access to the province’s list of electors.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Globe and Mail.
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