Alleged Saskatchewan immigration scheme flagged

REGINA – Saskatchewan’s information and privacy commissioner is urging justice officials to consider prosecuting a former government employee who was found to have inappropriately accessed personal information as part of an alleged illegal immigration scheme.

Ron Kruzeniski says he can’t comment on the evidence, but says the case should be referred to prosecutors so they can determine if charges are warranted.

His investigation found an immigration employee inappropriately accessed the information of 23 clients looking to come to Saskatchewan.

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The report says the immigration ministry suspected the employee was sharing clients’ personal information with a third party outside the ministry as part of an illegal immigration scheme.

It says a complainant told the ministry the third party sought money in exchange for approval of their immigration application.

The report says the employee has since resigned and that the ministry is considering referring the case to public prosecutions to determine if breach-of-privacy charges are appropriate.

Kruzeniski recommended the file be forwarded to the justice ministry and attorney general if it already has not been.

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He said a prosecution would signal to government employees that it’s not OK to snoop and access private information.

“We have to put up every deterrent we can so that employees don’t turn into rogue employees and don’t, for curiosity reasons, think they can just dip into a system with immunity,” he said.

“As to whether we have the evidence, I would leave that to the prosecutors. But I really want the prosecutors to take a close look and decide where there’s sufficient evidence here to do it — and I hope there is.”

Kruzeniski said it’s his understanding Saskatchewan has not historically charged a person for violating someone’s privacy under freedom of information and privacy legislation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 21, 2023.