Evidence of meeting #171 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was protection.
A video is available from Parliament.
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
I'm not sure I—
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
They used to be clients. Do you still store their data even though they are no longer clients? Was any of that data compromised?
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
Let me be very, very specific here. It's strictly the members of our caisse network who are impacted. Let's say you were a member a year ago and you closed your account for whatever reason. If you do not receive a letter, you will not be impacted. There is no impact. You haven't been impacted—
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Just to be clear, if you do not have an active account with Desjardins, you have not been impacted by this data breach. Is that what I'm hearing you say?
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
If you did not receive a letter.... The key is whether you have personally received a letter. If you received a letter, it means you're a member that may be affected and we encourage you to subscribe to Equifax.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
It doesn't really answer my question. If I'm hearing you correctly, you have to have an active account with Desjardins to have been impacted by this data breach. Is that a yes or a no?
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
The answer is no, because you could be a former member of Desjardins and you closed your account a year ago—
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
—but you may be affected if you receive a letter.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
I'm not worried about the letter because Canadians don't care about the letter. They want to know, if I am a current member, is it yes or no? The answer is yes. Current or former clients could be impacted.
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
Yes.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
In 2018, Desjardins Ontario merged with about 11 Ontario credit unions, if I remember correctly. Would any of those potential clients be impacted by this data breach?
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
We're talking about the Ontario caisses....
4:25 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Desjardins Group
The answer is yes. For the caisses in Ontario, merged or not merged, it's possible that there are some members of these caisses who have been impacted by the breach.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
In 2013 the Desjardins Group purchased insurance firms out west, particularly Coast Capital Insurance in B.C., First Insurance in B.C., Craig Insurance in Alberta, and Melfort Agencies and Prestige Insurance in Saskatchewan.
Would any of these clients be impacted by the Desjardins data breach?
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
The answer is no.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Could the phones of clients who use Apple Pay or Android Pay as part of their banking practices be compromised by this data breach, and are they at higher risk for any fraudulent texts that could occur as a result of this?
4:25 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
The data that has been leaked outside includes some phone numbers and some emails. The answer to your question is yes, there may be phishing, but again, that's if they are members of a caisse, not if they're clients. If they're clients of Aviso Wealth or of former insurance operations or of life and health insurance, or they're property and casualty clients, they are not impacted.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
It's only caisse members.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
You're going to have to share six seconds with him.
We'll go to Mr. Graham for five minutes.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
I will continue somewhat along the lines of Mr. Motz's comments. Many of those who have not received a letter are worrying and wondering whether they are affected or not.
Can we say to all those who have not received a letter that they are not affected?
4:30 p.m.
Senior Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins Group
According to the information we have, only those who receive a letter are affected.
4:30 p.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
So if someone does not receive a letter, they are not affected. Is that right?