Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the loss of personal information is completely unacceptable.
Last fall, there were two unfortunate security incidents in the department involving missing portable storage devices containing personal information.
One incident involved a USB stick containing information on the Canada pension plan disabilities plan. In the second incident, a portable hard drive with information on Canada student loan borrowers went missing. These were two separate incidents and not related to each other in any way.
Clearly, this kind of incident is unacceptable. The Privacy Commissioner and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are aware of this case. An official investigation is under way to get to the bottom of how the hard drive went missing.
The minister has ordered the department to strengthen its protocols on the security and storage of personal information.
The department is taking action in three areas. With regard to hardware, unapproved portable hard drives are no longer permitted, and unapproved USB keys are not to be connected to the department's network.
With respect to software, a new technology to prevent data loss will be implemented.
Finally, on departmental culture, mandatory training for employees will be provided to reinforce the importance of proper handling of personal data. Disciplinary measures are also in place for staff who do not conform to security procedures, including termination. The department has also taken actions to mitigate the impact on the affected Canadians. The department informed the affected clients of the steps they should take to help protect themselves after this incident. Furthermore, we have provided information and support on various government websites. These websites have toll-free numbers that people can call if they are concerned that they were affected.
The affected social insurance numbers have been flagged in the social insurance register to indicate that the social insurance number was involved in a security breach and to ensure that any requests for modifications undergo an enhanced authentication process. As a further precaution, the department has purchased a customized package from Equifax Canada to protect the credit ratings of the affected people. This is a solution that is tailored specifically to this incident, and it is available free to everyone who may have been affected.
Credit protection is an appropriate and reliable strategy that will help prevent misuse of personal or credit information.
The minister has acted quickly to make sure the department takes immediate action to ensure a situation like this does not happen again.