Privacy

Totalitarian echoes

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy
Rating: 
3

The Ottawa Citizen – October 20, 2010

Canadians assume their government is there to serve them, respecting their rights and freedoms in doing so. They might want to question that assumption in light of the conduct of Veterans Affairs bureaucrats who adopted totalitarian tactics in their handling of Capt. Sean Bruyea's file.

Bruyea is the 14-year air force veteran who served in the 1991 Persian Gulf war and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. Bruyea found himself in the department's bad books after he appeared before parliamentary committees in 2005 and criticized the way Veterans Affairs treated former soldiers.

Protecting privacy of health information for those who serve and protect us

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy
Rating: 
0

Canadian Medical Association Journal – October 20, 2010

Everyone, from the Prime Minister and Privacy Commissioner of Canada to veterans and their families, are crying foul over the alarming breach of Gulf War veteran Captain Sean Bruyea’s privacy.

The complete disregard by a federal institution of privacy rights that involved sensitive personal health information is disturbing. For veterans, moreover, it may also have serious health consequences.

Parliament must order a royal commission to clean up Veterans Affairs

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy
Rating: 
1

Sean Bruyea – October 18, 2010

Only a non-partisan public inquiry will fix this profoundly flawed department. A judicial royal commission would guide Canada to re-establish its commitment to injured military, veterans, and their families.

Veterans and all Canadians are grappling with revelations that federal bureaucrats have repeatedly and flagrantly violated Canada's privacy laws for the purpose of destroying the credibility of at least one and maybe many more veterans who dared exercise freedom of expression to help others.

Mental review was sought for ex-soldier after he criticized Veterans Affairs

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy
Rating: 
4

Officials pre-determined likely outcome of psychiatric assessment, documents reveal

David Pugliese – October 17, 2010

OTTAWA — Weeks after an Ottawa man appeared before a parliamentary committee to criticize Veterans Affairs’ handling of benefits for retired soldiers, department bureaucrats concluded he was “clearly unwell” and worked to have him sent to a hospital for a psychiatric assessment.

In a July 2005 briefing note, Veterans Affairs bureaucrats said that Sean Bruyea had become a “very vocal advocate” for retired soldiers and had criticized the department on a number of high-profile issues. They worried that he had become unwell and put together a plan to have him sent to Ste. Anne’s Hospital in Montreal for a medical and psychiatric assessment.

We need to learn from Sean Bruyea

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy
Rating: 
0

Ian Bron – October 18, 2010

For the past few months the media have been making revelation after revelation about the management of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The first issue to hit the headlines dealt with the misrepresentation of the New Veterans Charter. It was claimed that this program was an improvement for wounded veterans, even when independent analysis showed that it was much worse.

CBC The Current: Veterans Affairs Leak

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy, Audio
Rating: 
0
Sean Bruyea
Sean Bruyea

CBC Radio, The Current – October 14, 2010

Last week Canada's Privacy Commissioner reported that officials at Veterans Affairs had passed around thousands of pages of confidential medical records and financial statements.

They were seen by mid-level managers all the way up to the minister. They belonged to Sean Bruyea, a Canadian veteran and a vocal critic of the department. And he told us on The Current that he believes the goal was to use the information to discredit him and he alleges much worse.

The privacy commissioner found the actions of public officials alarming. Sean Bruyea found them unconscionable. But it is their inaction that troubles Amir Attaran.

Veteran’s wife wants bureaucrats to pay for sharing medical info

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy
Rating: 
0

Adrian Morrow – Oct. 10, 2010

CTV Question Period Sean Bruyea

The bureaucrats responsible for digging through veterans’ advocate Sean Bruyea’s medical files must be held accountable to stop such breaches of privacy from happening again, his wife said Sunday.

The privacy commissioner is launching a review of Veterans Affairs Canada. However, the government must go a step further, Carolina Bruyea said.

Veteran says privacy breaches left him suicidal

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy, Mental health injuries
Rating: 
0

CTV News Staff – October 10, 2010

A war veteran whose personal medical files were inappropriately accessed by bureaucrats at the Department of Veterans Affairs said the experience left him feeling so terrified and helpless his wife had to stop him from committing suicide.

Retired intelligence officer Sean Bruyea, an outspoken advocate for soldiers, said he knew officials at the department had read and shared his personal information five years ago. That was around the time he was testifying against the new Veterans Charter, because benefits he had previously qualified for were being denied.

Veteran calls for public inquiry into privacy breach

Topics: 
Sean Bruyea, Veterans Affairs, Privacy
Rating: 
0

CBC News – October 7, 2010

A Canadian Gulf War veteran is calling for a full public inquiry after the federal privacy commissioner found Veterans Affairs officials broke the law by sharing his sensitive personal and medical information.

An emotional Sean Bruyea said the officials in the department deliberately "crossed the line" in an attempt to discredit him as an outspoken opponent to the 2006 Veteran's Charter by including detailed information about his medical and psychological diagnosis and treatment in minister's briefing notes.

Pages

Subscribe to Privacy