Saturday, February 19, 2005

Canadians in American government databases

The Toronto Star, which has the best privacy coverage of any Canadian daily newspaper, is running an article by Thomas Walkom that highlights the amount of data about Canadians that may be in the hands of American authorities. It begins with a discussion of Canadian tax records that found their way into the possession of an American prisoner, via the Department of Homeland Security. The article also discussed the Arar case and the use of No-Fly Lists by Canadian airlines.

TheStar.com - Uncle Sam's steely glare:

"... It's safe to say she never expected to find her name, Canadian income tax summaries and social insurance number in the files of the U.S. Homeland Security Department. Indeed, if it weren't for a fluke, she probably never would have...."

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