A five-year dispute between the territorial government and one of its former employees has come to an end.
Donn MacDougall, a former manager with the Department of Justice from 2006 to 2014, was still receiving automated emails to his personal email through PeopleSoft, the territorial governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 human resources software months after his employment ended.
Because he was previously a manager with the department, he had access to sensitive information, such as employeesSA国际影视传媒� pay raises and time off.
Earlier this year, he posted screenshots of that sensitive information on his website before the GNWT ordered him to take it down -- the first time.
MacDougall said he felt his unauthorized access to this information constituted a breach of employeesSA国际影视传媒� privacy, so in late 2017, he filed a complaint with the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) of the Northwest Territories who in turn investigated and made recommendations in a .
In February, Martin Goldney, deputy minister of the Department of Justice, stated the department had agreed to and implemented all the recommendations from the IPCSA国际影视传媒檚 report, except the final one.
SA国际影视传媒淭he former employee was specifically asked to return the personal information he had accessed without authorization, or to confirm destruction of the information,SA国际影视传媒� stated Goldney at the time, adding that the department had applied for a court order directing him to do so.
After receiving that court order from the Court of QueenSA国际影视传媒檚 Bench of Alberta on March 20, MacDougall said he has now destroyed/surrendered all personal information he acquired through the governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 human resources software after his employment ended.
SA国际影视传媒淭he GNWT and I have agreed that my continuing access to the personal information of GNWT employees in PeopleSoft following the my (sic) end of employment was 'due to irregularities in PeopleSoft,' and the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta has agreed with our agreement on this point,SA国际影视传媒� MacDougall wrote on his website,
SA国际影视传媒淚t is unfortunate that the GNWT had to take the legal steps it did, after the refusal of Mr. MacDougall to accept the recommendation of the Privacy Commissioner and return or destroy the records he accessed and retained,SA国际影视传媒� Goldney stated on Thursday.
SA国际影视传媒淣evertheless, the GNWT is pleased that after filing an application with the Court of QueenSA国际影视传媒檚 Bench of Alberta, conducting an examination of Mr. MacDougall on his affidavit, and filed materials with the court that Mr. MacDougall agreed to consent to an order requiring that the records be returned or destroyed.SA国际影视传媒�
MacDougall said the government sued him, they settled and heSA国际影视传媒檚 done -- for now.
SA国际影视传媒淚 consider the matter resolved,SA国际影视传媒� MacDougall told Yellowknifer via email.
Similarly, the department said it now considers the Information and Privacy CommissionerSA国际影视传媒檚 recommendations implemented.
SA国际影视传媒淭he Department does not anticipate a need to take further steps and anticipates that Mr. MacDougall will comply with the order granted by the Court,SA国际影视传媒� stated deputy minister Goldney in an email.
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