[Dataloss] follow-up: Manitobans in class-action suit over missing laptop

[security curmudgeon]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: InfoSec News <alerts at infosecnews.org>

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/story/4187602p-4777954c.html

By Lindsey Wiebe
Winnipeg Free Press
June 17, 2008

Dozens of Manitobans have joined a class-action lawsuit over a stolen 
laptop that contained private information from 32,000 Canadian farmers, 
according to a Saskatchewan law office.

The statement of claim was filed Monday morning in the Saskatchewan Court 
of Queen's Bench. It accuses federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister 
Gerry Ritz and the Carman-based Canadian Canola Growers Association of 
showing "reckless disregard" in the storage of unencrypted personal data 
on the laptop, stolen in March.

Although only two plaintiffs are named, roughly 100 people are involved, 
said Tony Merchant of the Merchant Law Group, which filed the statement. 
He said roughly one-third of those involved are from Manitoba.

Farmers named include Manitoban Darryl Oliver, who lives on a farm in the 
Rural Municipality of Archie.

Oliver was "shocked and emotionally dismayed to learn that his 
confidential information was in the hands of a thief," according to the 
statement of claim, and especially surprised his data was still being 
stored, considering he quit farming actively in 2005.

The statement goes on to say the plaintiffs suffered "severe and 
significant emotional distress and trauma, and economic loss or damage."

[...]