Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, has announced that for the next six years the government will cover the cost of credit protection for the 583,000 Canadians affected by the recent Student Loan privacy breach.
St. John’s lawyer Bob Buckingham, who has filed a class-action in the case — one of a number being filed across the country — said the announcement is a positive development and something he has been calling for since news of the privacy breach broke on Jan. 11.
“The minister’s initiative, albeit late, is a direct result of class actions filed by my office and others across the country,” Buckingham says. “The aim of these lawsuits is to change government behaviour and this is a start towards protecting the hundreds of thousands of people affected.”
Buckingham said his office is receiving calls from clients who are unsure of this latest move by government, and many who have not yet received official letters about the breach.
“This government decision does not resolve the class actions nor address all the expenses people will incur,” Buckingham said. “This is but a portion of one of the costs we are seeking to recuperate for claimants.”
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