A Follow-Up

Our letter to the co-op:

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has ruled in our favour that the Drug Card for ODSP/OW recipients has nothing whatsoever to do with the verification of income and, in fact, does not stipulate how many people reside in a member's unit. The drug card only indicates who is covered under the drug card.

What is most disturbing about the process we went through is the fact that it took an outside organization to effect change in the co-op movement. In your letter to us dated December 3, 2009 you stated:

Your concerns regarding privacy issues and the request to provide drug eligibility verification was specifically addressed with Co-ordinator's in the City of Ottawa, with CHASEO, and also with ___, Manager of Co-op Services, CHF Canada. All inquiries were anonymous and did not reference any Co-op or member. All inquiries have led your Board to the conclusion that the request for this information is justified and, in fact required to confirm household composition. To further emphasize this, CHF Canada has informed us that the Co-op has a "duty" to obtain this information for subsidy verification purposes. The issue of Privacy of Information does not preclude this request. The Co-op's responsibility is to ensure that all such information received is treated with the strictest of confidence, and the Board ensures that such information will not be disseminated or otherwise disclosed, without explicit written consent. The information will be safeguarded in your file as with all member information.

We informed the co-op over and over again that the drug card had nothing whatsoever to do with the calculation of one's subsidy, but our 'voices' were not heard. The co-op, CHASEO, CHF and as you indicated, the Office Co-ordinators across the city were intransigent in their 'demand' for the drug card - common sense did not prevail.

The Agency, when questioned by The Privacy Commissioner's office, stated that they do not require the collection of the drug card. It's incredible to us that CHASEO, CHF, or any of the Office Co-ordinators in the City of Ottawa, never brought our concerns to The Agency, which receives millions of dollars each year to administer and govern housing co-operatives. The Agency's auspices is cited in every demand letter we receive from the co-op. An oversight, or collusion on the part of The Agency?

The co-op must now inform CHASEO, CHF and the Office Co-ordinators in the City of Ottawa of The Privacy Commissioner of Canada's ruling with regards to the collection of the drug card and, in particular, to members of this housing co-op.

The co-op's subsidy forms are thirteen years old. The Agency stated to The Privacy Commissioner's Office that they have new subsidy forms. As such, please forward same to us as soon as possible.

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I personally feel that The Agency knew about this the whole time and protected themselves when contacted by The Privacy Commissioner's Office. There are millions of dollars in government funding at stake. To appear to be other than competent would not bode well for The Agency.