Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner says the Crown Attorney’s offices in Grey County, Huron County and Lambton County asked police to do illegal background checks on prospective jurors.
Ann Cavoukian found the Crown’s offices routinely gathered information on prospective jurors that exceeded the material they were entitled to look at.
The three County Crown offices are among 18 of 55 offices in Ontario found to have obtained too much personal information — despite being warned not to by the Attorney General’s office in 2006.
Cavoukian’s report outlined prospective jurors in 11 Grey County trials were vetted inappropriately.
The report also outlined one case — where police provided information indicating that the son of a prospective juror had an extensive record even though the juror had no criminal record.
Cavoukian’s report also outlined prospective jurors in 9 Huron County trials and 12 Lambton County trials were vetted inappropriately.
Bruce County’s Crown office was not listed in the report.
The Barrie Crowns office was the top violator, where prospective jurors in 53 trials were vetted beyond what privacy legislation permits.
Cavoukian has ordered Crown Attorney’s to stop collecting any personal information on would be jurors beyond the allowed criminal background checks.