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The Institute seeks a declaration of breach and a revocation of the Standard until consultation occurs in a manner required under the collective agreement.

The Institute also seeks an order prohibiting the employer from reintroducing its Standard with any aspects that have been determined to be overly privacy invasive and in breach of the collective agreement.

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In an email, Treasury Board spokeswoman Lisa Murphy confirmed that mandatory credit checks are part of the government’s new standard on security screening that came into effect last Oct. 20.

“An assessment of the trustworthiness and reliability of all individuals accessing sensitive information and/or assets must be undertaken to protect the interests and security of the government of Canada,” Murphy said.

“A credit check will be reviewed as part of that assessment, in addition to other information to assist in assessing an individual’s reliability and trustworthiness.”

That other information could include fingerprints. A criminal record check is part of the new assessment and “may include an RCMP requirement to obtain the individual’s fingerprints if deemed necessary by the functions of the position,” Murphy said.

According to one source, who likened the new screening policy to a “gun registry for public servants,” RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson sent a letter in January to all government departments and agencies informing officials that all future security checks will require fingerprinting. The RCMP did not respond to Citizen questions about Paulson’s letter.