(January 31 2023, St. John’s) – Paul Dinn, PC Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Health and Community Services and MHA for Topsail-Paradise is expressing concern after a surprise letter was sent to a minor informing them of the theft of personal information.

“We’re almost a year and a half since this cyberattack took place and people throughout our province are still learning about the personal impacts of the theft of their private information. One family received a letter on January 26, informing them that their child has been a victim of theft as a result of the cyberattack,” said Dinn.

“Ten months after Eastern Health disclosed the theft of over 200,000 files, this minor is being offered credit monitoring – despite 16 months passing since their personal information was compromised. The family discovered the offer of credit monitoring was moot, as the minor is ineligible for any such program. The family is still unclear whether the parent’s information has also been compromised.”

Dinn continues to call for transparency to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador about the cyberattack and just how many families continue to feel the affects.

“This family thought they were in the clear, but now learn their minor’s information was taken 16 months ago. The slow drip of information coming from this attack is creating anxiety for the people of our province and those impacted have serious questions about how their future may be affected,” said Dinn.

“The Liberal Government has chosen silence on the cyberattack. The reality is thousands of families are still only now learning their information has been affected and are scrambling to figure out next steps. We need a fuller understanding of who has been affected and what it could mean for their futures, as the fallout from the cyberattack continues to ripple throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.”

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Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Strategic Communications

(cell) 709-725-0984

DavidMaher@gov.nl.ca