The NDP disagrees with the contention of the minister of fisheries that the Privacy Commissioner’s report into the massive salmon die-off at a fish farm on the south coast last year vindicates the department. Quite the opposite.

NDP Fisheries Critic Jim Dinn says they complained to Privacy Commissioner Michael Harvey after the minister declared that he did not have the authority to report the event because of privacy legislation.

Gerry Byrne’s department did not reveal the mass mortality until September 23—three or four weeks after it happened.

NDP MHA Jim Dinn says it’s clear from the commissioner’s report that nothing in ATIPPA prevented the minister from releasing the information sooner.

Dinn also says there was only scarce information available from the department, something noted in the commissioner’s report.

He says not documenting information properly is inexcusable, something we have learned from the Muskrat Falls Inquiry.