CALGARY — A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed in Alberta’s Court of King’s Bench over the high-profile voter list privacy breach that exposed the personal information of millions of Albertans.The claim, filed Thursday by retired Alberta lawyer Clint Docken and law firm Cooper Regel LLP, names the Government of Alberta, Alberta’s chief electoral officer, Centurion Project Ltd., the Republican Party of Alberta, Centurion Project founder David Parker, and unnamed individuals or organizations alleged to have accessed, distributed, downloaded, or used the voter information.The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to adequately protect the personal information of approximately 2.9 million Alberta voters and unlawfully distributed or disclosed that information.“If these allegations are proven, this is not just a technical breach — it is a staggering failure that exposes the private lives of nearly three million Albertans to misuse,” Steven Cooper, KC, counsel for the proposed representative plaintiff, said in a statement.“When the government collects sensitive personal information, it assumes a duty to guard it fiercely, not allow it to be treated as a political commodity. For vulnerable individuals, this kind of exposure is not abstract — it can be dangerous. Albertans deserve answers, accountability, and consequences.”The claim alleges affected voters face risks including identity fraud, harassment, political targeting, and the permanent loss of control over their personal information.According to the filing, the proposed class would include all individuals whose names appeared on Alberta’s voter list before April 26, 2026. Cooper Regel LLP has applied to serve as class counsel.Co-counsel Mary Grzybowska argued the breach threatens public confidence in Alberta’s democratic process.“Public confidence in the democratic process depends on trust. When Albertans cannot trust that their personal information will be properly used and protected in elections, that confidence is undermined,” she said. “This breach is particularly concerning for vulnerable individuals, such as those hiding from abusive partners.”The lawsuit also proposes a separate subclass for individuals considered at heightened risk from the disclosure of residential information, including victims of domestic violence, peace officers, people involved in the justice system, healthcare professionals, journalists, elected officials, and others whose safety could be compromised by the release of personal information.The privacy controversy stems from a publicly accessible online database created by the pro-independence Centurion Project. The database contained names, addresses, phone numbers, and other identifying information obtained from Alberta’s voter list..Centurion Project leader not commenting on reports he's being uncooperative with Elections Alberta's investigation.The website was taken offline in early May after Elections Alberta obtained a court injunction. Elections Alberta later told the Canadian Press that 568 people had accessed the database before it was removed.Court documents indicate Elections Alberta traced the database back to an official voter list that had been legally provided to the pro-independence Republican Party of Alberta.Both the RCMP and Elections Alberta have launched investigations into how the information was transferred to the Centurion Project.The lawsuit has not been tested in court and must first be certified before it can proceed as a class action.Elections Alberta said Tuesday it had not yet been served with the lawsuit.“First and foremost, we want to reiterate that the unauthorized use of the list of electors by the Centurion Group Ltd. is a matter we take very seriously,” an agency spokesperson said in a statement.None of the allegations contained in the statement of claim have been proven in court.
