The Canada Revenue Agency never told Canada's privacy watchdog after it learned that someone inside the agency could be sending information to a B.C. gang, CTV News has learned.
Federal government agencies are supposed to report to the Federal Privacy Commissioner as soon as they learn of a potential leak -- but the commissioner's office told CTV News they were never informed.
The CRA, which is responsible for collecting Canadian taxes, is also refusing to confirm that the leak even happened - or how it was dealt with.
"It's obviously scary," said Liberal M.P. Ujjal Dosanjh. "It would comfort people that we knew an investigation is under way -- that's very important."
CTV News learned that in 2007, the CRA discovered an employee was accessing information on behalf of a rival to the United Nations Gang.
Independently, the Abbotsford Police learned of the leak from a wiretap and informed the Canada Revenue Agency.
But the agency is remaining silent on what happened next.
The Minister of National Revenue told CTV that privacy laws were stopping him from explaining what happened.
"It's the law," said Jean-Pierre Blackburn. "I don't have the authority to tell you."
It's not the first time that organized crime has infiltrated government agencies -- in 2000, journalist Michel Auger was shot six times in the back in the parking lot of The Journal, where he worked.
Police learned that the Hells Angels had learned his licence plate from informants inside the Quebec department of motor vehicles. Those charged in the case were led out in handcuffs.
It's important to keep government information secure, said Mary Carlson, the director of B.C.'s Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
"I think there are a lot of nasty, nasty outcomes that can happen if people are inappropriately accessing your information," she said.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Jon Woodward
