Canada: disclosure of personal religious records: Vabuolas

In Vabuolas v British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner) 2024 BCSC 27, two former members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses each sought disclosure from their former congregations of all records that included their personal information, relying on the terms of British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act SBC 2003. The elders of the congregations refused, arguing that disclosure of confidential religious notes would be contrary to their religious beliefs. The British Columbia Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner nevertheless ordered disclosure of the records over the objections of the elders [1-3].

The elders appealed: Continue reading