Judge orders IBM contract’s release

A judge has shot down the B. C. government’s request to keep secret some of a multimillion- dollar computer contract signed with technology giant IBM.

Thursday’s decision by B. C. Supreme Court Justice J. Keith Bracken came after an eight- year legal battle by the government, which said the contract contained sensitive information that could threaten government security if it were made public.

Bracken dismissed government arguments and sided with B. C.’ s information and privacy commissioner, who had previously ordered the contract released in full.

The privacy commissioner’s adjudicator “acted reasonably” in ruling that the government had failed to provide concrete evidence there was a security risk in releasing the IBM contract to the public, the judge found.

The government signed the $ 300- million IBM contract in 2004. The deal put IBM in charge of computer helpdesk support and workplace technology for much of the provincial civil service.

The B. C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, which started the fight by asking for the contract in 2004, celebrated the judge’s decision.

“It’s pretty much a comprehensive rejection of what the government was arguing,” said executive director Vincent Gogolek.

B. C. taxpayers have so far spent at least $ 230,000 in legal fees. That includes the more than $ 124,000 in fees the government spent between 2006 and 2011, but not counting inhouse lawyers or staff time. B. C.’ s privacy commissioner has spent about $ 105,000 fighting the government in court.