Citizens' Services Minister Ben Stewart should resign over the government's handling of a security breach that exposed 1,400 British Columbians to the risk of identify theft and fraud.

Stewart is not necessarily responsible for the fact that an employee took sensitive personal information home, although the act raises questions about safeguards to protect individual privacy.

But he is responsible for the government's subsequent actions, including the lengthy delay in notifying the 1,400 people that their privacy had been compromised and identity theft was possible. He is accountable because, weeks after being notified, he has no answers about how this happened.

And he is certainly responsible for misleading British Columbians about the nature of the breach.

Here are the facts. The RCMP discovered the personal files -- including names, addresses, birth dates, social insurance numbers, health numbers and information on their incomes -- in a government employee's home in April. They notified the government and presented the detailed information about the security breach in May. They handed over the files on 1,400 people in July.

But it was not until last week that letters were sent to the 1,400 individuals warning them of the potential for fraud and identity theft. The breach was kept from the individuals, the public and the privacy commissioner for more than five months.

Stewart told the Times Colonist he didn't learn of the breach until this month. That is, under our system, no excuse. The fact that he was kept in the dark raises other questions; it does not release him from responsibility.

Even more troubling is Stewart's assurance on Friday that the RCMP discovered the files in the course of an "unrelated investigation."

That is at best misleading. The officer in charge of the RCMP commercial crime unit doing the investigation said it involved allegations of fraud and false pretenses. The Insurance Corporation of B.C.'s special investigation unit, which handles cases of fraudulent drivers' licences and identity cards, is working with the RCMP.

That's directly related to a trove of personal information from government files. As Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis observed, "if you have a social security number, name, address, date of birth and you're a bad guy, you are a long way down the road to false credit cards and that type of thing."

The RCMP spot check convinced officers the files had not yet been used in frauds.

That could be more a matter of good luck than good management.

Citizens entrust government with great amounts of personal information. In return, they expect that information to be kept safe. If it is not, they have a right to be told promptly and fully, so they can protect themselves.

Stewart's ministry failed on all counts. Accountability stops with him.