Vikileaks case raises debate about whether divorce files should be open to public

Intimate details of people's lives, including social insurance numbers, tax returns, mortgage statements, investment details, and more, are often contained in publicly accessible records.

When details of Vic Toews' difficult divorce were splashed across Twitter, many Canadians shared a commiserating shudder with the public safety minister.

Those who've been through an ugly split involving litigation know some of the most intimate details of their lives are often contained in publicly accessible records.

That includes not just bitter affidavits but social insurance numbers, tax returns, mortgage statements, investment details -- the list goes on. Even if a case is settled prior to going before a judge, the files remain.