http:// www.cbc.ca/news/politics/christopher-wylie-canada-libeals-cambridge-analytica-1.4582190

The Canadian whistleblower at the centre of an international scandal that allegedly helped the Trump campaign capitalize politically from private Facebook information got his start in politics with the Liberal Party of Canada.

But several senior Liberal officials from that time, about a decade ago, insist they have almost no recollection of then-teenager Christopher Wylie — if any at all.

The New York Times and The Observer of London have reported U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign hired a data-analytics company that harvested private information from the Facebook profiles of more than 50 million users.

Canadian whistleblower on why he exposed 'problematic' Facebook data misuse by Trump consulting firm

Facebook suspends data analytics firm that worked for Trump campaign

Cambridge Analytica, the company named by Wylie as being behind the massive leak, exploited private social media activity to help allow the Trump campaign to better target voters by profiling their behaviour and personalities ahead of the U.S. election, according to the reports. The firm connected with Trump's political adviser Steve Bannon, whom Wylie also met, the reports said.

'I do feel responsible'

Wylie, a 28-year-old from British Columbia, is the data scientist who spoke out about controversy. He's also the man who helped found Cambridge Analytica.

"I do feel responsible for it and it's something that I regret," Wylie said in a video interview posted on The Observer's web page.

"It was a grossly unethical experiment because you are playing with an entire country, the psychology of an entire country, without their consent or awareness."

The reports provided many details about the whistleblower who in 2007 or 2008 landed his first political gig with the federal Liberals.