BC FIPA has sent its submission to the Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics on the impacts of social media and ‘Big Data’ on privacy and the rights of citizens and the policy considerations that should be explored by the Committee in the context of amendments to the Personal Information Protection and Protection […]

Since September, Canada’s Information Commissioner Suzanne Legaut has been running a broad public consultation, seeking out suggestions for how to modernize our woefully out-of-date Access to Information Act (ATIA). Any individual or organization can participate in this critically important process. But your chance to speak up ends soon. Submissions to the consultation process close on […]

In a report released last week, B.C.’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham took a stiff shot at the use of Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology by the Victoria Police Department. Valuable as Denham’s efforts are, however, it will likely take more than her work alone to bring this ever-expanding surveillance system back in […]

BC FIPA has responded to the questions posed by the Information Commissioner of Canada in relation to the consultation on needed reforms to the Access to Information Act (ATIA) The consultation is being undertaken in the context of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the ATIA. BC FIPA proposes multiple amendments to the ATIA […]

FIPA is pleased to join an outstanding roster of civil society, advocacy, and media organizations at Media Democracy Days 2012, one of this year’s Info Summit community partners. Since 2001, MDD has brought artists, activist, academics, students, researchers, journalists, and citizens together in dialogue on issues of representation, information policy, and technology. This year’s gathering […]

Universities and other public bodies can still create independent companies whose records are beyond the reach of province’s FOI law, more than a year after the former Minister of Open Government promised to deal with the problem. Last October, Information and Privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham wrote a letter to then-minister Margaret MacDiarmid to highlight a […]

In this issue: 2012 BC Informatiion Summit tackles “Government 2.0” Just Rewards: Darrell Evans awarded Grace-Pépin Access to Information Award OIPC to investigate government’s failure to post FOI requests after FIPA complaint BC election law still has constitutional problems despite BC Court of Appeal ruling Lock Down: wall of secrecy around Ministry of Health privacy […]

The ink was barely dry on the federal government’s new copyright reform bill when they signed on to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a controversial new trade agreement that could toss that piece of legislation under the bus, along with the minimal protections it provided to Canadians who use intellectual property. That’s just one reason why […]

FIPA is calling on Premier Christy Clark to call back the Legislature to amend election legislation the BC Court of Appeal has just declared unconstitutional. The government made a number of changes to the Election Act during the spring sitting, and then referred those changes to the Court of Appeal for an opinion on their […]

FIPA’s founding Executive Director and former President Darrell Evans was honoured with the Grace-Pepin Access to Information award at Wednesday’s BC Information Summit. Presented to Mr. Evans by Canada’s Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault and BC Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham, the Grace-Pepin award recognizes Darrell’s life-long commitment to the principles of transparency, accountability and […]

According new research by FIPA, based on statistics published by the Chief Information Officer of BC, the last decade has seen a dramatic increase in the number of general FOI requests returned with ‘no responsive records.’ In a complaint to the Information and Privacy Commissioner, FIPA points out that overall non-responsive rates jumped from effectively […]

FIPA is excited that the 2012 BC Information is now mere days away. Join us Wednesday, September 19th at UBC Robson Square for what is certain to be an exciting and engaging day of discussion. This year, we’re proud to host an outstanding team of speakers and contributors including: -BC Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth […]