FIPA and the BC Civil Liberties Association are raising the alarm over amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act introduced yesterday. “The government has decided on a policy to massively increase the personal information collected, stored and shared with others,” said Micheal Vonn, Policy Director of the BCCLA. “Yet, projects like […]

A total refusal to release contracts in Winnipeg. Quebec’s denial of basic accountability information about top officials’ spending. Passenger manifests for Ontario’s executive aircraft. The federal government’s stubborn refusal to release data in a useful form. These are just some of the findings of the Newspapers Canada sixth annual National Freedom of Information Audit, which […]

There is a growing furor in Parliament over the actions of a former ministerial aide who Canada’s Information Commissioner found had interfered with an access-to-information request. (See “Transparency groups urge Commons inquiry into RCMP’s dropping investigation into violation of Access to Information Act“) Parliamentary Secretary Dean del Mastro stood tall for former ministerial aide Sebastien […]

Right to Know Week in Canada takes place on Sept 26-Sep 30, 2011 RTK Week was created to raise people’s awareness about their right of access to government information. It highlights the essential role freedom of information plays in democracy and good governance. This year marks the sixth year that Canadians have celebrated RTK Week, and there […]

FIPA, together with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Newspapers Canada, is urging the Parliamentary Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) to hold hearings into an abrupt RCMP decision to drop its criminal investigation into a federal Conservative staffer who deliberately blocked the release of documents requested under the Access to Information Act. […]

In this issue: BC’s ‘Open Information, Open Data’ plan shows promise …but the other side of ‘Government 2.0’ requires radical changes to our “antiquated” privacy protections Coalition formed to battle online spying bills FIPA turns 20! Birthday party September 28 Commissioner Denham says BC Ferries-style FOI policy “frustrates the purposes of FIPPA” BC Ferries ‘loses’ […]

GOVERNMENT STAFFERS APPARENTLY ABOVE THE LAW Vancouver – A federal Conservative staffer who deliberately blocked the release of documents requested under the Access to Information Act will get away scot free after the RCMP decided to drop its investigation into the incident. He was facing the possibility of up to two years in jail and […]

JOINT LETTER QUESTIONS WHY GOVERNMENT IS AVOIDING DEBATE ON INTERNET SURVEILLANCE LEGISLATION A new “Stop Online Spying” coalition of Canadian public interest organizations and academics released a joint letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper today, voicing grave concerns about pending omnibus legislation that would allow for warrantless online spying on Canadians (“Lawful Access” legislation). The […]

The Vancouver police board will review the department’s policy of releasing information requested under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act simultaneously to both the requester and the public, after being told by FOI advocates it is not adhering to the spirit of the law. On Wednesday Vincent Gogolek, the executive director of […]

GOVERNMENT MOVES TO ROUTINELY RELEASE SOME INFORMATION, BUT LOTS OF RECORDS REMAIN BEHIND CLOSED DOORS With its new “Open Information – Open Data” policy, the BC government has taken a big step forward on how it releases information to the public. But according to the BC Freedom of information and Privacy Association, there is still […]

The law of diminishing returns is operating at full throttle at the BC Ferries Corporation. When it comes to FOI requests, it seems the more ferry officials look for controversial documents, the fewer they find. That would be one explanation for why BC Ferries originally responded to an FOI request from the BC Freedom of […]

BC FIPA has sent a submission the the Vancouver Police Board regarding the Vancouver Police Department’s (VPD) policy of simultaneous disclosure of responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. BC FIPA notes that the BC Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner concluded that this practice violates the fundamental purpose of the Freedom of Information […]