FIPA is sharing a preliminary report of our efforts to study freedom of information (FOI) in BC.  Since late 2022, FIPA has been engaged on a research project that uses documents obtained through FOI requests to piece together how FOI requests are processed. We collected data from every public body subject to both the Freedom of Information Act and Protection […]

Gaps in federal funding and authority expose many First Nations and Inuit Elders in Canada to inadequate long-term care, forcing them to leave their home communities, language and culture, documents show.  The document obtained by Canada’s National Observer through an Access to Information and Privacy request shows that limited funding, unclear responsibilities and gaps between […]

Alberta’s privacy watchdog is raising concerns about the government’s plan to add health-care numbers to driver’s licences and other forms of identification. Information and privacy commissioner Diane McLeod said it would increase the risk of fraud as the numbers could be obtained outside of health-care settings. “Personal health numbers of Canadians are a sought-after commodity […]

The information below links to the requests made, the public bodies who received them, and the release package FIPA received in response. Broader Public Sector 2024 BC Broader Public Sector Requests Core Government 2024 BC Core Government Requests Note: The data for this work is based on research conducted for FIPA’s larger project Access Regimes: Social […]

Gift-giving season is upon us and the internet is ablaze with unique gift ideas to entice every shopper. Add to that the ease and convenience of online shopping and it becomes a preferred option for many. With that in mind, the Manitoba RCMP want to remind everyone to demonstrate an increased level of vigilance at […]

A former Liberal cabinet minister says the government was close to introducing legislation around the internal use of artificial intelligence (AI) but ran out of time before governments changed after the Progressive Conservatives won the fall general election. “ I’m very sad that my efforts towards legislation did not get fulfilled before the government changed, but […]

On November 20, fire erupted inside a home on Banas Way in the northwest part of Brampton. Some residents of the house were able to make a dramatic escape by climbing onto the roof, but when the smoke cleared, five people were dead, and four more were in the hospital. Since the tragedy, Mayor Patrick […]

(ANNews) – Hans McCarthy, grandson of the late Frog Lake Chief Lawrence Francis Quinney, has achieved a landmark court victory in a forensic audit, establishing a new standard for financial transparency and accountability for First Nations across Canada. McCarthy, who currently lives in Pigeon Lake, Alberta says, “I grew up in Frog Lake First Nation. […]

It’s been 11 months since Manitoba started using conservation officers as extra sets of eyes on the United States border in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims that migrants and drug-smugglers were pouring in from Canada. And it turns out they haven’t seen much at all. “To my knowledge, there was actually no activity […]

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, November 29th.   This week, the national spotlight is squarely on children’s privacy and online safety. Advocates are renewing calls for federal action as harms escalate, from AI-driven manipulation to tragic failures in youth mental health information practices. And as families head into holiday shopping, experts warn that AI-powered toys […]

From cryptocurrency markets to digital ID to AI controlled traffic lights, a little-known company is lobbying the Alberta government on a host of policies. Bryan Burns, CoinCorp Corporation’s director, registered as a lobbyist for the company in Alberta on Nov. 17. The lobbying filing shows CoinCorp plans to communicate with the government about incorporating AI […]

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says he is disappointed with how the privately owned provincial utility responded to a cyberattack earlier this year. The cyberattack struck Nova Scotia Power last April, disrupting some systems at the utility and prompting complaints from a number of customers about who had gained access to their personal information.  Houston […]