The response to FIPA’s complaint to the OIPC, regarding a FOI request with the Ministry of Health that was returned with ‘no responsive records’. FIPA had requested an email about the Burnaby Hospital Consultative committee that has been sent to Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid’s private e mail account. The OIPC stated that the record had […]

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of BC is conducting an investigation into police information checks, due to concern that the information currently included in police checks is so broad that it is almost impossible to imagine circumstances that would justify releasing it to potential employers. We have some major concerns with the kinds of information […]

The United States Trade Representative has identified BC‘s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) as a trade barrier (see page 60-61), but the BC government claims it doesn’t have any records of complaints or communications with the USTR. We at BC FIPA have obtained internal USTR documents through the American Freedom of […]

FIPA is joining over 50 major organizations and tens of thousands of Canadians today in a new campaign to tell the federal government to stop wasting billions on Canada’s hugely expensive online spying apparatus. The campaign is part of a worldwide day of action against online spying called the Day We Fight Back, and is […]

In a letter sent to the Senate Defence Committee chair, BC FIPA called for the testimony of three senior intelligence officials to be given under oath when they appear before the Committee on Monday. The letter, also written on behalf of OpenMedia, and the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), is in response […]

This week Justice Minister Peter MacKay introduced Bill C-13; legislation that is being touted as a solution to the serious issue of cyberbullying, but which on closer examination seems to be little more than a carbon copy of the controversial Bill C-30 with a new title. And Bill C-30 itself was a reboot of Bills […]

The B.C. government last week announced a fast-tracked consultation process for the new BC Services Card and the government’s digital services strategy. The consultation will centre on a panel of randomly selected British Columbians, who will have until Christmas to hand in a report. Public input on the process must be submitted by August 22nd. […]

FIPA will be in court next week seeking to force the government to stop suppressing freedom of expression during provincial elections. Our Charter challenge gets under way in BC Supreme Court in Victoria on Monday November 4, seeking to strike down the provisions that require everyone to register with Elections BC before undertaking ‘election advertising’ […]

BC FIPA, today, submitted a letter to the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development in the context of its consultation on local government election reform. BC FIPA strongly opposes provisions on third party spending limits and believes the lack of a minimum spending threshold in the provisions makes them unconstitutional violations of freedom of […]

The B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association is extremely pleased to announce the official release of our brand new educational resource: Access in the Academy: Bringing ATI and FOI to academic research. The text is now available for download by donation through our website here. We also have a limited number of print copies […]

Have you ever read a news story that began, ‘according to documents obtained through Freedom of Information’ and wondered how you might do the same? Have you come across a government document and wondered what went on behind the scenes before it was made public? Are you eager to get past the official government messaging […]

BC FIPA has responded to the Federal Government consultation on the Open Government Partnership commitments with a highly critical examination of the government’s approach. Lack of transparency is a serious issue in this country, and not just for this government. However, the Government of Canada labours under the most archaic Access to Information law, and […]