FIPA and the BC Civil Liberties Association have released a joint submission to an all-party committee of the BC Legislature that is currently reviewing the province’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). PIPA protects the privacy of personal information held by provincially-regulated businesses and non-profit groups. FIPA and BCCLA have called for improvements to the act […]

The new board chair of TransLink, BC’s public transit authority, is coming under fire for deciding to move the provincial transit authority’s previously public board meetings behind closed doors. Dale Parker says the media and the public will no longer be allowed into regular board meetings. He says the most effective process for developing strategic […]

Weekly privacy news briefs from around the world for 2007. Privacy News Highlights – 4 Jan 2007 Privacy News Highlights – 11 Jan 2007 Privacy News Highlights – 18 Jan 2007 Privacy News Highlights – 26 Jan 2007 Privacy News Highlights – 2 Feb 2007 Privacy News Highlights – 9 Feb 2007 Privacy News Highlights […]

On December 11, the 2007 Whistleblower Award was presented in a ceremony at Simon Fraser University’s Harbour Centre campus. A crystal trophy was presented to Gord McAdams, an Ecologist formerly with the BC government, by the Campaign for Open Government and the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA). The ceremony featured remarks by […]

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada introduced legislation to help combat identity theft on November 21. “This Government is following through on its commitment to give police the tools they need to better protect Canadians by stopping identity theft activity before the damage is done,” said Minister Nicholson. “I have tabled legislation […]

The special committee to review BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) has issued a call for written submissions. The deadline is February 12, 2008. PIPA is BC’s privacy act covering provincially-regulated private sector organizations, including businesses and non-profit groups. This is the first review of BC’s PIPA since it was passed in 2003. FIPA will […]

The news over the summer that the CRTC was at long last moving forward with a national do-not-call list generated a sigh of relief from millions of Canadians fed up with intrusive, unwanted and inconvenient unsolicited telemarketing calls. In the past few months, the do-not-call list details have begun to emerge with the CRTC addressing […]

BC FIPA sent its submission for the Customer Name and Address Information Consultation to Public Safety Canada today. FIPA outlines three main concerns with the CNA proposal. [T]he proposals go beyond maintaining existing powers in order to cope with new technology … [and] would actually lower the threshold currently required to obtain Canadians’ personal information […]

“Right to Know Week” in Canada runs from Friday September 28 to Friday October 5, 2007. Events across Canada will reveal the vital role freedom of information laws play in giving citizens access to government records. All Canadians have a right of access to their own personal information and to records about almost everything else […]

During the 1990s, the Canadian public enjoyed a steady increase in access to government information. New freedom of information laws were passed in many Canadian provinces. The BC government was at the leading edge of the trend, passing an FOI law that made it much more transparent and accountable. Then came a new century, 9/11, […]

In his annual report, released today, Information and Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis has called on the Premier and Cabinet to show leadership by amending the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to restore the public’s access to information rights that were curtailed by a BC Court of Appeal Decision. “The bottom line is […]

Canada’s official privacy watchdogs have formed a united front to call for suspension of the Canadian government’s new no-fly list until it can be overhauled to ensure strong privacy protections for Canadians. FIPA is urging all concerned citizens to join in by emailing the Prime Minister (See last paragraph). The federal, provincial and territorial privacy […]