FIPA urges the BC government to quickly implement key recommendations VANCOUVER, May 11, 2016 – The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) is pleased to see that the Special Committee’s Review of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) has issued strong recommendations in a number of key areas, calling for […]

On Wednesday, May 12, 2016, FIPA presented recommendations for reform of the Access to Information Act to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) in Ottawa. Download the submission “Given the oft acknowledged and longstanding crisis in the access to information system in this country, it is surprising and disappointing […]

On March 23, 2016, FIPA filed an intervention in response to BC Information and Privacy Commissioner’s inquiry into the Vancouver Police Department’s refusal to disclose records relating to their use of IMSI-catchers (“Stingrays”), in response to an FOI request from Pivot Legal Society. You can read the submission in full here. We argued that: “…the Applicant [Pivot] is entitled […]

George Gretes charged after failing to tell truth to Information and Privacy Commissioner under oath VANCOUVER, March 11, 2016 – The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) is glad to see that George Gretes—a former Ministerial Assistant in the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure who wilfully deleted emails responsive to a Freedom […]

The Supreme Court of Canada will be hearing an important appeal coming out of Alberta regarding freedom of information rights, and FIPA has applied to take part in the hearing as an intervenor. The case began when the University of Calgary responded to a Freedom of Information request by refusing to release various records on […]

It may be hard to believe, but Canada’s Access to Information Act (ATIA) contains a black hole where requested information can disappear without a trace. And that black hole is being fed more and more government information. In her annual report for 2015, Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault reported a surge in the use of section […]

FIPA recently commissioned some public opinion polling on BC’s freedom of information system. We worked with Ipsos, a leading independent market research company, to develop and pose four questions related to some of our key recommendations to the Special Committee reviewing BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). A total of 802 […]

Former BC Information Commissioner Loukidelis also wants penalties for obstruction of FOI In a report released today, former BC Information and Privacy Commissioner David Loukidelis repeated much of what current Commissioner Elizabeth Denham recommended in her October 2015 report on government employees’ destruction of records relating to the Highway of Tears. Loukidelis added his voice […]

FIPA wants Access to Information Act loophole closed VANCOUVER, December 8, 2015 – The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) is deeply concerned by figures released today that show a significant increase in the use of the “Cabinet confidences” exclusion to deny records to Canadians requesting them. In her annual report released this afternoon, […]

VANCOUVER, November 4, 2015 – The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) congratulates members of the new Cabinet named by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and calls on them to advance and protect Canadians’ access to information and privacy rights. “FIPA welcomes our new Cabinet Ministers, and calls on them to work to repair […]

FIPA highlighted the importance of both the right to privacy and the open court principle in our submission to a consultation the Court Services Online (CSO) system, which was held by the Chief Judge of the BC Provincial Court of BC. The open court principle is fundamental in a democratic society, as it allows citizens to scrutinize the workings of […]

Together with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and Newspapers Canada, FIPA planned to ask the federal parties to describe what they would do to repair and improve transparency policies and practices. This effort quickly expanded to include 22 transparency organizations from across the country. Jointly with all of those groups, FIPA developed and signed a joint […]