Access to Information

Access to Information


Florida settles lawsuit over COVID data, agrees to provide weekly stats to the public

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida will have to provide COVID-19 data to the public again after a former Democratic state representative settled a lawsuit with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration over the decision two years ago to stop posting information on the virus’ spread online. Then-Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith sued after the Department of Health […]

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Ontario’s 2 tier minimum wage: As discriminatory now as it was in the 1990s

This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. Author: Steven High, Professor of History, Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling (COHDS), Concordia University The province of Ontario has increased its minimum wage to […]

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‘Unacceptable’: Group says government ignored process in awarding Afghan monument

OTTAWA — An architectural group that was chosen by a jury to build a monument to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan says the government’s decision to award the contract to a different group is outrageous and anti-democratic. Veterans Affairs Canada announced the approximately $3-million commission in June, awarding it to a team led by Indigenous artist […]

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Coronation Park development approved following contentious public hearing

Port Moody’s Coronation Park development has passed the final reading of council after more than four years of negotiations with the city. The public hearing ahead of council’s vote on Oct. 3 lasted close to three hours, and brought out 38 speakers, along with 15 letters, voicing support, concerns or opposition to the proposal. Around […]

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US appeals court to hear arguments over 2010 hush-money settlement of Ronaldo rape case in Vegas`

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Cristiano Ronaldo’s lawyer urged a U.S. appeals court Wednesday to reject an appeal and uphold stiff sanctions against a lawyer for a woman trying to force the international soccer star to pay millions more than the $375,000 in hush money he paid her after she accused him of raping her in […]

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Information Regulators Unite in Resolution to Enhance Access to Government Information

New for 2023 FIPA sent its first national survey of Commissioners’ approaches to access regime evaluation.

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Symposium emphasizes the need for access to Church Records at former Residential Schools

(ANNews) — The Acimowin Opaspiw Society (AOS) Investigation Methodologies National Symposium took place on September 26-28, 2023, at the River Cree Resort in Edmonton. At the symposium, participants were provided with a presentation on Access to Restricted Church Records by Leah Redcrow, Investigation Director of the Blue Quills Missing Children and Unmarked Burials Inquiry and […]

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Diwali fireworks advisory issued despite warnings it might be discriminatory: emails

OTTAWA — At least two Environment Canada meteorologists warned that linking Diwali fireworks to air pollution in an air quality advisory could be perceived as discriminatory, internal emails show, but the advisory was still published. Their warnings appeared well-founded. So many complaints had poured in by the end of the day that the department reissued […]

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Seven years after youth centre attacks, security fears of the time partially released

HALIFAX — After seven years and an access-to-information battle that has moved to the courts, the Nova Scotia government has released some details of the security fears staff identified after violence broke out at a provincial youth detention facility. It took a challenge by The Canadian Press to obtain even the limited release of information […]

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Trial to begin for former RCMP intelligence director accused of disclosing secrets

OTTAWA — More than four years after Cameron Jay Ortis was charged with breaching Canada’s secrets law, the former RCMP intelligence director is about to get his day in court. Ortis was taken into custody in Ottawa on Sept. 12, 2019 — an arrest that deeply shocked the national police force. As the head of […]

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Mandatory security awareness training among changes since arrest of employee: RCMP

OTTAWA — The RCMP says it has introduced mandatory security awareness training for employees, one of several changes prompted by the 2019 arrest of a senior civilian member for allegedly leaking classified information. The Mounties say they have also made it easier to report security vulnerabilities, boosted the internal profile of departmental security operations and […]

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Nova Scotia to review freedom of information legislation after years of criticism

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s government is launching a review of its freedom of information legislation after years of criticism that the current system results in blacked-out government documents and a toothless review process. Justice Minister Brad Johns says an internal committee led by the department’s director of policy will look at the law, which also […]

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