Jack Layton’s response on behalf of the NDP to FIPA, CTF, and Newspapers Canada question regarding the party’s position on access to information reform. New Democrats are committed to improve the Access to Information system through a variety of measures that include increasing the powers of the Information Commissioner, speeding up the processing time of […]

BC FIPA sent a list of questions on freedom of information and privacy issues to the NDP leadership candidates. We received responses from Adrian Dix and John Horgan which you can download below.   Adrian Dix’ response (pdf). John Horgan’s response (pdf).

A current trend by politicians and bureaucrats to embrace electronic ‘Open Government’ initiatives may not empower citizens to demand the specific information they want, says FIPA’s new Executive Director, Vincent Gogolek. Rather, it may divert government from making long-overdue improvements to Canada’s Access to Information system. Gogolek appeared before the Standing Committee on Access to […]

Dean Beeby Ottawa- The Canadian Press Jan. 09, 2011 A new study ranks Canada dead last in an international comparison of freedom-of-information laws – a hard fall after many years being judged a global model in openness. The study by a pair of British academics looked at the effectiveness of freedom-of-information laws in five parliamentary […]

A report from BC’s Auditor General says that the province has not established an effective process for monitoring the security of its information. A software tool called Security HealthCheck that monitors security policies, standards and practices has been introduced across government ministries, but the AG found that its implementation is seriously flawed. Self-assessments by more […]

A new study has found that BC’s third party advertising rules caused extensive problems for “small spenders” such as non-profits and charities during the 2009 provincial election. The rules – brought in through the controversial Bill 42 in 2008 – led to widespread confusion, wasted resources, anxiety and self-censorship among organizations that spent little or […]

Heritage Minister James Moore accuses ‘radical extremists’ of opposing his proposed copyright legislation. FIPA’s Vincent Gogolek wonders if the minister is one of the mysterious ‘Agents of Foreign Influence’ cited by CSIS director Richard Fadden – certainly he’s under the influence of American cultural industries, their lobbyists and possibly the U.S. government. Open Letter To: […]

Under a new open government plan released by the Obama administration, U.S. government agencies must publish their information online in “open formats” and proactively release data using modern technologies instead of waiting for Freedom of Information Act requests Agencies, to the greatest extent that is practical, should publish their data online in an open format […]

Opinion – Vaughn Palmer Vancouver Sun December 3, 2009 BC Information commissioner David Loukidelis is seeking a $400,000 legal budget to cover the growing number of court challenges to his rulings by the B.C. government and other public bodies. Loukidelis outlined his predicament in a recent presentation to the legislature finance committee, which vets the […]

Vancouver – A non-partisan coalition, including FIPA, the BC Civil Liberties Association, and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, has come together to warn British Columbians that it is not just big spenders who are at risk under the new BC Election Act. The Election Act’s third party advertising restrictions have opened a nightmare of arbitrary enforcement, […]

Vancouver – A non-partisan coalition, including FIPA, the BC Civil Liberties Association, and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, has come together to warn British Columbians that it is not just big spenders who are at risk under the new BC Election Act. The Election Act’s third party advertising restrictions have opened a nightmare of arbitrary enforcement, […]

In an effort to protect and advance the human rights of freedom of expression and privacy, a diverse coalition of leading information and communications companies, major human rights organizations, academics, investors and technology leaders today launched the Global Network Initiative. From the Americas to Europe to the Middle East to Africa and Asia, companies in […]