In their 2001 “New Era” platform, the BC Liberals promised to bring in “the most open, accountable and democratic government in Canada.” Research by FIPA shows that the Liberal government has done much more to erode open government during their four years in office than they have done to enhance it. In fact, they have […]

Here is the response from the BC Liberal Party to our election survey on freedom of information and privacy issues for 2005. Download (pdf).

In the summer of 2004, ID theft was a hot issue. Since then, it has exploded. There has been a flurry of activity in Canada and the United States, as regulators and companies alike struggle to keep up with the rapid growth in this white collar crime. Consequently, while the research has progressed, it has […]

BC FIPA has provided its comments on Justice Canada’s new Lawful Access proposals. These proposals were announced as part of the government’s consultations on Lawful Access. FIPA continues to be opposed to many of the New Lawful Access Proposals as they unjustifiably intrude upon the privacy rights of Canadian citizens. We repeat the concerns outlined […]

BC FIPA has presented its submisson on the Anti-terrorism Act to the House of Commons Subcommittee on Public Safety and National Security. The submission, titled “Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act: an unjustified limitation of freedom of information and privacy rights” lays out BC FIPA’s position on the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) and how it threatens freedom of information […]

BC FIPA has compiled a table of the recommendations of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia (OIPC) regarding amendments to the BCFreedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) and their level of implementation by the government. Very few of the recommendations have been implemented. Download the table (pdf).

BC FIPA has made its submission regarding the Draft Employment Privacy Guidelines to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of BC today. FIPA is in support of a large part of the Draft Guidelines – on the whole, they are clear, reasonable, and support a meaningful interpretation of the legislation. However, there are also several areas […]

BC FIPA presented its submission to the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC on the implications for personal information of British Columbia residents involved in outsourcing of government services to U.S.-linked service providers in relation to the USA PATRIOT ACT. In view of section 215 [of the USA PATRIOT ACT], it appears that outsourcing to […]

BC FIPA has proposed revisions to s. 13 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act in Response to the Decision in College of Physicians of British Columbia v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner) in its submission to the Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act […]

Darrel Evans, executive director of BC FIPA, was in Victoria today to deliver a speech at the BC Library Association Annual Conference on Bill 38, BC’s Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). After extensive consultation and input from organizations like BC FIPA, Bill 38 has turned into a real privacy bill what BC FIPA describes as […]

Bill 38 is a very good piece of privacy legislation and a breakthrough for privacy rights at the provincial level. BC has shown strong leadership among the provinces in moving forward with a private-sector privacy bill that has real teeth. For this, great credit is due to yourself and also to Chris Norman and Sharon […]

BC FIPA presented its comments before the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Public Safety on the proposal to create a national identity card. [A] national ID card would be: hugely expensive; just as subject to fraud, privacy abuses, and security breaches as current systems of identification; and not likely to be more effective in preventing […]