NEW YORK (AP) — Robocalls, texts, and phishing emails from scammers are up this tax season compared to previous years, with artificial intelligence likely increasing fraud attempts, according to the consumer protection bureau of the Federal Trade Commission. Consumer advocates and government officials urge the public to stay wary, to stop and think before engaging […]

Via Rail needs to improve its service — punctuality, in particular — according to Canada’s auditor general, who nonetheless gave solid marks to the Crown corporation’s management practices. In a report, Karen Hogan said that over the past decade Via has failed to improve its on-time performance, which sank to a dismal 30 per cent […]

The Manitoba government defended its trade representative in Washington, D.C., on Monday as more details emerged about how much taxpayers are providing the consultant. Former television reporter Richard Madan was hired in June to help promote Manitoba’s interests in the U.S. and fight tariffs and other trade measures imposed by the U.S. administration. The Manitoba […]

Staff from the Town of Saint Andrews claim they were pressured by the Regional Development Corporation (RDC) to progress with the Market Wharf and Market Square refurbishment project despite the department approving a deadline extension application from the town well into 2027. New documents obtained by The Courier through a Right to Information and Protection […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration likes to promote its immigration enforcement agenda through numbers, with ambitious goals to deport 1 million people, report zero releases at the U.S.-Mexico border and arrest thousands of alleged gang members. For all the boasting, the administration has been releasing less reliable, carefully vetted data than its predecessors on […]

As media organizations go, NewsGuard cuts a low public profile as it follows its mission of issuing credibility ratings about news outlets. The Trump administration knows about it, though, and the company has joined a lengthening list of journalism organizations to face the White House’s wrath. A dispute between President Donald Trump’s regulators and the […]

Ever since the U.S. launched its war against Iran on Feb. 28, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand has said her top priority is helping Canadians who want to leave the Middle East. As of Friday, nearly 8,500 Canadians and permanent residents have made it home to Canada from the region, while more than a thousand […]

Your Access and Privacy Online News Summary for Saturday, March 14th. It’s another busy week across Canada’s privacy and transparency landscape.  We’re tracking a major privacy investigation into Loblaw’s PC Optimum program, new conditions allowing TikTok to keep operating in Canada, and growing concerns about facial recognition and workplace AI surveillance.  And on the transparency front, Canada’s Information Commissioner is warning that […]

Victoria March 13, 2026 –  The first few months of 2026 have been a kind of slow-motion horror movie for freedom of information and the public’s right to know in Canada.   On February 26, the BC Government introduced Bill 9, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act. The Act, touted as a much-needed update to […]

The Council of the Town of Greater Napanee has approved an updated policy governing the municipality’s Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system following the expansion of its public-space security camera network. The revised policy was presented to Council on Tuesday, Mar. 11, 2026, by Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Matthew Grant, who said the changes reflect the […]

Ontario is set to make Premier Doug Ford and cabinet members’ records secret as it “modernizes” freedom-of-information laws, a change the province’s privacy watchdog warns will eviscerate public accountability. Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement Minister Stephen Crawford, however, said his government is still “one of the most transparent governments in the history of […]

Two former advisers on Ottawa’s climate policies say recent antics by parliamentarians at the House of Commons environment committee demonstrate why they resigned from Canada’s independent net-zero advisory body last year. Simon Donner and Catherine Abreu were at the centre of some committee fireworks on Thursday, when Conservative and Bloc Québécois MPs tried to move […]