The BC Civil Liberties Association has issued a timely and comprehensive report on soon-to-be introduced “lawful access” bills to expand police surveillance powers. The federal government has announced that it will soon be introducing legislation to increase the ability of police to intercept private communications and access more personal information stored electronically. The BCCLA’s new […]

The Province has been Hiding Full Contract From Taxpayers for Eight Years; Going Back to Court in March to Keep Contract Under Wraps The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today revealed that the provincial government has spent $124,522.48 so far in its eight-year-long fight against releasing the IBM workplace service contract to the BC Freedom of […]

“Congratulations. We did not think it was possible to create a consultation document on Open Government without making a single mention of Access to Information, but you did it. Bravo.” So begins a FIPA submission sent today to the Canadian government, which is making a show of consulting Canadians about its purported efforts to improve […]

BC FIPA has made its submission on Open Government in response to this somewhat ad hoc consultation, which was announced by the President of the Treasury Board, the Honourable Tony Clement, on December 6, 2011. Our submission is highly critical of the nature of the consultation and its focus only on open data and technology. […]

In this issue: FIPA celebrates 7th birthday of FOI Request for BC government’s $300 million contract with IBM Mayor Gregor Robertson flip-flops on freedom of information policy Privacy, civil liberties groups issue statement of principles on Canada-U.S. perimeter agreement Download the update (pdf).

According to Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, what’s good for the City isn’t good for the city’s police department when it comes to freedom of information policy. Vancouver Police Department will continue posting records obtained through FOI simultaneously to the requester and the VPD website, even though Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vancouver City Council voted to […]

The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association held a birthday party today for its longest-running FOI request, which turns seven this month. FIPA has been trying since 2004 to get an uncensored copy of the BC government’s $300 million Workplace Services Agreement with IBM, but the government continues to fight against its release. FIPA […]

Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian has added her voice to the growing chorus of critics of the federal Conservatives’ promised “lawful access” legislation that will expand state surveillance of the Internet and telecommunications. Ms. Cavoukian has issued a devastating critique of the imminent legislation– the most comprehensive and authoritative analysis to date. In […]

Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart has sent an open letter to Canadian Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews to outline her deep concerns about “lawful access” legislation that is expected soon from the Harper government. “Lawful access” refers to the legal authority of police and security officials to monitor, intercept, seize, and search our […]

CORPORATE SUBSIDIARIES OF PUBLIC BODIES NOW BEYOND THE LAW Edit: See October 25, 2011 update below. A decision by the Information and Privacy Commissioner’s Office last week confirms that BC universities and other public bodies can create independent companies whose records are beyond the reach of the province’s freedom of information law. And even though […]

PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD RADICALLY ALTER FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LAW Your privacy is at risk as never before in B.C., and the immediate threat isn’t coming from Facebook or Canada’s spy agency – it’s a bill before the B.C. legislature. Without consulting you, our premier and a gaggle of techno-bureaucrats have decided to sacrifice B.C.’s privacy […]

FIPA and the BC Civil Liberties Association are raising the alarm over amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act introduced yesterday. “The government has decided on a policy to massively increase the personal information collected, stored and shared with others,” said Micheal Vonn, Policy Director of the BCCLA. “Yet, projects like […]