BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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20260509 Access and Privacy Online
Your Access and Privacy Online News Summary for Saturday, May 9th.
This week, we begin with the still-unfolding Alberta voter list breach — where nearly three million electors’ personal information may have been exposed through a searchable database tied to separatist organizing.
The latest developments now include investigations by Elections Alberta, the RCMP, and Alberta’s Privacy Commissioner — along with serious questions about whether recent changes to Alberta election law made it harder for the watchdog to act sooner.
We’ll also look at the national implications of that breach, including why FIPA and civil society partners launched www.VoterPrivacy.ca and are calling for real privacy rules for political parties.
On access to information, we track major transparency concerns in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, a quick note on developments in BC — and how access leads to better accountability revealing public health, education, and governance issues across the country.
Let’s dive in.
Also available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, ListenNotes, Podchaser, Boomplay.
Writing: Shaun Fisk | Production: Patrick Farnsworth | Music: Breakmaster Cylinder
Send comments to: FIPAOnline @ fipa.bc.ca
You can support these efforts by subscribing or donating.
Full Show Links
FIPA Voter Privacy.ca
- House of Commons E-Petition
- Voterprivacy.ca
- Information misuse puts you at risk
Alberta Breach News Summary
- Here’s the Real Scandal at the heart of the Alberta data breach
- Nearly 600 people had unauthorized access to Alberta’s electors list, watchdog alleges
- Amendment to Alberta election law hindered probe into alleged misuse of data, watchdog says
- Foreign actors producing more false content about Alberta separatism: report
- Alberta voter info database shut down amidst probes of alleged data breach
- Smith’s adviser speaks about staffer at separatist meeting, Alberta voter list breach
- Alberta UCP staff attended meeting about voter database before app was shut down
- Alberta premier says law changes to be assessed after probes into voter list breach
- Alberta’s Smith says Opposition should have warned her of voter list privacy breach
- Mark Carney calls alleged privacy breach in Alberta deeply concerning
- US and Russia fuelling separatist debate in Canada, new report says
Alberta Breach Resources
- Open Media Voter Privacy.ca
- UPDATED – A Wake Up Call
- 2024 Foreign Interference Commission
- Alberta’s massive voter data breach is just the beginning
- Message to Albertans from the Chief Electoral Officer re: Unauthorized Use of List of Electors
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner issues Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) resource concerning the alleged breach of List of Electors and related issues
- Office of the Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner issues notice of investigation regarding alleged breach of List of Electors
- Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta issues statement regarding unauthorized distribution of List of Electors
Canadian Privacy and AI
- Canadian online critic of Trump sues U.S. Homeland Security for trying to unmask him
- Scholar tracks uptick in Iran threats on diaspora, others question deporting official
- Immigration minister says she’s accountable after former IRGC official granted a visa
- What Bill C‑12 Means for Asylum Seekers in Chatham‑Kent: An Explainer
- Membertou resets cannabis law creation for community
- New video surveillance policy updates receive OK from Oliver Council
- Times Chronicle – https://www.timeschronicle.ca/category/news/
- Oliver’s AI policy reaches fruition
- Times Chronicle – https://www.timeschronicle.ca/category/news/
- OpenAI did not respect Canadian privacy laws in developing ChatGPT, probe finds
- Your browsing history could soon set your grocery bill — and Canada isn’t ready for it
Canadian Access Stories
- ‘Weather puts damper on ‘grassroots’ protest
- The Uxbridge Cosmos – https://www.thecosmos.ca/articles-this-week/weather-puts-damper-on-grassroots-protest
- They just wanted to get it done’: New freedom of information rules keep Ontario in the dark, warns MPP
- The Lake Report – https://lakereport.ca/
- Access to information: N.L. failed to make public over 1,000 responses in a single year
- Council passes updated fees and charges bylaw
- Crowsnest Pass Herald – https://passherald.ca/latest-news/council-passes-updated-fees-and-charges-bylaw
- Deputy mayor calls for feasibility report on third-party review of Ramara’s financial systems
- Hundreds of Surrey Memorial Patients Are Overdosing Every Year
- Data show racial, language disparities in mandatory Ontario teacher math test
- ‘Legacy undone by terrible decisions’: Caledon reacts to Annette Groves’ upcoming exit after turbulent term
International Access
- The Venice Biennale jury resigns amid tensions over awards ban, Russian participation
- They sought help for son with mental illness. He ended up in jail
- Georgia officials knew chemicals from carpet mills were polluting local water. The people did not
International Privacy
- Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
- Zambia blasts the US over a $2 billion health deal in exchange for critical minerals
- Six transgender residents sue Idaho over strict new bathroom ban
- New Mexico seeks child safety restrictions on Meta apps and algorithms in trial’s 2nd phase
- Justice Department seeks the names of 2020 election workers in Georgia’s Fulton County
- Justice Department can keep 2020 election ballots seized from Georgia’s Fulton County, judge rules
Other FIPA Updates
- Access and Privacy Online in the Classroom
Your Access and Privacy Online News Summary for Saturday, May 9th.
This week, we begin with the still-unfolding Alberta voter list breach — where nearly three million electors’ personal information may have been exposed through a searchable database tied to separatist organizing.
The latest developments now include investigations by Elections Alberta, the RCMP, and Alberta’s Privacy Commissioner — along with serious questions about whether recent changes to Alberta election law made it harder for the watchdog to act sooner.
We’ll also look at the national implications of that breach, including why FIPA and civil society partners launched www.VoterPrivacy.ca and are calling for real privacy rules for political parties.
On access to information, we track major transparency concerns in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, a quick note on developments in BC — and how access leads to better accountability revealing public health, education, and governance issues across the country.
Let’s dive in.
Also available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes, YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, ListenNotes, Podchaser, Boomplay.
Writing: Shaun Fisk | Production: Patrick Farnsworth | Music: Breakmaster Cylinder
Send comments to: FIPAOnline @ fipa.bc.ca
You can support these efforts by subscribing or donating.
Full Show Links
FIPA Voter Privacy.ca
- House of Commons E-Petition
- Voterprivacy.ca
- Information misuse puts you at risk
Alberta Breach News Summary
- Here’s the Real Scandal at the heart of the Alberta data breach
- Nearly 600 people had unauthorized access to Alberta’s electors list, watchdog alleges
- Amendment to Alberta election law hindered probe into alleged misuse of data, watchdog says
- Foreign actors producing more false content about Alberta separatism: report
- Alberta voter info database shut down amidst probes of alleged data breach
- Smith’s adviser speaks about staffer at separatist meeting, Alberta voter list breach
- Alberta UCP staff attended meeting about voter database before app was shut down
- Alberta premier says law changes to be assessed after probes into voter list breach
- Alberta’s Smith says Opposition should have warned her of voter list privacy breach
- Mark Carney calls alleged privacy breach in Alberta deeply concerning
- US and Russia fuelling separatist debate in Canada, new report says
Alberta Breach Resources
- Open Media Voter Privacy.ca
- UPDATED – A Wake Up Call
- 2024 Foreign Interference Commission
- Alberta’s massive voter data breach is just the beginning
- Message to Albertans from the Chief Electoral Officer re: Unauthorized Use of List of Electors
- Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner issues Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) resource concerning the alleged breach of List of Electors and related issues
- Office of the Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner issues notice of investigation regarding alleged breach of List of Electors
- Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta issues statement regarding unauthorized distribution of List of Electors
Canadian Privacy and AI
- Canadian online critic of Trump sues U.S. Homeland Security for trying to unmask him
- Scholar tracks uptick in Iran threats on diaspora, others question deporting official
- Immigration minister says she’s accountable after former IRGC official granted a visa
- What Bill C‑12 Means for Asylum Seekers in Chatham‑Kent: An Explainer
- Membertou resets cannabis law creation for community
- New video surveillance policy updates receive OK from Oliver Council
- Times Chronicle – https://www.timeschronicle.ca/category/news/
- Oliver’s AI policy reaches fruition
- Times Chronicle – https://www.timeschronicle.ca/category/news/
- OpenAI did not respect Canadian privacy laws in developing ChatGPT, probe finds
- Your browsing history could soon set your grocery bill — and Canada isn’t ready for it
Canadian Access Stories
- ‘Weather puts damper on ‘grassroots’ protest
- The Uxbridge Cosmos – https://www.thecosmos.ca/articles-this-week/weather-puts-damper-on-grassroots-protest
- They just wanted to get it done’: New freedom of information rules keep Ontario in the dark, warns MPP
- The Lake Report – https://lakereport.ca/
- Access to information: N.L. failed to make public over 1,000 responses in a single year
- Council passes updated fees and charges bylaw
- Crowsnest Pass Herald – https://passherald.ca/latest-news/council-passes-updated-fees-and-charges-bylaw
- Deputy mayor calls for feasibility report on third-party review of Ramara’s financial systems
- Hundreds of Surrey Memorial Patients Are Overdosing Every Year
- Data show racial, language disparities in mandatory Ontario teacher math test
- ‘Legacy undone by terrible decisions’: Caledon reacts to Annette Groves’ upcoming exit after turbulent term
International Access
- The Venice Biennale jury resigns amid tensions over awards ban, Russian participation
- They sought help for son with mental illness. He ended up in jail
- Georgia officials knew chemicals from carpet mills were polluting local water. The people did not
International Privacy
- Ghana becomes the latest African country to reject a US health deal, citing data sharing concerns
- Zambia blasts the US over a $2 billion health deal in exchange for critical minerals
- Six transgender residents sue Idaho over strict new bathroom ban
- New Mexico seeks child safety restrictions on Meta apps and algorithms in trial’s 2nd phase
- Justice Department seeks the names of 2020 election workers in Georgia’s Fulton County
- Justice Department can keep 2020 election ballots seized from Georgia’s Fulton County, judge rules
Other FIPA Updates
- Access and Privacy Online in the Classroom