BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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Farmer gives town deadlines for plan to fix flooding tied to municipal drain
Repeated flooding on a Niagara-on-the-Lake farm has pushed grower Michael Watson to give the Town of NOTL an ultimatum. After offering the town an Oct. 31 deadline to outline concrete steps to fix the problem, warning he’d take legal action if it didn’t, he’s now giving it until Nov. 30 to provide a full report…
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The day pipeline security followed me — and what I learned later about Canada’s spy agency
The truck slowly pulled alongside as I idled at the side of a remote dirt road in northern B.C. No cell service, the nearest town half an hour away. I’d pulled off to let industrial traffic heading the other direction pass. It was 2022 and I was on my way to meet with Indigenous land…
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PCs ‘not prioritizing’ review of AI policies following Education Accord scandal
In the wake of a scandal involving the province’s new Education Accord, which contained fabricated sources and has led many to believe artificial intelligence was involved, a spokesperson from Premier Tony Wakeham’s office told The Independent the new PC government is “not prioritizing” a review of its AI policies. In September, the 10-year education plan…
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B.C. police cite privacy as investigators probe chat groups
The details of a private chat group among current and former members of the police department in Nelson, B.C., haven’t been made public. But the fate of an investigation by the province’s Police Complaint Commissioner into the WhatsApp chats could have implications for police across the country, as the Nelson officers mount a court challenge…
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North Dakota was a leader in limiting China land purchases and sees no reason to stop
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — It’s been three years since a Chinese company’s plan to develop a swath of farmland near a North Dakota Air Force base prompted local security concerns and led to a rush of legislation across the country, but calls for restrictions keep coming. If anything, the demand by state legislators and Congress…
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Seattle officers who attended Jan. 6 rally can’t remain anonymous, Washington high court rules
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle police officers who attended the Jan. 6, 2021, rally and protests at the U.S. Capitol can be identified in public court records, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The ruling says the officers haven’t shown that the public release of their names violates their right to privacy, The Seattle Times…
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Some Physiotherapists Fear ICBC Changes Will Hurt Crash Victims
Some physiotherapy clinics are warning that recent updates to ICBC’s health-care services terms could reduce the recovery care for people hurt in car crashes. On Dec. 10, ICBC sent an email updating health-care providers it works with about a new way clients could search for eligible clinics. In the fifth paragraph ICBC said it was…
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N.S. woman awarded damages after criminal case dropped against ex who posted sex ad
A Nova Scotia woman who was awarded damages after her ex-boyfriend posted an explicit picture of her alongside a fake online ad for sex work initially went to police to report what she said was a pattern of harassment. But in the end it was a provincial cyber-protection law that held her ex to account,…
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Details of Danielle Smith’s spending cut committee revealed
With volatile oil prices, the looming threat of tariffs, and Alberta facing “headwinds from every direction,” as Finance Minister Nate Horner described the current economic forecast, it appears unlikely the promised personal income tax cut will be a part of budget announcements later this month. But the Productivity Review Cabinet Committee (PRCC) tasked with “finding…
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Murray Harbour settlement amount remains confidential
A second request for information regarding a payment made by Murray Harbour to a former CAO has been denied. “This matter was a confidential legal matter, and I have been instructed by the municipality’s legal counsel not to comment or provide any documents,” said current CAO Anne Harnesk. Back in May 2017 Sylvain De Lafontaine,…
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Trudeau says Ukraine decides how war with Russia ends, praises buy-Canadian movement
It’s up to Ukraine to decide how the war with Russia ends, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday. “It is only Ukrainians that get to decide what is acceptable to them as an outcome of any peace negotiations,” he told reporters Wednesday in Brussels as he wrapped up a visit to Europe aimed at deepening…