BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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Transparency advocates call for independent review of Access to Information Act
Transparency advocates say a coming federal review of the Access to Information Act should be overseen by an independent panel — not the government — to avoid the pitfalls of the last such exercise. In a letter sent Monday to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali, civil society groups, academics and…
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Dozens of states sue to block the sale of 23andMe personal genetic data without customer consent
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia on Monday filed a lawsuit in bankruptcy court seeking to block the sale of personal genetic data by 23andMe without customer consent. The lawsuit comes as a biotechnology company seeks the court’s approval to buy the struggling firm. Biological samples, DNA data, health-related traits…
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Greater Napanee to consider U.S. cross-border cellphone policy
When a cellphone or computer contains sensitive government documents, it can be a significant concern, even at the municipal level, if that device is carried across the border into the United States — particularly in light of the broad authority given to U.S. border officers to inspect electronic devices. On Thursday, Jun. 6, 2025, a…
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Texas businessman at center of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment facing new charges
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Law and order and the economy are focus of the British government’s King’s Speech
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative government set out a pre-election policy slate including tougher sentences for serious crimes and promises of elusive economic growth on Tuesday in a speech delivered by King Charles III at the grand State Opening of Parliament. The king read out a speech written by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, outlining…
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New Report Exposes Concerns Over Ontario Hospital Privatization
A comprehensive report titled “At What Cost? Ontario Hospital Privatization and the Threat to Public Health Care” has raised serious concerns about the Ford government’s efforts to privatize core services within public hospitals, including diagnostics and surgeries. The report, published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and based on a wealth of data gathered…
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Small businesses still hoping for CEBA loan forgiveness extension as time runs out
OTTAWA — As the deadline to repay pandemic loans and receive partial forgiveness approaches, small businesses are still hoping the federal government will reverse course and extend it for another year. Nearly 900,000 organizations applied for and received a Canada Emergency Business Account loan during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal program offered up to $60,000…
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Ontario health care ‘on the edge of the precipice’
Simon Fraser University policy researcher Andrew Longhurst is calling on Premier Doug Ford’s government to scrap its expansion of the for-profit health-care sector, which he believes comes at the expense of public hospitals. Longhurst detailed his grievances with the for-profit health-care system in a new report titled “At What Cost?: Ontario hospital privatization and the…
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Illinois lawmakers scrutinize private school scholarships without test result data
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Critics of an Illinois program providing private school scholarships say there’s no proof it improves academic achievement. But state education officials, delayed by COVID-19’s school disruptions, have never reported the academic performance of participating students as required by the Invest in Kids Act, a hot issue as lawmakers reconvene Tuesday. The…
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Ontario plans to require salary ranges be included in job postings
TORONTO — Ontario employers could soon be required to include salary ranges in job postings under new legislation announced Monday, while the province is also considering curtailing the use of workplace non-disclosure agreements. Mandating salary ranges in job postings as well as requiring businesses to disclose if artificial intelligence is part of their hiring process…