BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
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This US Snitch Line Reports Canadians Providing Gender-Affirming Care
The U.S. government is collecting data on health-care workers providing gender-affirming care in Canada. In mid-April the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a “snitch line” website where anyone could report health-care workers in Canada or the United States performing “chemical and surgical mutilations of children,” which is how the current administration describes…
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Federal judge blocks Trump’s firing of two Democratic members of privacy oversight board
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge has blocked President Donald Trump’s firing of two Democratic members of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. The ruling Wednesday from U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton ends the lawsuit brought by two of the three fired board members in February. The five-member board is an independent watchdog…
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UK retailer Marks & Spencer puts cyberattack cost at $400 million with disruptions ongoing
LONDON (AP) — British retailer Marks & Spencer estimated Wednesday that a cyberattack that stopped it from processing online orders and left store shelves empty will cost it about 300 million pounds ($400 million). The company said in a business update that disruption from the “highly sophisticated and targeted cyber attack,” which was first reported…
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Court rejects Connecticut officials’ bid to keep secret a police report on hospital patient’s death
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Police reports about deaths and other incidents in public hospitals cannot be kept secret, the Connecticut Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, citing the importance of government transparency and the public’s right to know what happened. A majority of the justices rejected an attempt by state officials to prevent the release of a…
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Police say Montreal fire last March that killed seven now a criminal investigation
MONTREAL — A fire last March that killed seven people in a heritage building in Old Montreal has turned into a criminal investigation that could lead to a wide range of charges, from arson to murder, city police said Monday. Traces of fire accelerant were found at the site, which help explain why the flames…
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Feds mull stopgap plan for formula shortage before overhauling approval process: docs
OTTAWA — The federal government is looking for ways to bring more infant formula products to Canada while it overhauls regulations to prevent future shortages, an internal memo shows. Many parents still struggle to find the right formula for their babies at a reasonable price, after last year’s temporary shutdown of a U.S.-based manufacturing plant…
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‘I remember the fear’: Canadians recounted horror of Bernardo case following transfer
OTTAWA — The haunting effect of Paul Bernardo’s crimes lingered for Canadians nearly 30 years later, detailed in the hundreds of messages that poured into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office after the serial killer was transferred to a medium-security prison. “I have a personal friend who was on that jury and she remains traumatized nearly…
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London’s Metropolitan Police force ups security after a supplier’s IT system is hacked
LONDON (AP) — London’s Metropolitan Police force says it has stepped up security after a company that holds details of its officers and staff was hacked. The force said late Saturday that there had been “unauthorized access to the IT system” of one of its suppliers. It said the company, which it did not name,…
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Democrats accuse tax prep firms of undermining new IRS effort on electronic free file tax returns
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Democrats are accusing big tax preparation firms including Intuit and H&R Block of undermining the federal government’s upcoming electronic free file tax return system and are demanding lobbying, hiring and revenue data to determine what’s going on. The lawmakers accuse the companies of lobbying against the new program, hiring former government…
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Europe is cracking down on Big Tech. This is what will change when you sign on
LONDON (AP) — Starting Friday, Europeans will see their online life change. People in the 27-nation European Union can alter some of what shows up when they search, scroll and share on the biggest social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook and other tech giants like Google and Amazon. That’s because Big Tech companies,…