BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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Eby says government can’t interfere in RCMP probe of leaked document
Premier David Eby has rejected Opposition accusations that his government went after a whistleblower, while suggesting more effort should go into investigating problems in opioid prescriptions that they highlighted rather than the source of the leaks. Eby said B.C.’s director of police services acted independently and the government couldn’t interfere with their request for an…
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Alberta’s personal information protection law ruled partly unconstitutional
Parts of Alberta’s personal information protection legislation have been ruled unconstitutional. But a judge is upholding an order to stop an American facial recognition company from collecting images of Albertans. The company, Clearview AI, scrapes the internet for images of people and adds them to a database, which it markets to law enforcement agencies as…
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Afro-Indigenous mom wins case in top ‘B.C.’ court against agency that seized her kids
An Afro-Indigenous mother who’s been going head-to-head with the child welfare agency that took her kids away says she feels heard after the province’s highest court sided with her. The B.C. Court of Appeal delivered a ruling in the case last week, declaring that there’s no place for stereotypes in child protection work and social…
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Executive at Manitoba Crown corporation was reimbursed for flights, hotels and more
WINNIPEG — A senior executive at a Manitoba Crown corporation was sometimes being reimbursed for travel to Winnipeg from his home in the Toronto area twice a month, figures obtained by The Canadian Press show. The newly released detailed breakdown of expenses, which also includes hotel stays and meals, was obtained under the province’s freedom…
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Artificial intelligence is gaining state lawmakers’ attention, and they have a lot of questions
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — As state lawmakers rush to get a handle on fast-evolving artificial intelligence technology, they’re often focusing first on their own state governments before imposing restrictions on the private sector. Legislators are seeking ways to protect constituents from discrimination and other harms while not hindering cutting-edge advancements in medicine, science, business, education…
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Judge’s decision could force change in Michigan’s handling of newborn blood samples
DETROIT (AP) — The state of Michigan must return or destroy dried blood samples from nine newborns or get approval from parents to keep them, according to the latest scathing opinion from a federal judge who found parts of a routine testing program unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Thomas Ludington is not interfering with the practice…
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Systemic fair access violations found in Ontario auto insurance: regulator
TORONTO — Ontario auto insurers have been involved in intentional, industry-wide violations of rules around fair access to coverage, the sector’s regulator said Thursday. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) says in a report that it uncovered practices that made it harder for certain types of consumers — those who had prior claims,…
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Israeli protesters are calling for democracy. But what about the occupation of Palestinians?
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel is being rocked by a wave of mass protests calling for the country’s democracy to be upheld. But the pro-democracy movement lacks any clear message of opposition to Israel’s open-ended military rule over millions of Palestinians. This contradiction reflects a widely held belief among Jewish Israelis that the conflict with the…
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Provincial EMR use was non compliant with privacy laws
PEI’s $7.8 million electronic medical record was operational for 10 months before the Department of Health and Wellness moved to ensure patient information shared over the system complied with provincial privacy legislation, records show. Despite this, government contends patient confidentiality was never jeopardized. “It’s my understanding that (the ways practitioners were sharing information over the…
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Minnesota Supreme Court rules against disputed mine, says state pollution officials hid EPA warnings
UNDATED (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the state’s Pollution Control Agency improperly granted permits to a fiercely contested copper-nickel mine and concealed environmental concerns about the project, which critics say threatens to pollute Lake Superior and hurt tribal lands. The proposed mining project, a 50-50 joint venture with PolyMet Mining…
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Utah law requiring age verification for porn sites remains in effect after judge tosses lawsuit
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah law requiring adult websites to verify the age of their users will remain in effect after a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from an industry group challenging its constitutionality. The dismissal poses a setback for digital privacy advocates and the Free Speech Coalition, which sued on behalf of…