BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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‘Fascinating’ look at Kingston Police records and systems
A small city with big city problems provides much work for its police service, some of which goes largely unseen by the public. John Bougie, Manager of Records and Systems with Kingston Police, gave an overview of his unit to the Kingston Police Service Board at its latest meeting on Thursday, Mar. 20, 2025. His…
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MMA supports glyphosate use
MINDEMOYA—A proposal to ban the use of glyphosate-based herbicides on municipal lands across Manitoulin Island has been voted down by the Manitoulin Municipal Association (MMA) following a discussion marked by hesitation and concern. When the motion was introduced, the room fell silent before one mover and seconder initiated the debate, reflecting the cautious approach of…
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Valemount 2025 budget to include columbarium, economic recovery costs
Valemount Council approved including a 5.5 per cent tax increase in the 2025 budget during a special meeting on March 19th. The increase is in line with the Village’s Improving Asset Management plan which consulting company Urban Systems produced in 2020. Director of Finance Lori McNee presented the budget to Council and outlined new items…
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Mendicino open to working with MPs to ‘improve’ much criticized cybersecurity bill
OTTAWA — The federal public safety minister says he is prepared to work with other parliamentarians to revise the Liberal government’s cybersecurity bill after civil society groups and opposition MPs raised transparency and accountability concerns. While he is open to changes, Marco Mendicino said in a recent interview the bill that was introduced last year…
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RCMP too short staffed to follow up on tips from Fintrac?
OTTAWA — The RCMP says many tips from Canada’s financial intelligence agency about possible crimes “may not get investigated” due to a lack of policing resources and conflicting priorities. The Mounties make the candid admission in a briefing note prepared for Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino on the working relationship between the national police force…
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N.S. government says no legal action over social media post on woman’s hospital death
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia’s Justice Department said Tuesday it won’t pursue legal action against a politician who posted information about a woman who died in hospital after a seven-hour wait for a doctor. The department sent an email Friday to Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, the Independent member for Cumberland North, advising her to take down a letter…
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Ottawa pressed RCMP Heritage Centre for more outreach as part of expansion goal
OTTAWA — The head of the RCMP Heritage Centre in Saskatchewan says that after it completed a round of consultations on how it can transform into a national museum, the ball is now in Ottawa’s court. “We really needed to hear from Canadians,” said Tara Robinson, the CEO of the Regina-based museum focused on the…
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Ex Pentagon intelligence analyst who spied for Cuba freed
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A former U.S. defense intelligence analyst who was convicted of spying for Cuba more than 20 years ago has been released from a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. Ana Belen Montes, 65, was released Friday, Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman Scott Taylor said Saturday. Montes, an analyst for the…
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Schools tossed COVID cash into wind: expert
More than $3 million set aside to improve air quality in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic has been spent on duct cleaning — a measure not backed by research as an effective way to limit infectious-disease transmission. Manitoba earmarked nearly $11.3 million, including provincial and federal pots of about $6.8 million and $4.5 million, respectively,…
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Twitter leak exposes 235 million email addresses from hack
Personal emails linked to 235 million Twitter accounts hacked some time ago have been exposed according to Israeli security researcher Alon Gal — making millions vulnerable to having their accounts compromised or identities exposed if they have used the site anonymously to criticize oppressive governments, for instance. Gal, who is the co-founder and chief technology…
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Alberta government won’t release data on snowpack contamination from coal mines
EDMONTON — The Alberta government is refusing to release information on toxic contaminants in snowpacks downwind from mountaintop removal coal mines. The data was collected by two senior provincial government scientists who conducted research into the impact of windblown dust from mines in British Columbia on a pristine Alberta alpine lake. They recently published a…