BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
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Appeals court restores DOGE access to sensitive information at US agencies
BALTIMORE (AP) — An appeals court on Monday cleared the way for billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to once again access people’s private data at three federal agencies, a win for the Trump administration as the underlying lawsuit plays out. In a split ruling, the three-judge panel blocked a lower court decision that…
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17 government inspectors, 170 companies and more than 9,000 potential infractions: inside B.C.’s oversight of the oil and gas sector
This investigation is a collaboration between The Narwhal and the Investigative Journalism Foundation. Fewer than two dozen BC Energy Regulator inspectors are responsible for monitoring nearly 200 fossil fuel companies operating 6,594 — and counting — active oil and gas wells, pipelines, processing plants and other related infrastructure in British Columbia. During inspections conducted between…
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First court saga between Grand Erie District School Board and longtime trustee Carol Ann Sloat reaches an end
An ongoing legal battle between Grand Erie District School Board and barred trustee Carol Ann Sloat has reached a conclusion — or at least one chapter of it has. In November, a panel of justices overturned four decisions the board made that prevented the longtime trustee from participating in — and, in some cases, even…
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Personal health information ‘disturbingly’ vulnerable: B.C. privacy commissioner
VICTORIA — Sensitive personal health records of British Columbia residents, from mental health to sexually transmitted disease histories, are “disturbingly” vulnerable to leaks, the provincial privacy watchdog says. Information and privacy commissioner Michael McEvoy says in a report released by his office Thursday that security gaps in the public health computer system put it at…
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Georgia, NH latest states to ban TikTok from state computers
ATLANTA (AP) — Govs. Brian Kemp of Georgia and Chris Sununu of New Hampshire on Thursday immediately banned the use of TikTok and popular messaging applications from all computer devices controlled by their state governments, saying the Chinese government may be able to access users’ personal information. Both Republican governors banned the messaging app WeChat…
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Sobeys parent company Empire says cyberattack expected to cost $25M after insurance
Sobeys parent company Empire Co. Ltd. has shared new details on a cyberattack that shut down its pharmacy services and other in-store functions last month. The security breach in early November left customers unable to fill prescriptions for four days, while other in-store functions like self-checkout machines, gift card use and the redemption of loyalty…
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Alberta care home worker shared photos of residents, used bug eyes filter
LAMONT, Alta. — An Alberta health-care worker has been sentenced for taking and sharing photos of long-term care residents, including one that was distorted with a filter. The Lamont Health Care Centre reported the matter to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, which laid charges last year under the province’s Health Information Act. The…
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Will Indigenous sovereignty be on the agenda at COP15?
Msit No’kmaq, Wahkohtawin, Nindinawemaganidog — all loosely translate into the phrase “all my relations,” which is defined by a kinship between beings in the natural world and Mother Earth. It’s a phrase that asserts the symbiotic relationship between Indigenous nations and their lands. Now, as the world prepares to converge on Montreal for the United…
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Canadian Press reporter wins N.S. Human Rights Award for disabilities reporting
HALIFAX — Canadian Press reporter Michael Tutton has been named a recipient of a Nova Scotia Human Rights Award for his work covering issues affecting people with disabilities. Tutton is among the first journalists to receive the award, which is given annually by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission to honour people who make contributions to “attaining…
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Information of 360,000 people affected in Ontario vaccine data breach
TORONTO — The Ontario government says it is notifying about 360,000 people whose personal information was involved in a vaccine database breach more than a year ago. The breach happened on Nov. 16, 2021 and the Ontario Provincial Police charged two people, including an employee of the province’s vaccine contact centre. Since then, the government says it…