BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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Privacy Commissioner probe finds Loblaw took too long to delete PC Optimum accounts
An investigation by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has found that Loblaw took too long to address requests from customers who wanted to delete their PC Optimum accounts. The office on Thursday said Loblaw had the mechanism to respond to requests but took an unreasonable amount of time to address them, and that it also…
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Village of Granisle, B.C., faces lawsuit over aluminum-contaminated water
Soon after Rhiana Stryd moved to the scenic lakeside Village of Granisle in British Columbia’s northern Interior in the fall of 2024, she says she began noticing her parents’ health going downhill, while she was vomiting every day for months. Stryd said that when her daughter visited, she got sick too. Their health woes prompted…
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Moms describe being trapped in a cycle of anguish when a loved one faces mental health crises
Nancy Saunders says her son Ben Brennan accomplished so much in his short life. He was an exceptional musician, loved writing and was a freelance recording engineer, she said. Brennan played in bands across Canada and toured Europe. He studied at the University of King’s College in Halifax. Deeply kind and compassionate, “he just had…
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Councillors reject minimums for public meetings
THUNDER BAY – Most city councillors don’t want to be forced to hold public meetings with their constituents. In a 5-8 vote, Coun. Greg Johnsen’s motion to require each councillor to host a minimum of one ward or town hall meeting per year failed to gain the support of his colleagues, particularly at-large councillors. The…
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B.C., Ottawa deflect responsibility for train-wildlife collisions
B.C.’s minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship hopes to start working with the federal government toward a strategy to prevent train-wildlife collisions in the new year. “It’s really concerning,” Randene Neill said in an interview with The Narwhal this week. “I wasn’t aware that the numbers are that high.” Neill’s comments follow The Narwhal’s…
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Australia to enforce social media age limit of 16 next week with fines up to $33 million
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Social media platforms must report monthly how many children’s accounts they close once Australia begins enforcing its 16-year age limit next week, a minister said Wednesday. Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube would face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) from Dec. 10…
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Deadline approaching for Cabot Trail Writers Festival’s new contest and youth mentorship program
St. Ann’s – The Cabot Trail Writers Festival is announcing a new contest and online program which aims to help foster the next generation of writers on Cape Breton Island and the deadline to apply is Dec. 17. The program is called Raise Our Voices and any youth, between ages 12 and 18 as of…
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Settlement in 23andMe data breach class-action proposed at about $4.49M
Canadians affected by a 23andMe data security breach two years ago have reached a proposed class-action settlement with the genetic testing company for approximately $4.49 million. Canada’s privacy watchdog said in June the personal data of almost seven million people, including nearly 320,000 in Canada, was compromised by hackers over a five-month period beginning in…
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Premier calls for investigation into Nova Scotia Power over handling of cyberattack
The premier of Nova Scotia is calling for an investigation into how a major power utility has handled a cyberattack, saying residents should not be responsible for paying for Nova Scotia Power’s failures. Tim Houston wrote to the chair of the Nova Scotia Energy Board, saying he wants the regulator to look into the way…
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Oakland police won’t release body camera video of ex-NFL player Doug Martin’s in-custody death
The Oakland Police Department has declined to provide the public with access to police body camera videos that would show what happened on Oct. 18, the morning former Oakland Raiders running back Doug Martin died while in the custody of several OPD officers. In response to a public records request by The Oaklandside, the department…
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Police in Kelowna, Abbotsford, B.C., warn of fake speeding tickets issued by text
Police in two B.C. cities are warning area residents after a number of cases where fraudsters are texting potential victims telling them they need to pay their fines for speeding tickets. RCMP say a number of people in Kelowna have reported receiving the texts, where they are asked to provide personal information such as date…