BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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Government plans to bring forward online harms bill, AI minister says
The federal government is working on online harms legislation, Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said Friday. Solomon told reporters Culture Minister Marc Miller will bring the bill forward. The bill would be separate from privacy legislation Solomon is expected to introduce, and from a justice bill the government tabled last year that includes elements criminalizing…
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Network shutdown leaves Wisconsin lawmakers meeting outside of public view
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The shutdown of Wisconsin’s version of C-SPAN amid a fundraising shortfall has led to state lawmakers meeting outside of public view, fueling complaints from open government advocates and putting pressure on lawmakers to reach a deal to revive the network. WisconsinEye had broadcast every floor session of the state Senate and…
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Brampton residents in the dark about taxpayer-funded trip to Taiwan: airfare for one councillor cost $5,600
In a city strapped for cash, where vital infrastructure projects have been cancelled or stalled for years under Mayor Patrick Brown, whose own spending has skyrocketed despite claims of fiscal belt tightening, the globetrotting by council members and staff continues to frustrate Brampton taxpayers forced to pay for these lavish trips. There is little public…
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Edmonton banning Margaret Atwood book Alberta government promised wouldn’t be touched by provincial restrictions
Books by Margaret Atwood, Alan Moore, Aldous Huxley, Philip Roth, George R. R. Martin and dozens of other authors will be pulled from the shelves of Edmonton school libraries this fall to comply with sweeping content restrictions imposed by Alberta’s United Conservative government. A list of books produced by the Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB),…
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Government says it accidentally deleted privacy provision in online streaming bill
The federal government says it’s “looking into” what appears to be the accidental removal of a privacy provision in its Online Streaming Act. Earlier this week, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist outlined in a blog post that a privacy provision in the legislation was removed only two months after the bill became law,…
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Families of Bryan Kohberger’s murder victims ask an Idaho judge to block graphic crime scene photos
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Relatives of two of the four University of Idaho students murdered in 2022 have asked a judge to prevent the release of graphic crime scene photos and videos, saying that the images are traumatizing and making them public would violate their privacy. Bryan Kohberger was sentenced to life without parole last…
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NFU raises concerns about Bill C-2’s impact on farm workers
The National Farmers Union is the latest group to voice opposition to the polarizing federal Bill C-2, The Strong Borders Act. The NFU is urging the federal government to withdraw Bill C-2, which it says will jeopardize the safety and rights of migrants and refugees and threaten agricultural production. One of the main reasons the…
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VPD Officers Weren’t Fully Prepared for Drug Decriminalization
About one-third of the Vancouver Police Department’s frontline officers hadn’t completed training on decriminalization when the pilot project came into force and small amounts of drugs became legal in January 2023. B.C.’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General had put together a webinar called “Decriminalization in B.C.: Shifting to a…
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When, and why now, region reported NOTL speed camera vandalism remains unclear
For police to investigate vandalism of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s automated speed camera on Niagara Stone Road, the Niagara Region must first report damage to its own property. The Niagara Regional Police Service says it’s received those reports and investigations are underway, but no charges have been laid. Initially, the region would not say whether it had ever…
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Citizens for a Clean Coleman Township seeks individuals concerning Cobalt Refinery site
COLEMAN TOWNSHIP — The Citizens for a Clean Coleman Township are seeking help from two individuals who filed a formal request with the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (EC) in 2012/2013 over the state of the Cobalt Refinery, located in Coleman Township. In a social media post last week, the Citizens group announced they were seeking…
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Grand Erie board releases ‘Call the Police’ report after court rebuke
An investigation report from the ongoing battle between the Grand Erie District School Board and a barred trustee paints a picture of “tension, miscommunication and missed communication.” After the Divisional Court sided with Carol Ann Sloat earlier this month, the school board has released what it’s calling the “Call the Police” report — one of…