BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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YRP Urges Stouffville to Consider CCTV Cameras for Crime Deterrence
Stouffville will explore the potential installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras through a partnership with York Regional Police (YRP). The proposal was included in a recent letter sent to Mayor Iain Lovatt by YRP Deputy Chief Paulo Da Silva, as well as a presentation delivered to Council by Inspector Brad Weick, both urging the Town…
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Chaos erupts as Springwater councillors disagree on legal invoices
If you missed Springwater Township’s first council meeting of the new year on Wednesday night, you missed a beauty. The season debut of what some locals have dubbed the ‘The Jerry Springwater Show’ had everything a premiere needs to draw a huge audience — drama, conflict, intrigue, suspense and some good old-fashioned name-calling. For good…
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In the case of the Federal Reserve, Supreme Court appears to carve out a murky exception
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court for the past year has repeatedly allowed President Donald Trump to fire heads of independent agencies, but it appears to be drawing a line with the Federal Reserve. The court has signaled for months that it sees the Fed in a different light. It has said that the president…
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Siksika celebrates student success in IT foundations program
Despite a series of weather-related delays, Phase Siksika Nation High School students have completed the first CompTIA Tech, IT foundations training program to be offered at a First Nations high school in Canada. The inaugural cohort saw 13 of the 15 students who had started the program seeing it through to completion. “It is so…
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Man who tried to stab pastor had earlier said he wanted to kill a priest, court told
A man who tried to stab a Catholic pastor in the middle of a Sunday religious service last winter had previously gone to hospital and said he planned to kill a priest, a court has been told. Pawel Olownia has been found not criminally responsible for the Feb. 9 incident at Holy Ghost Parish, which…
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Under current council, the number of residents at risk of losing their home or business is skyrocketing
The number of Niagara Falls properties in tax jeopardy has risen dramatically during the current term of council, according to data recently shared by City staff. On May 21, through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, The Pointer sought six years of data on the number of properties in tax arrears. City officials declined the…
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B.C. Ombudsperson says whistleblower protection law ‘falling short’ in some areas
New reports by British Columbia’s ombudsperson on a whistleblower protection law show that it is “falling short” in some areas in its first five years. The four reports released by BC Ombudsperson Jay Chalke say that while the law has “worked well in many aspects,” some public sectors and their employees are still not covered…
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Losing to Poilievre strengthens local Long Balloter’s hope for electoral reform
Pierre Poilievre will return to the House of Commons after a resounding victory in the Aug. 18 Battle River—Crowfoot by-election. Of the 85,736 registered voters, 50,434 cast ballots. Poilievre received 40,548 votes — or 80.4 per cent. See: Poilievre going back to House of Commons after easy victory in Alberta byelection Dillon Anderson, a Callander…
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Gabbard says UK scraps demand for Apple to give backdoor access to data
LONDON (AP) — Britain abandoned its demand that Apple provide so-called backdoor access to any encrypted user data stored in the cloud, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said Monday. Gabbard indicated London and Washington had resolved their high-stakes dispute over electronic privacy, writing on X that she and President Donald Trump and Vice…
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Alberta government again shifting expense disclosure policy after widespread backlash
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government is again shifting its expense disclosure policy after critics from across the political spectrum accused her of dodging responsibility. In early August, the province quietly published new rules axing a requirement for Smith, her ministers, senior staff and deputy ministers to publicly post receipts for expenses over $100. Marisa Breeze,…
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Lawyer ‘very confident’ a foreign adversary attacked Canadian diplomats in Cuba
A lawyer for Canadian diplomats and their families says he believes the mysterious ailments they suffered in Cuba were caused by a foreign adversary, despite a federal government report that dismisses the theory. Eight years after foreign service officials and their dependants began reporting such symptoms as headaches, memory loss, mood changes, vision problems, nausea…