Access and Privacy Online

Access and Privacy Online


Justice Department can unseal Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case records, judge says

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday granted the Justice Department’s request to publicly release grand jury transcripts and other material from Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking case, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime confidant, but he cautioned that people shouldn’t expect […]

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Slovakia’s parliament approves plan to dismantle whistleblower protection office

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia (AP) — Slovakia’s parliament approved on Tuesday a government plan to dismantle an independent office that protects those who report corruption and other criminal activities. A total of 78 lawmakers representing the coalition government led by populist Prime Minister Robert Fico voted in favor of the move in the 150-seat parliament, despite critical […]

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Arbitrator partially sides with Queen’s faculty in grievance over security software

An arbitrator has partially upheld a grievance filed by the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA) over the university’s requirement that faculty install third-party security software on any device used for work.  After reviewing submissions from both sides and holding a hearing in Kingston on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, arbitrator William Kaplan ruled on Friday, Nov. […]

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EU leader warns of US interference in Europe’s affairs as Russia praises Trump’s security vision

BRUSSELS (AP) — A top European Union official on Monday warned the United States against interfering in Europe’s affairs and said only European citizens can decide which parties should govern them. European Council President António Costa’s remarks came in reaction to the Trump administration’s new national security strategy, which was published on Friday and paints […]

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City, province knew for weeks that a system to filter harmful toxins was disconnected but left public in the dark, FOI reveals

On October 28, officials at the City of St. Catharines knew the filtration system designed to prevent highly toxic chemicals from leaching into the former GM property on Ontario Street and the surrounding area was no longer functional, but for weeks they have failed to tell the public. A freedom of information request by The […]

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The Supreme Court seems likely to back Trump’s power to fire independent agency board members

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday seemed likely to expand presidential control over independent federal agencies, signaling support for President Donald Trump’s firing of board members. The court’s conservative majority suggested it would overturn a unanimous 90-year-old decision that has limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members, or leave it with only […]

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The Supreme Court weighs another step in favor of broad presidential power sought by Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts has led the Supreme Court ‘s conservative majority on a steady march of increasing the power of the presidency, starting well before Donald Trump’s time in the White House. The justices could take the next step in a case being argued Monday that calls for a unanimous 90-year-old […]

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20251206 Access and Privacy Online

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, December 6th.   This week, police-worn body cameras are expanding across the country — and in some places, they’re being paired with new AI tools that raise serious questions about oversight and public transparency. We’re also watching a surge of major developments out of Alberta, from an influential access-to-information ruling to new concerns […]

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Disability advocates call for province to reverse provisions of Bill 60

The Ontario government’s proposed Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act (Bill 60) is not just a bill; it’s a ticking time bomb that will accelerate evictions and push more people with disabilities into homelessness, the ODSP ActionCoalition warns. The group says 70  per cent of Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) recipients rely on  private market rentals, […]

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First military procurements managed by Defence Investment Agency revealed

The federal government has disclosed the first eight projects to be managed by the new Defence Investment Agency. The large military procurements include Canada’s next fleet of submarines, Arctic over-the-horizon radar, and a fleet of early warning-and-control surveillance aircraft. The other projects include in-service support and software upgrades for the CC-130J Hercules transport aircraft, and […]

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Members of Congress send scathing letter to WADA over probe to find leaker in Chinese swimmer case

A bipartisan group in Congress sent a letter Thursday to the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency criticizing that group for opening an investigation into who leaked information that led to the agency clearing 23 Chinese swimmers after they tested positive for performance enhancers before the Olympics in 2021. “While WADA claims that their motivations […]

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US health department unveils strategy to expand its adoption of AI technology

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday outlined a strategy to expand its use of artificial intelligence, building on the Trump administration’s enthusiastic embrace of the rapidly advancing technology while raising questions about how health information would be protected. HHS billed the plan as a “first step” focused […]

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