Access and Privacy Online

Access and Privacy Online


OIPC NS Commissioner Statement Bill 1

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston introduced Bill 1 An Act Respecting Government Organization and Administration on February 18. Strong opposition followed from the Auditor General given amendments infringed on auditor independence. Swift public backlash saw Houston withdraw some proposed changes by February 24 while leaving many others. Some of the changes that remain impact Nova Scotia’s […]

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NY governor makes case for Manhattan tolls in meeting with Trump after feds ordered a halt

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul made the case for Manhattan’s congestion tolling during an Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump after federal officials ordered a halt to the program, a spokesperson for the Democratic governor said. Hochul and Trump met for more than an hour on Friday afternoon and also discussed other issues including […]

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Judge blocks 2 federal agencies from disclosing personal records to Trump adviser Musk’s DOGE

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A judge agreed Monday to temporarily bar two federal agencies from disclosing records containing sensitive personal information to representatives of billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman in Greenbelt, Maryland, ruled that the Department of Education and the Office of Personnel Management likely violated […]

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Iowa Republicans back a bill that would strip gender identity from the state’s civil rights code

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Several protesters were arrested Monday at the Iowa state Capitol, where shouts of “trans rights are human rights” reverberated throughout the building as Republican lawmakers advanced a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity. Similar bills have been floated in recent years, […]

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Trump backs Musk as he roils the federal workforce with demands and threats

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump backed Elon Musk’s demand that federal employees explain their recent accomplishments by the end of Monday or risk getting fired, even as government agency officials were told that compliance with Musk’s edict was voluntary. Confusion and anger over the situation spawned new litigation and added to turmoil within the […]

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Information breach raises concerns about upcoming U of M campus election

The University of Manitoba Students’ Union has issued an alert about an “accidental disclosure” of member information to candidates running in an upcoming campus election.  Student names and identification numbers, as well as their school emails and faculties, were mistakenly shared with 30 campus leader hopefuls via email on Feb. 12, per a statement on […]

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Land For Homes discusses importance of knowledge and community context

Nunavut is taking another small step in addressing the housing crisis.  Land for Homes (L4H) brought together representatives from several  groups including Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), Nunavut Housing  Corporation (NHC), Nunavut Association of Municipalities (NAM), regional  Inuit associations, development corporations, and all levels of  government to talk about challenges and collaborations to remove  barriers to […]

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Trump moves with light speed and brute force in shaking the core of what America has been

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is moving with light speed and brute force to break the existing order and reshape America at home and abroad. He likes the ring of calling himself king. No one can absorb it all. By the time you try to process one big thing — he covets Greenland, Canada, […]

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20250222 Access and Privacy Online

Show Notes for Saturday February 22nd. Writing: Shaun Fisk  | Production: Patrick Farnsworth  | Music: Breakmaster Cylinder Send comments to: FIPAOnline @ fipa.bc.ca You can support these efforts by subscribing or donating.   Full Show Links Nova Scotia Bill 1   Bill 1 An Act Respecting Government Organization and Administration  https://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/65th_1st/1st_read/b001.htm  AG Requests Withdrawal of Proposed Changes to Auditor General Act   https://oag-ns.ca/media/news-releases/ag-requests-withdrawal-proposed-changes-auditor-general-act  Nova […]

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Judge upholds ban on DOGE accessing sensitive Treasury information, for now

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in Manhattan on Friday extended a ban on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency accessing sensitive Treasury Department information, but rejected broader restrictions sought by 19 Democratic state attorneys general who sued over the issue. Judge Jeannette A. Vargas issued a preliminary injunction but said she may lift […]

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Trump seeks greater control of independent regulators with his new executive order

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is moving to give the White House direct control of independent federal regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. The executive order that Trump signed Tuesday gives the president more power to shape the oversight of the financial system […]

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DOGE notches courtroom wins as Elon Musk crusades to slash federal government

WASHINGTON (AP) — Although some parts of President Donald Trump ’s agenda are getting bogged down by litigation, Elon Musk ’s Department of Government Efficiency is having better luck in the courtroom. Labor unions, Democrats and federal employees have filed several lawsuits arguing that DOGE is running roughshod over privacy protections or usurping power from […]

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