The Liberal government has outlined a variety of steps intended to make the much-criticized Access to Information system work better, including new guidance on disclosure of historical records. But the new plan makes it clear any changes to the federal access law will have to wait until after the next formal review, set to begin […]

HALIFAX — A Canadian centre that promotes democracy around the world is calling for an overhaul of Nova Scotia’s freedom of information law to reduce exemptions and give the appeal process more teeth. The Centre for Law and Democracy is among the early submitters to an internal review committee created by the Progressive Conservative government, about two […]

Freedom-of-information or access-to-information laws are not something that the average person thinks about every day, but they are a part of laws in every province and territory in the country and are designed to give people the right to obtain records from public institutions. Having access to the information they need to make informed decisions […]

Media Release A small step towards open and transparent government Vancouver, February 5, 2019 – The B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association is pleased with the recommendations made by the province’s top watchdogs to bring the Legislative Assembly of B.C. under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). Signed by Information […]

How the government’s action regarding the long-overdue FIPPA reform reflects our collective attitudes towards political issues By Carlo Javier We have an interesting relationship with our rights – especially those dealing with our freedom to access information and privacy. On one hand, conversations around such issues have certainly become more welcome in the general Canadian […]

Access in the Academy, developed by the Freedom of Information and Privacy Association and Mike Larsen of Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Instructor, Dept. of Criminology), and generously funded by the Law Foundation of British Columbia, is a brand new educational resource that provides a unique and practical look at how researchers, students, and others in the […]

BC FIPA’s intervener’s factum in SCC 34828 (case docket at SCC website).  BC FIPA takes the position that greater deference to the adjudicative tribunal should have been taken by the lower court and that “access to information legislation, such as in Ontario and British Columbia, fulfils a particularly critical role in nourishing our democracy. It creates […]

In this issue: 2012 BC Informatiion Summit tackles “Government 2.0” Just Rewards: Darrell Evans awarded Grace-Pépin Access to Information Award OIPC to investigate government’s failure to post FOI requests after FIPA complaint BC election law still has constitutional problems despite BC Court of Appeal ruling Lock Down: wall of secrecy around Ministry of Health privacy […]

BC FIPA has sent a submission the the Vancouver Police Board regarding the Vancouver Police Department’s (VPD) policy of simultaneous disclosure of responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. BC FIPA notes that the BC Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner concluded that this practice violates the fundamental purpose of the Freedom of Information […]

BC FIPA presented its submission to the Alberta Legislative Standing Committee on Health review of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). The submission consists of an extensive report prepared by journalist and researcher, Stanley L. Tromp. Based on a comparative analysis of FOI laws around the world it makes 79 recommendations […]

BC FIPA presented its submissions to the Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) BC FIPA makes 20 recommendations for improving FIPPA which touch on multiple issues of concern. Regarding freedom of information, there are two sides to a single existential coin. In order for the Act to […]

BC FIPA has presented its submisson on the Anti-terrorism Act to the House of Commons Subcommittee on Public Safety and National Security. The submission, titled “Canada’s Anti-terrorism Act: an unjustified limitation of freedom of information and privacy rights” lays out BC FIPA’s position on the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) and how it threatens freedom of information […]