Information commissioner Caroline Maynard says she will relentlessly stress the importance of transparency by default if she’s allowed to continue in her job. The Liberal government recently nominated Maynard, an ombudsman for users of the Access to Information Act, to serve another seven-year term.  For a $5 fee, people can use the access act to […]

The leader of Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservatives made clear last week that if he’s re-elected, a key change that he once supported to increase the power of the province’s information commissioner is on the back burner, if not dead.  “No, not for now,” said Tim Houston, when asked by a reporter on the second day […]

The federal privacy watchdog has opened an investigation into cyberattacks on the Canada Revenue Agency that led to more than 30,000 privacy breaches dating back to 2020.  In a news release, the office of privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne says the federal revenue agency reported the breaches in May of this year. The commissioner’s office says […]

A new watchdog report says there are fundamental issues with the use of polygraphs for security screening by Canada’s cyberspy agency. It calls for the Communications Security Establishment and the federal government to urgently address them or stop using the tests for security screening altogether. The National Security and Intelligence Review Agency says it’s the […]

When students return to Catholic schools in Ottawa this week, they will be able to use artificial intelligence to help solve math problems and create essay outlines. Their teachers, too, can turn to AI to generate lesson plans, adjust content to a student’s specific needs, and give feedback on assignments. The Ottawa Catholic School Board […]

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch data protection watchdog slapped a 290 million euro ($324 million) fine Monday on ride-hailing service Uber for allegedly transferring personal details of European drivers to the United States without adequate protection. Uber called the decision flawed and unjustified and said it would appeal. The Dutch Data Protection Authority […]

A federal advisory body is calling on Canada’s security agencies to publish detailed descriptions of their current and intended uses of artificial intelligence systems and software applications. In a new report, the National Security Transparency Advisory Group also urges the government to look at amending legislation being considered by Parliament to ensure oversight of how […]

The Liberal government said it has not yet made a decision about whether it will grant a bonus for the head of CBC after the public broadcaster eliminated hundreds of jobs. But because of the Privacy Act, it will likely be up to CEO Catherine Tait to publicly disclose if she does receive one. She […]

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Progressive Conservatives called Thursday for the removal of the chair of Memorial University’s board of regents after he forwarded an alumna’s pro-Palestinian campaign email to her father last month. In a news release, Paul Dinn, the Official Opposition education critic, said Glenn Barnes showed a “severe” lack of professionalism and judgment and […]

Ontario is the only province where inmates are regularly locked down due to staff shortages, according to expert evidence in a pair of class-action lawsuits. Former inmates of provincial correctional facilities and immigration detainees who were held there are suing the Ontario and federal governments, alleging that inmates are commonly held in their cells for […]

Some police services in Canada are using facial recognition technology to help solve crimes, while other police forces say human rights and privacy concerns are holding them back from employing the powerful digital tools. It’s this uneven application of the technology — and the loose rules governing its use — that has legal and AI […]

Ontario public school board teachers have a Charter-protected right against unreasonable search and seizure in the workplace, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled. The top court’s decision came Friday in the case of two teachers who were reprimanded after discovery of a digital log about their work-related concerns.  The matter began in the 2014-15 […]