The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) and the BC (BC FIPA) have written a letter to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of BC (OIPC) in support of adding the BC Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) and the BC Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police (BCAMCP) as public bodies to Schedule 2 of the […]

BC FIPA has responded to the Federal Government consultation on the Open Government Partnership commitments with a highly critical examination of the government’s approach. Lack of transparency is a serious issue in this country, and not just for this government. However, the Government of Canada labours under the most archaic Access to Information law, and […]

BC FIPA has sent its submission to the Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics on the impacts of social media and ‘Big Data’ on privacy and the rights of citizens and the policy considerations that should be explored by the Committee in the context of amendments to the Personal Information Protection and Protection […]

BC FIPA has responded to the questions posed by the Information Commissioner of Canada in relation to the consultation on needed reforms to the Access to Information Act (ATIA) The consultation is being undertaken in the context of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the ATIA. BC FIPA proposes multiple amendments to the ATIA […]

The University of Victoria Environmental Law Clinic ,on behalf of BC FIPA, has a submission to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to request an investigation into the disregard of section 25 of the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) by public bodies. BC FIPA is concerned that there […]

BC FIPA and the BCCLA have sent their comments on proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). In line with BC FIPA’s commitment with transparency, these comments were submitted in lieu of confidential participation in the consultation process. The Ministry of Labour, Citizens’ Services, and Open Government is proposing […]

BC FIPA has made its submission on Open Government in response to this somewhat ad hoc consultation, which was announced by the President of the Treasury Board, the Honourable Tony Clement, on December 6, 2011. Our submission is highly critical of the nature of the consultation and its focus only on open data and technology. […]

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 […]

The BCCLA and BC FIPA have sent a joint letter to the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC regarding media reports that the office of the commissioner will be investigating ICBC’S proposed use of its photo database for the purposes of identifying suspects in the recent Stanley Cup riots. In our view, it is arguable […]

BC FIPA has responded to the Infomation and Privacy Commissioner’s investigation into proactive disclosure. The Office of the Commissioner has asked for input through a questionnaire. Today FIPA has provided its answers to the questions, its comments on what constitutes a model proactive disclosure policy, as well as its recommendations on the practice of simultaneous […]

BC FIPA presented its submission on ‘Open Government’ to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI). We have to ensure that overdue moves toward more routine release and the use of technology to make government information more widely available must also make this information useable for all Canadians. […]

BC FIPA has submitted its response to the Consultation on Copyright Reform instigated in relation to the proposed legislation in Bill C-61. BC FIPA has concerns regarding the use of Crown Copyright, provisions that would make Internet Service Providers into de facto investigative agencies for the government, and concerns with the secret nature of the […]