This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 17th. Off the top we’ll look at the latest wave of impacts on privacy and access coming from legislative changes in Alberta, with the Government at odds with the courts and independent offices. We have a cluster of stories in BC spanning privacy and access to information, in addition to…

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 10th. With major national and international events, from the new pope to the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, grabbing the spotlight, there are still plenty of other stories to highlight. We’ll start with stories from Canada’s Local Journalism Initiative and the continued fallout …

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 3rd. Our condolences go out to everyone in the Filipino community and Vancouver affected by the tragic events of April 26th. Off the top, the dust is still settling on the federal election, and we see the first of the Code of Silence Awards being handed out. We’ll look at important stor…

Election Day is Monday, April 28th! Be sure to listen in as FIPA President Mike Larsen, Executive Director Jason Woywada, and Legal Researcher Spencer Izen sit down with me to discuss Canada's Federal Election and FIPA’s surveys questionnaires and guides. Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. Send comments to [email protected] Acces…

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, April 26th. It’s Election day on Monday, April 28th! We’ll start with the historic fines and action being taken against Meta and Apple in the European Union for privacy violations. We’ll shift to the privacy and access to information stories from across Canada, including great reminders abo…

The team here at Access and Privacy Online are taking the Easter Weekend off, and we hope you all have the opportunity to do the same. We’ll be back next week with more coverage of the headlines and commentary. In particular, in the coming week, we’ll be sharing a recent lecture from FIPA President Mike Larson, where he expounds on 'why Privacy mat…

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, April 12th. We are entering week four of the federal election here in Canada. We’ll start with a few national stories before diving into the local journalism reports informed by and intersecting access to information privacy and information management across Canada. We have a couple of non-…

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, April 5th, and we are entering week three of the federal election here in Canada. On the radar this week: Police record-keeping and the growing role of AI both inside and outside the courtroom. Two scandals involving taxpayer dollars and questions of political accountability. Updates on env…

FIPA was recently at the 27th Annual Victoria International Privacy & Security Summit. It was a great event with hundreds of cybersecurity and privacy professionals from around the globe addressing the topics facing the use and protection of your personal information. We were grateful and privileged to have an opportunity to have BC Information Com…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, March 29. In this week’s cast, we see Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston moving to turn the page on Bill 1 legislative changes. We also have our weekly scan of stories from the Canadian Press that intersect with access to information, privacy, and information management across Canada, the…

The Canadian federal election is underway. In this week's commentary, join Patrick Farnsworth along with FIPA President Mike Larsen and Executive Director Jason Woywada with this week's special guest Duff Conacher, Executive Director of Democracy Watch. They’re all here to discuss the recent Ontario election and consider various tools from the non-…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, March 22. We have multiple stories that put Premier Tim Houston and Nova Scotia back in the spotlight for aggressive legislation, plus a roundup of local stories across Canada intersecting with access to information, privacy, and information management. There’s still plenty of chaos co…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, March 8. This week, while Canadian privacy and access issues remain at the forefront of our consideration, much of the attention is directed to the elephant south of the border. We do have a few Canadian stories, with a lot of US coverage, including AI-powered child monitoring battles,…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, March 8. We lead with Nova Scotia, where troubling developments that threatened transparency and independent oversight continue to see the province receive greater scrutiny Across Canada, we’ve got a packed update from the Local Journalism Initiative, covering key regional privacy and …

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, March 1st. We start with the ongoing controversy in Nova Scotia, where a government bill is raising alarms over transparency and independent oversight. We’ll also break down the Ontario election results, including responses from political parties to FIPA’s election questionnaire. Acros…

In this week's commentary, we have a difficult but necessary conversation: a BC police force is going to court over secret chat groups, following a precedent set by the BC NDP to exempt private communications from elected officials under Freedom of Information laws. Join Patrick Farnsworth along with FIPA President Mike Larsen, as we discuss the im…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, February 22nd. We lead with a troubling attack against government transparency and independent oversight in Nova Scotia. We have a lot of coverage from the Local Journalism Initiative and news outlets across Canada, exploring stories where privacy and access to information shape import…

In this week's commentary, we take a deeper dive into the Municipal disclosure of records investigative report from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for BC. Join me along with FIPA President Mike Larsen, and Executive Director Jason Woywada as we discuss the report's implications with BC’s Information and Privacy Commissioner …

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, February 15th. This week, we continue coverage of the PowerSchool Data Breach and its impact across Canada. But that's not all—other major stories in privacy and information management are making waves across the country and globally. From government restrictions on AI chatbots to Cana…

In this week's commentary, foreign chaos is disrupting cybersecurity, privacy, and access to information. In this discussion, Jim Love from TechNewsday.ca, Professor Emeritus Colin Bennett from the University of Victoria, FIPA President Mike Larsen, and FIPA Executive Director Jason Woywada joined me to examine how global instability is challenging…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, February 8th. We continue to track the nationwide fallout from the PowerSchool data breaches in Canada. We'll also take a look at a recent phishing attack targeting a BC school district, highlighting ongoing risks to educational institutions. There’s a new report from the Office of the…

In this week's commentary, a deeper dive into the recommendations in the Final Report from The Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference in Federal Electoral Processes and Democratic Institutions with FIPA President Mike Larsen. Commission Releases Final Report on Foreign Interference https://foreigninterferencecommission.ca/news/article/commission-…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, February 1st. In this week's show, we’ll start with the continued fallout from a U.S. cybersecurity data breach affecting schools across Canada. Then, we’ll explore major stories in Canada and the U.S., looking at how privacy and access to information laws impact and are impacted by re…

In this week's commentary, the full recording of the Info Summit Commissioners Series Alberta Changes Event. Legislation: Bill 33 Protection of Privacy Act Bill 33 Amendment Bill 34 Access to Information Act Bill 34 Amendment Alberta OIPC Alberta Information and Privacy Commissioner calls for changes to new proposed public sector access and privacy…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, January 25th. This week, we’ll start by covering cybersecurity concerns over TikTok and its potential replacement, Red Note. We see continued coverage of foreign and domestic data breeches affecting everyone intersecting Canadian Schools. Plus, we have updates from numerous Local Journ…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, January 18th. This week, we’ll dive into the privacy implications for Canadians amidst growing border security measures, highlight troubling trends of cyberattacks on schools, and wrap with a look back at some major stories and FIPA activities during the break, including a sneak peek i…

In this commentary, we have a special sit-down with FIPA President Mike Larsen, Executive Director Jason Woywada, to look ahead at FIPA activities for 2025. Tune in to learn about our year ahead. Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. Send comments to [email protected] Access and Privacy Commentary: https://fipa.bc.ca/research-resour…

In this commentary, we have a special sit-down with FIPA President Mike Larsen, Executive Director Jason Woywada, and the staff behind major 2024 activities. Tune in to learn about FIPA researcher Gage Smith’s work submitting to and reviewing the Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly R. Murray’s Final Report speaking to the Indigenous-led Repar…

In this commentary, we have a special sit-down with FIPA President Mike Larsen, Executive Director Jason Woywada, and the staff behind major 2024 activities. Tune in to learn about FIPA researcher Ryan Rutley’s work around Leading and Trailing Language, as well as FIPA's submission to the Foreign Interference Commission. Leading Language 2024: http…

In this commentary, we have a special sit-down with FIPA President Mike Larsen, Executive Director Jason Woywada, and the staff behind major 2024 activities. Tune in to learn about FIPA researcher Jerika Caduhada’s work around Pathways to Precarity. Pathways to Precarity: https://fipa.bc.ca/2024-pathways-to-precarity/ https://fipa.bc.ca/wp-content/…

In this commentary, we have a special sit-down with FIPA President Mike Larsen, Executive Director Jason Woywada, and the staff behind major 2024 activities. Tune in to learn about FIPA researcher Spencer Izen’s work around Access Assessments in BC. Access assessment 2024 the latest: https://fipa.bc.ca/access-assessment-2024-the-latest/ Support the…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, December 21st. In this week’s show, with the holidays upon us, we’ll start with a review of local stories across Canada, including one municipality addressing its use of Artificial Intelligence. We’ll then look south of the border to the US, where preparations for the inauguration of D…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, December 14th. We’ll start with a recent announcement from Canadian Commissioners calling for a system of Transparency by Default. We follow that with Local Journalism Initiative stories from across Canada, including one from The Pointer that sheds light on a failing proactive disclosu…

Alberta sees Bill 33 Protection of Privacy Act and Bill 34 Access to Information Act are the law of the province. In this week's Commentary, we’re joined by FIPA President Mike Larsen and Sam Delechanto of Fasken LLP to dive a little deeper and review these consequential changes. FIPA Commentary (November 27, 2024): https://fipanews.podbean.com/e/a…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, December 7th. There’s a major privacy breach in Saskatchewan with stories from the Local Journalism Initiative across Canada. We’ll take a look at stories from the United States and internationally that include big impacts on access to information and privacy. And we’ll wrap this week'…

Bodycams are being deployed by RCMP in numerous detachments across Canada. In this week's Commentary, we talk with FIPA president Mike Larsen and Dr. Brenda McPhail at McMaster University to provide a deeper dive on the security and privacy implications. Brenda McPhail is Executive Director Master of Public Policy in Digital Society, McMasters Univ…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, November 30th. In a story that has to be read to be believed, while fall means hunting season in Canada, it looks like wildlife are just the latest distribution method in gorilla marketing by scammers to capture your personal information. We’ll bring you Canadian and Associated Press s…

In this week's Commentary, with the Alberta Commissioner raising alarm bells, FIPA President Mike Larsen weighs in on Alberta’s proposed privacy laws and their potential ripple effects across Canada. Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. Send comments to [email protected] Access and Privacy Commentary: https://fipa.bc.ca/research-re…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, November 23rd. Nova Scotia is heading into the final week of its election. A troubling delay in transparency measures at a small-town council sparks debate in Ontario. AI could revolutionize emergency responses but comes with serious ethical risks—what does this mean for privacy in hig…

In this week's Commentary, we’re joined by Mike Larsen to discuss a Tyee opinion piece focused on concerns FIPA raised in the 2024 BC election. Support these efforts by subscribing or donating Send comments to [email protected] Access and Privacy Commentary: https://fipa.bc.ca/research-resources/podcasts/access-and-privacy-commentary/ Access an…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, November 9th. Election season continues. We’ll cover the latest from the US, where data security, voter privacy, and the influence of big money are front and center. Plus, we’ll look at the Access and Privacy issues coming up in Nova Scotia’s provincial election here in Canada. Plus, w…

This week's commentary is a special discussion with the FIPA staff group to review the Election Survey responses and see what we learned in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and New Brunswick after considering the responses and election results. 2024 Election Questionnaires: https://fipa.bc.ca/2024-election-questionnaires/ British Columbia: https://fi…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, November 2nd. We start with our election updates and cover Nova Scotia’s legal system as it responds to a major report on systemic racism. We have a group of stories that highlight the impact of data breaches in Canada’s federal agencies, revealing the vulnerabilities of our personal i…

Fall of 2024 brings some interesting elections in Canada and in the United States. As a Canadian organization looking south, we are often faced with some challenging concepts and interpretations. Roe vs Wade was over tuned two years ago but impacts continue to resonate. To make sense of it all, we contacted someone in our extended network with a gr…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, October 26th. We start with an election update and dive into a range of topics, from how businesses can stay safe from scams in the face of natural disasters, to international updates on freedom of expression and democratic rights. Plus, we have some insightful stories from the Local J…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, October 19th: We start with Access to Information reporting that highlights the alarming rise in the incarceration of Indigenous women, despite longstanding calls for action and reform. We shift to privacy stories that highlight the impact of data breaches in municipal government, and …

The last day for voting is fast approaching in three provincial elections. In this week's commentary, we’ll hear from FIPA president Mike Larsen about the 2024 Election Questionnaires, a tool designed to help voters compare where candidates stand on the issues of access, privacy and information management. 2024 Election Questionnaires https://fipa.…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, October 12th. This week we’ll explore a cyber breach at the B.C. First Nations Health Authority that exposed sensitive medical data, the sentencing of election denier Tina Peters in Colorado and the threats faced by the judge in her case, and a landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon…

Coming up in your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, October 5th: Quebec's bilingual municipalities challenge Bill 96, a privacy breach hits Woodstock Hospital again, and a judge overturns Georgia's six-week abortion ban. Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. Send comments to [email protected] Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.…

With three and possibly more elections in Canada this fall, we bring you a look across the country considering your political privacy. We follow that with a commentary from FIPA President Mike Larsen on recent FIPA activities that consider personal information by parties and public opinion polling. UBCIC Calls for Immediate, Concrete Action to Remo…