News Summary April 18th, 2026

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, April 18th. 

This week, we’re tracking a growing surveillance push in Canada—from federal bills that civil liberties advocates warn could expand state access to personal data to local governments in British Columbia embracing deeper camera-based policing partnerships. 

In Alberta, concerns are mounting over political interference in libraries and new reporting that suggests the government’s own health data may not match the public story it tried to tell. 

We also have fresh access-to-information reporting on Ontario’s jail expansion plans, an internal memo on CSIS’s expanding foreign intelligence role, and a strong set of stories on AI, social media, and children’s privacy.   

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260418-access-and-privacy-online

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-16 

FIPA Bill C-4 

• Bill C-4 Dashboard: https://fipa.bc.ca/fipa-bill-c-4-part-4-dashboard/  

• Bill C-4 Backgrounder: https://fipa.bc.ca/bill-c-4-background/ 

• FIPA E-petition page: https://fipa.bc.ca/upcoming-hoc-e-petition   

• House of Commons E-Petition: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Sign/e-7237   

• Donate to Help Us Reach More Canadians: https://fipa.bc.ca/pr/donate-c4/ 

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Send comments to FIPAOnline@fipa.bc.ca 

Our Contributors: 

Writing: Shaun Fisk | Production: Patrick Farnsworth | Music: Breakmaster Cylinder  

Access and Privacy Online: https://fipa.bc.ca/research-resources/podcasts/access-and-privacy-online/  

News stories through the Canadian Press and Feedly. 

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