Access and Privacy Online

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 16th. 

This week, we begin in Alberta, where the voter list breach continues to widen—with Elections Alberta warning that the number of people who accessed the data may be incomplete, while privacy, election, and police investigations continue. 

We then turn to a network update on political privacy, Bill C-25, Bill C-22, and B.C.’s Bill 9—all part of a broader national debate about who controls personal information and who gets access to public records. 

We’ll also look at connected cars, after General Motors agreed to a record California privacy penalty for selling driver data. 

And we’ll examine the Canvas cyberattack affecting thousands of schools, along with privacy stories involving PowerSchool, body cameras, medical AI, tax account breaches, and public accountability.  

All before we dive into other stories from the week. Don’t forget you can find links to all the reporting that informs these summaries in our show notes. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260516-access-and-privacy-online

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-20 

FIPA Voter Privacy 

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

• Voterprivacy.ca: www.voterprivacy.ca  

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

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

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

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, Feedly, and ICLMG. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay 

FIPA President Mike Larsen reflects on the Alberta elector data breach.  

In this commentary, he considers that when political parties are left outside meaningful privacy rules, sensitive democratic data can be collected, shared, and exposed without proper accountability.  

Mike connects the Alberta breach to federal developments in Ottawa, including Bill C-25 and the earlier Bill C-4 changes. And he asks a direct question:   

Should political parties be trusted to regulate themselves when handling Canadians’ personal information? 

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

Send comments to FIPAOnline@fipa.bc.ca 

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

Voterprivacy.ca: www.voterprivacy.ca 

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

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

News stories through the Canadian Press and Feedly. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay  

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 9th. 

This week, we begin with the still-unfolding Alberta voter list breach, where nearly three million electors' personal information may have been exposed through a searchable database tied to separatist organizing. 

The latest developments now include investigations by Elections Alberta, the RCMP, and Alberta’s Privacy Commissioner—along with serious questions about whether recent changes to Alberta election law made it harder for the watchdog to act sooner. 

We’ll also look at the national implications of that breach, including why FIPA and civil society partners launched VoterPrivacy.ca and are calling for real privacy rules for political parties. 

On access to information, we track major transparency concerns in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, a quick note on developments in BC, and how access leads to better accountability, revealing public health, education, and governance issues across the country. 

Don’t forget you can find links to all the reporting that informs these summaries in our show notes. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260509-access-and-privacy-online 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-19

FIPA Voter Privacy 

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

• Voterprivacy.ca: www.voterprivacy.ca  

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

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

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

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, Feedly, and ICLMG. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay 

 

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 2nd. 

This week, we begin with a developing voter privacy story out of Alberta. 

Elections Alberta says there was no breach of its own systems—but that a copy of the provincial List of Electors, provided to a legitimate political recipient, may have been used or distributed inappropriately.  

A court injunction has now ordered the Centurion Project to take down an online database containing voter information and to identify who received or accessed the list. 

It is a sharp reminder that voter data is not just campaign infrastructure. It is sensitive personal information about people’s homes, identities, and participation in democracy. 

We’ll also look at youth privacy and digital citizenship, Manitoba’s proposed social media ban for children, a new health research consent system in Nova Scotia, and Ontario’s sweeping changes to freedom-of-information law. 

And later, we turn to access and whistleblower stories across Canada before closing with U.S. and international developments on voter data, political violence, prediction markets, health-data breaches, and child safety online. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260502-access-and-privacy-online 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-18 

FIPA Voter Privacy 

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

• Voterprivacy.ca: www.voterprivacy.ca  

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

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

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

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, Feedly, and ICLMG. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay 

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, April 25th. 

This week, access-to-information rights are under pressure in Ontario and British Columbia, civil society is warning Parliament about Bill C-22, and new Ipsos polling shows Canadians want stronger privacy rules for federal political parties. 

We’ll also look at FOI records, AI policy, connected vehicles, and major privacy and rights stories from the United States and Europe. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260425-access-and-privacy-online 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-17 

FIPA Voter Privacy 

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

• Voterprivacy.ca: www.voterprivacy.ca  

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

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

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

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. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay 

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/ 

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

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. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, April 11th. 

This week, we’re tracking a troubling new phase in the pressure on access and privacy rights across Canada. 

In British Columbia, the provincial government has confirmed it is now using artificial intelligence tools in freedom of information processing, even as concerns grow about transparency, accountability, and the lack of a clear public framework. We’ll also look at how FIPA brought those broader concerns to the Privacy and Access Council of Canada this week, as the pattern of so-called modernization continues to narrow access rights in multiple provinces. 

Elsewhere, Ontario’s government is facing backlash over sweeping budget legislation that would retroactively shield political records from freedom-of-information law, while in Alberta, access-obtained documents raise fresh concerns about ideological influence over public education. 

And internationally, the pressure is rising on Big Tech, as courts and governments take a much harder line on youth social media harms and platform accountability. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260411-access-and-privacy-online  

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-15  

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/ 

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

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. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay 

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, March 28th. 

This week, Ontario’s government is moving to shield political records from access-to-information laws, and it has set up a direct clash with the province’s independent privacy commissioner. 

At the federal level, a new bill aimed at protecting Canada’s electoral system is raising early questions—including whether privacy concerns are addressed. 

We’re also tracking cybersecurity developments across Canada, including fallout from the Nova Scotia Power breach and a blackmail attempt targeting a sitting legislator. 

Internationally, a U.S. jury has found Meta responsible for harms to children, as governments continue to look at how to regulate social media and artificial intelligence. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260328-access-and-privacy-online 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-13 

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/ 

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

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. 

Available through: PodBean, Apple iTunes,  YouTube, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM. ListenNotes,  Podchaser, Boomplay