Access and Privacy Online

Brief Update: Bill C-4 and FIPA's Upcoming AGM

We've had a busy week with lots going on, and we plan to be back with our regular show next week. We will certainly be covering Bill C-4  and its impact on Canadian Privacy and political parties.

Given FIPA’S intervenor status with Liberal Party of Canada v. The Complainants, we will be watching closely and reporting on that in the coming weeks.

Learn more about Bill C-4: https://fipa.bc.ca/bill-c-4-2025/

If you're still on X, you can also let us know if you trust Canadian federal political parties with your personal information: https://x.com/bcfipa/status/1930858575133642812

Plus, we have the FIPA Annual General Meeting set for June 30th, so be sure to check out the FIPA website for more information: https://fipa.bc.ca/2025-agm-notice/ 

News Summary May 31st, 2025

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 31st.  

Nova Scotia is back in the privacy and cybersecurity spotlight as a sophisticated ransomware attack triggers a probe and fallout from Nova Scotia Power’s data breach. 

We have our regular summaries of privacy, access to information, and whistleblower stories from Canada and across the world. 

And we’ll wrap up with FIPA’s review of public body practice against public expectations — finding some major gaps in British Columbia. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/20250531-access-and-privacy-online/ 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2025-season-episode-22/ 

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 

Commentary: Alberta Troubles

There’s trouble in Alberta's access and privacy landscape. Recent investigations found the Alberta government is not complying with freedom of information laws, with the Information and Privacy Commissioner confirming significant non-compliance in processing access requests. Additionally, a court ruled portions of Alberta's Personal Information Protection Law unconstitutional, spotlighting ongoing tension between government policies and privacy rights. 

Join me, FIPA president Mike Larsen, Executive Director Jason Woywada, and legal advisor Samantha Delechantos of Fasken LLP as we unpack what these developments mean for public transparency and privacy in Alberta. 

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

Send comments to FIPAOnline@fipa.bc.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  

News Summary May 24th, 2025

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, May 24th.  

Off the top, an American hacker pleads guilty in the PowerSchool data breach, while a controversial Trump-backed snitch line raises alarms as it can collect information on Canadians. 

We also cover significant data breaches and cyber incidents affecting global companies, including a major development concerning your genetic data if you've ever used 23andMe. 

Finally, we'll preview an upcoming discussion on the troubling state of privacy and access to information in Alberta. 

Strange days indeed—let's dive in.  

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/20250524-access-and-privacy-online/ 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2025-season-episode-21/ 

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 

Commentary: Privacy Matters

FIPA President Mike Larsen recently delivered a lecture focusing on Surveillance & Privacy.  It’s something we thought our regular listeners would be interested in, and we’ve recorded a version for this week's commentary.  

Let's take a look at 'why Privacy matters, and why it matters right now'.  

Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

Send comments to FIPAOnline@fipa.bc.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  

News Summary May 17th, 2025

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 a troubling instance where the government appears ready to attack a whistleblower rather than the problem the whistleblower revealed.  

Plus, if you are in the United States, it is becoming increasingly important to travel with your papers as Trump ICE Authorities are detaining people in traffic stops while border patrol agents are detaining and questioning people they believe may be opposed to the President.   

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/20250517-access-and-privacy-online/ 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2025-season-episode-20/ 

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 

 

News Summary May 10th, 2025

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 from this past winter’s school data breaches. We’ll follow that up with a scan of major stories from the Canadian Press, and wrap with our regular U.S. scan and look around the globe. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/20250510-access-and-privacy-online/ 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2025-season-episode-19/ 

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 

News Summary May 3rd, 2025

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 stories impacting access to information, privacy, and information management across Canada and around the globe. 

And we’ll wrap up with a concerning development in British Columbia, where Northern Health Authority is being taken to court by an independent office of the legislature, signaling a troubling breakdown in transparency and accountability. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/20250503-access-and-privacy-online/ 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2025-season-episode-18/ 

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