Federal transparency law changes could shield government emails, text messages | The Narwhal Public interest advocates are calling for an urgent examination of proposed changes to Canada’s Access to Information law

Government emails, text messages could be shielded by federal transparency law changes. By The Narwhal's Carl Meyer. thenarwhal.ca/canada-acces... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Here’s how the Ford government is sending its public’s right-to-information laws to the bottom of Canada’s FOI pit - The Hill Times The Ontario government’s proposed changes tear apart the foundation of the 1988 Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, but, federally, we may not be too far behind.

Here’s how Ontario's Ford government is sending its public’s right-to-information laws to the bottom of Canada’s FOI pit. By Ken Rubin (paywall)
hilltimes.com/2026/04/14/h... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ontario plans massive expansion of jails over next few decades, documents show Province plans to add nearly 6,000 jail beds by 2050, documents obtained by University of Ottawa researchers through freedom-of-information laws show

Ontario plans massive expansion of jails over decades: freedom-of-info docs. "Mackenzie Plumb, a PhD candidate ... obtained [the material] ... through a recent freedom-of-information request."
theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

N.L. watchdog flagged 'potential billing fraud' for travel nurse EV rentals. We have the invoices | CBC News A critical report by Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general highlighted electric vehicle rentals charged to taxpayers by a travel nursing agency. Now, a CBC Investigates analysis of billing recor...

N.L. watchdog flagged 'potential billing fraud' for travel nurse EV rentals. We have the invoices, obtained under freedom-of-info. By CBC's Rob Antle
cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #nlfoi #nlpoli

Toronto was just days away from defaulting on troubled St. Lawrence Market project, documents reveal Documents obtained by the Star through a freedom of information show a senior manager privately acknowledging that city staff’s handling of the project could give the city a black eye.

Toronto was just days away from defaulting on troubled St. Lawrence Market project, freedom-of-info documents reveal. By Ben Spurr
thestar.com/news/gta/tor... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Federal, provincial governments reducing public access to information Critics say reforms show governments embracing secrecy

New from me for the IJF: Federal, provincial governments reducing public access to information in moves that mirror one another: theijf.org/article/gove... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Internal memo flags the promise and pitfalls of expanding CSIS's… National Newswatch: Canada's most comprehensive site for political news and views.

Internal memo, obtained under access-to-info, flags the promise and pitfalls of expanding CSIS's foreign spy role. By CP's
@JimBronskill
nationalnewswatch.com/2026/04/10/i... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #csis

Opinion: B.C. NDP used to care about access to information — not anymore Rob Botterell: With the recent introduction of Bill 9, freedom of information risks becoming freedom from information. Read more.

Opinion: B.C. NDP used to care about access to information — not anymore. By Rob Botterell vancouversun.com/opinion/op-e... #cdnfoi #bcfoi #bcpoli

Why Starting Long News Stories With Anecdotes May Have Outlived Its Usefulness Factoring in both impatience and AI

Anecdotal ledes are anachronisms: Why starting long news stories with anecdotes may have outlived its usefulness open.substack.com/pub/dicktofe... #newsmedia

Doug Ford’s FOI moves driving down support for Progressive Conservatives, survey finds Abacus Data's monthly tracking survey found Ford's Progressive Conservatives have hit their lowest level of support in almost two years.

Doug Ford's FOI moves driving down support for Progressive Conservatives, survey finds. thestar.com/politics/pro... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Canadian military members violated intelligence-gathering rules during pandemic operation: report | CBC News Canadian Armed Forces members used their own personal social media accounts, computers and networks at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and gathered information about Canadians, violating intelligenc...

Canadian military members broke intelligence-gathering rules. By Ashley Burke
"The Defence Department recently released one of the investigation reports to CBC News more than 4 years after an access-to-information request was filed."
cbc.ca/news/politic... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2026 Bill 97 from Parliament 44 Session 1 of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario: Plan to Protect Ontario Act (Budget Measures), 2026.

See Schedule 7 of Ontario's new Bill 97 for Ford govt's proposed 'reforms' of provincial freedom of information law, which will disappear vast swaths of records from citizen scrutiny.
www.ola.org/en/legislati... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

The Doug Ford government is moving to shield politicians from scrutiny. Here are secrets the new law would have kept under wraps The Star has for decades used freedom of information legislation to hold governments to account.

Ford gov't in Ont moves to shield politicians from scrutiny. Here are secrets the new law would have kept under wraps. (From TorStar)
thestar.com/news/ontario... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Opinion: Prisoners deserve more information about use-of-force incidents A new lawsuit seeks to change the way Correctional Service Canada discloses reviews of when force is used

Prisoners deserve info about use-of-force: "if a prisoner ... submit[s] an ATIP request, there’s a strong chance they won’t see it for a ... long time. [Most] requests to CSC exceed their legislated timeline, and 40 % take more than 180 days." theglobeandmail.com/opinion/arti... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Justin Ling: Ford is burying cellphone records while Carney pays lip service to transparency. Times are good for politicians with something to hide Governments across Canada are becoming more secretive. Our freedom-of-information laws have never been so critically important.

Op-Ed: Ford is burying cellphone records while Carney pays lip service to transparency. Times are good for politicians with something to hide. By Justin Ling thestar.com/opinion/star... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #ontfoi #ontpoli

BC Government May Use AI to Redact Personal Information | The Tyee As governments move to incorporate AI into freedom of information, critics raise concerns over transparency and privacy.

B.C.’s provincial government has begun using artificial intelligence in an effort to streamline its response to freedom-of-information requests, The Tyee has learned.
thetyee.ca/News/2026/04... #cdnfoi #bcfoi #bcpoli

Ford vs Transparency - Ontario’s FOI Fight and Crime Rhetoric YouTube video by Dave Trafford

David Trafford 'On the Ledge' podcast Ford vs Transparency - Ontario’s FOI Fight (starts at 12:30 p.m.) youtu.be/nO7gv99gAYI #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

New substack from me: Privy Council Office vilifies frequent access-to-info complainers as 'monopolizing' public resources
deanbeeby.substack.com/p/complainin... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Dispatch - World Press Freedom Canada Dispatch provides key updates on press freedom issues in Canada and abroad. It keeps you informed about the challenges faced by journalists, highlights our advocacy efforts, and underscores the import...

A new edition of Dispatch is out today, from World Press Freedom Canada. Articles on J-schools, police obstruction of journos, access-to-info, and more.
worldpressfreedomcanada.ca/dispatch/
#cdnfoi #cdnpoli #media

Internal files show CTA to reduce $790 fee for passenger complaints after pressure from airlines, minister | CBC News Internal documents show airlines and then Transport Minister Anita Anand pressed the Canadian Transportation Agency to scale back a proposed complaints fee — raising concerns about political interfere...

Airlines to pay lower passenger complaints fee after pressure from industry & transport minister, access-to-info documents show
cbc.ca/news/gopubli... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

A secret worst-case scenario saw Trump’s tariffs jeopardizing $27B in housing and infrastructure projects While the warning, prepared for the federal housing minister last April, didn't come to pass, the housing sector remains shaken by the U.S. trade war.

A secret worst-case scenario saw Trump's tariffs jeopardizing $27B in housing and infrastructure projects. Document obtained under access-to-info. By Victoria Gibson. thestar.com/real-estate/... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

The RCMP, the spy and the betrayal of national chief George Manuel | CBC News A declassified copy of the RCMP Security Service's dossier on the precursor to the Assembly of First Nations reveals the use of spies, infiltration and physical and electronic surveillance targeting o...

The RCMP, the spy and the betrayal of national chief George Manuel. Story based on access-to-info documents. By CBC's
Brett Forester
cbc.ca/news/indigen... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #rcmp

Transport Canada warned about WestJet seating 'hazard' weeks before viral video: documents | CBC News A WestJet flight attendant alerted the federal government to an "imminent safety risk" and called for a "prompt review" after a passenger on a flight to Calgary in November became 'stuck in his seat' ...

Transport Canada warned about WestJet seating 'hazard' weeks before viral video: access-to-info documents. By
CBC's Julia Wong
cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Thx to access-to-info, we already know what this Monday event is about: "Media Advisory - Photo opportunity: Canada to return cultural property to the Republic of Türkiye" prn.to/47ugnxn #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Ontario's privacy and information access watchdog is fact checking Ford The Information and Privacy Commission sent out an update that “provides factual information in response to the various reasons that have since been offered for the proposed change" of FOI laws in Ont...

Ontario's privacy and information access watchdog is fact checking Ford
www.nationalobserver.com/2026/03/25/n... #CDNFOI #ONTfoi #ontpoli

Carney responds to Indigenous spying program investigation | CBC News The prime minister said there should be a public apology for a spying operation targeting hundreds of Indigenous people that had the support of the federal government.

Carney says apology needed for RCMP's Indigenous spying program in 1970s. (Story resulted from CBC access-to-info requests)
cbc.ca/news/politic... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #rcmp

Why Mounties paid 5 informers to spy on Dene leaders: Inside a secret surveillance operation | CBC News Dene leaders believe the RCMP Security Service in the 1970s broke into their office in Yellowknife, bugged it, stole and leaked material while aiming to discredit them via Operation Checkmate, a natio...

Access-to-info documents reveal RCMP paid five informers in 1970s to spy on Dene Nation leaders. cbc.ca/news/indigen... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #rcmp

Public safety minister calls report of RCMP spying on Indigenous leaders ‘deeply troubling’ Canada’s public safety minister says a damning investigation that exposed widespread RCMP surveillance of Indigenous people and organizations decades ago is “deeply disturbing” — and that discussions ...

Public safety minister cites access-to-info report about RCMP spying on Indigenous leaders as 'deeply troubling' thestar.com/politics/fed... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #rcmp

Privacy commissioner challenges Doug Ford’s reasons for changing access-to-information rules Information and privacy commissioner Patricia Kosseim has filed a six-point rebuttal to Premier Doug Ford's "various" reasons for exempting himself, his cabinet ministers and political aides from acce...

Ontario's information commissioner challenges Premier Doug Ford's reasons for tightening access-to-information rules, issuing 6-point rebuttal. thestar.com/politics/pro... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Ford says privacy commissioner is ‘politically driven’ in opposing changes to FOI laws Records of premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants and their offices will no longer be subject to public disclosure, Ontario government has announced

Ford says Ont info commissioner is ‘politically driven’ in opposing changes to freedom-of-info laws. By CP's
Allison Jones
theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli