Report: legal protections needed to catch-up with genetic technology
The BCCLA is issuing a report today that calls for legal protections to catch-up with advances in genetic technology. Genetic technologies have inherent risks because they provide highly sensitive information which can, or one day could, limit opportunities in employment, schooling and insurance matters.
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January 19, 2012
Report says Canada moving towards a surveillance society with “Lawful Access” proposals
The BCCLA has issued a timely and comprehensive report on soon-to-be introduced “lawful access” bills to expand police surveillance powers.
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January 13, 2012
(Un)lawful Access? Vancouver Premiere & Panel Discussion
Micheal Vonn, Policy Director for the BC Civil Liberties Association, will speak at the Vancouver premiere of the mini-documentary (Un)Lawful Access? Canadian Experts on the State of Cyber-Surveillance.
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January 12, 2012
Human rights groups: STOP HIV/AIDS project fails to inform patients of new privacy risks
On the eve of World AIDS Day, the BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network are calling on the STOP HIV/AIDS Project to stop disseminating misleading information about privacy protection in its public campaign to encourage everyone to have an HIV test.
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November 30, 2011
New bill means less privacy, no improvement to ailing FOI process
The BC Civil Liberties Association and the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association are raising the alarm over amendments to the Freedom of Information and Protect of Privacy Act introduced yesterday.
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October 5, 2011
BCCLA Says Omnibus Crime Bill Too Big for Proper Debate; Controversial Internet Surveillance Bills Should be Addressed Separately
The BCCLA is calling the government’s proposed omnibus crime bill “inherently problematic”. The government has committed to introducing and passing a massive omnibus crime bill incorporating a number of very different pieces of legislation. The Association says that disparate bills combined in an omnibus package prevent the component bills from being properly studied and debated. Among the Association’s specific concerns is the likely inclusion of bills to increase surveillance of telecommunications and provide warrantless access to telecommunications customer data.
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June 24, 2011
Bill C‐29, An Act to amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
Letter to House of Commons Standing Committee on
Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics
expressing concerns that the Bill might pass through the
Committee with minimal debate.
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November 22, 2010
BCCLA supports class action against DNA database
The BCCLA welcomes the news that a Vancouver parent is launching a class action lawsuit against the Province following revelations that B.C. had been secretly storing 800,000 DNA records without consent.
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May 16, 2010
BCCLA opposes bill for more school video surveillance
The BCCLA has made a submission to the British Columbia Legislative Assembly urging that a new bill on video surveillance in schools be dropped.
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May 14, 2010
New law may create largest DNA database in Canada
Recent revelations that B.C.’s health authorities are secretly storing and testing children’s DNA without parental consent, combined with provisions of Bill 11 that allow B.C.’s Minister of Health to gather information like these DNA records without notice or consent, have resulted in a call from the BCCLA for the government to retract the bill and the health authority to destroy the records. The new law and the records combined may create the largest DNA database in Canada.
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May 12, 2010
Groups Call on Premier to Bring BC Ferries Back Under FOI Act
The BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, the BCCLA, and the Canadian Taxpayers Federation sent a letter to Premier Gordon Campbell today calling for the return of BC Ferries to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
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November 16, 2009
