Access and Privacy Online

News Summary February 21st, 2026

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This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, February 21st. 

This week, the Senate delivers a significant report on Bill C-4, Part 4, with a majority of committee members warning that the proposed political party privacy regime falls far short of minimum standards—and recommending that it be removed, severed, or sunset. 

We’re also tracking how access-to-information requests continue to expose accountability gaps—from more than 1,500 Canadians serving in the Israeli military to unanswered questions about how many patients are overdosing inside B.C. hospitals. 

At the local level, we look at environmental enforcement concerns in Kahnawà:ke, farmland preservation battles in Ontario, and record deficits in New Brunswick. 

And internationally, voter data seizures, police database abuse, AI identity disputes, and even iPhone security features are raising urgent questions about how personal information is protected—or misused. 

Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260221-access-and-privacy-online 

Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-08 

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/ 
      • Send a message to members of parliament: https://fipa.bc.ca/c-4-email-to-mps/ 
        • Send a message to Senators: https://fipa.bc.ca/c-4-email-to-senators/ 
          • Bill C-4 Resources: https://fipa.bc.ca/bill-c-4-resources/ 
            • Donate to Help Us Reach More Canadians: https://fipa.bc.ca/pr/donate-c4/ 

              • Support these efforts by subscribing or donating. 

              Send comments to [email protected] 

              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 

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              Access and Privacy OnlineBy Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA)