RCAF wants more than 1,200 security personnel to protect F-35s, other planes: access-to-info documents. By CP's Kyle Duggan nationalnewswatch.com/2026/01/10/r... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

New from me on substack: Library and Archives waives access-to-info fee - collecting $5 from users far more trouble than it was worth deanbeeby.substack.com/p/library-an... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

A great roundup from @deanbeeby.bsky.social about the sorry state of freedom of information in Canada, and the missed opportunities in 2025.

New from me , for the IJF: Where’s the transparency? A year of unfulfilled promises on freedom of information: theijf.org/article/2025... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says province will file appeal against court ruling requiring release of his personal cellphone records under FOI globalnews.ca/news/1159987... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

New ATIA-based story from me, for the IJF: RCMP cruisers to get makeover for first time in over 30 years theijf.org/article/rcmp... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #rcmp

Ontario court rules Premier Doug Ford's personal phone records are subject to freedom-of-info law because they contain info about gov't business, and must be turned over. Province says it will seek leave to appeal. globalnews.ca/news/1159745... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Congrats to Dr. Brooks Fallis and Paul Champ #ontfoi #ontpoli #cdnfoi

I have updated my FOI tipsheets for 2026. A few changes, but not many - our governments are highly allergic to FOI reform. Find and download the tipsheets here: www.deanbeeby.ca/tools #cdnfoi #ontfoi

Parks Cda response to my access-to-info request: "Please note that certain information ... has not been disclosed." Noted. #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

In 2024, CBC lost its FOI case at the Supreme Court of Cda. Cabinet secrecy was affirmed in a ruling protecting Premier Ford's mandate letters. This month, CBC paid the Ford gov't $14,427.55 in court costs. scc-csc.ca/cases-dossie... deanbeeby.substack.com/p/cabinet-se... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

City of Ottawa emails reveal few details on rationale for 5-day return-to-office mandate. Based on documents obtain thru freedom-of-info. By Priscilla Ki Sun Hwang. cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

How internet sleuths are un-redacting some of the Epstein files. By Mark Gollom cbc.ca/news/world/e... #cdnfoi

N.S. premier using false information to justify failure to update province's FOI legislation. Thank you CP's Emily Baron Cadloff for injecting some perspective and context into these misleading claims. nationalnewswatch.com/2025/12/23/n... #cdnfoi #nsfoi #nspoli

Exclusive: Canada’s information commissioner is opposed to a government proposal to restrict her ability to compel departments to follow access-to-information laws, calling the plan a “step backward.” IJF contributing writer @deanbeeby.bsky.social has the latest. zurl.co/RVIfj

I'm dreaming of a grey Christmas. #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #broken

Comment: FOI restrictions in British Columbia continue to stain legacy of former premier John Horgan. By Stanley Tromp. timescolonist.com/opinion/comm... #cdnfoi #bcfoi #bcpoli

Toronto-Quebec City high-speed rail could see dozens of daily trains: access-to-info documents. By Maura Forrest "Draft versions of a 2023 technical briefing [were] obtained by The Canadian Press through an access-to-information request" thestar.com/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Thanks to Neil Moss at the The Hill Times for this enterprise story, digging in to the increasing number of "proactively released" federal records that are actually being censored. #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

New from me, on substack: Canadians are filing many fewer access-to-info requests as service declines markedly. deanbeeby.substack.com/p/a-shrinkin... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

And cost of operating Access to Information regime hit record high ($118m) as number of requests received plummeted (by 27.6%). #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

New annual stats on Access to Information Act posted today, for 2024-25. Topline result: worst ever on-time performance, i.e., 35.5% of requests were delivered AFTER legislated deadlines. canada.ca/en/treasury-... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Millions lost as agencies allegedly billed for fake work: access-to-info docs. Losses were reported in 2024 Public Accounts but without link to this alleged fraud. Thx to IJF for putting it all together. (Also see: deanbeeby.substack.com/p/cyber-prot...) theijf.org/article/mill... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Ottawa must identify "underperforming" public servants: internal document. By Estelle Côté-Sroka. Report was obtained by Radio-Canada through the Access to Information Act. ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/221... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

For those interested, I've posted a copy of the (redacted) internal document here: www.deanbeeby.ca/research #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Ont wants to give minister power to override freedom-of-info requests about waste management. “It is a significant erosion of a quasi-constitutional right, weakening one of the core transparency and accountability mechanisms ..." lawtimesnews.com/practice-are... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

New from me, for the IJF: Ottawa planning to make access to information even more restrictive - internal document. theijf.org/article/otta... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Newly released report from the B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association (FIPA) on systemic FOI issues in the province. fipa.bc.ca/aa/prelimina... #cdnfoi #bcfoi #bcpoli

Writer and photographer Stephen Thorne remembered as dogged, keen-eyed storyteller. By CP's Jim Bronskill ctvnews.ca/canada/artic... #cdnmedia

New from me on substack: Remembering Stephen Thorne (1959-1925), colleague and friend deanbeeby.substack.com/p/rememberin... #cdnmedia

A briefing note for the chief of the spy agency, the Communications Security Establishment, from the agency's head of ... transparency. Obtained under the Access to Redacted Documents Act. #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #cse

Nominations are open for the 2026 World Press Freedom Canada Awards, honouring journalists who confront secrecy, resist intimidation & fight for the truth. Nominate yourself or someone you admire by Feb. 17, 2026: buff.ly/dpIFbn3 #pressfreedom #journalismisnotacrime

This project started in the Stephen Harper era, but was soon criticized and ridiculed -- labelled "grotesque" by the Globe and Mail. Read the latest from @deanbeeby.bsky.social @theijf.org

New from me, for the IJF: Judge reject Indigenous representation claim in dismissing lawsuit against Parks Canada. Charity must pay $45K in legal costs. theijf.org/article/judg... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Drugs being stolen from N.L. health facilities. "CBC News requested data through access to information on the number of reported controlled drug losses at health facilities across Newfoundland and Labrador ..." By Ariana Kelland cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #nlfoi #nlpoli

King Charles III approved a new Great Seal of Canada during a visit last May. Here's a memo to PM Carney, released under access-to-info, that seals off any information about it. gg.ca/en/heraldry/... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #BROKEN

Some commercial lobster fishers say Indigenous treaty fishing threatens stocks. Gov't memo, obtained by CBC under access-to-info law, says otherwise. cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

God Save the King ... from nosy reporters like me. Obtained under the Access to Blank Pages Act. #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

Hundreds of animals killed by trains on B.C. railroads, documents reveal. "Documents [were] obtained by The Narwhal through freedom of information requests to the B.C. government and shared with CBC News ..." cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #bcfoi #bcpoli

Ontario watchdog ‘intervening’ after solicitor general ignores her transparency orders regarding FOI requests. globalnews.ca/news/1154356... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Transit violence rising across Canada — in some cities, by nearly 300%. Joint investigation by IJF and CBC drew in part on documents obtained under freedom-of-info. cbc.ca/news/canada/... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Freedom of the Press foundation along with actor John Cusack urges newsrooms to drop paywalls on their FOI-based stories. “They’re public records for a reason. They don’t belong behind a paywall,” said a spokesperson. gijn.org/stories/free... youtube.com/shorts/WZf1L... #foi

Roughly 500,000 Canadians left emergency rooms before seeing a doctor last year, data shows. The "analysis is based on data [CBC] and the Montreal Economic Institute received through freedom of information requests." cbc.ca/news/marketp... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

On June 30, 2025, the federal gov't announced the removal of 53 barriers to internal trade within Cda, after a review. Speaking of barriers, here are the results of that review report, obtained under access-to-information. canada.ca/en/intergove... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli

ICYMI - Queen Camilla was sworn to cabinet as a Canadian privy councillor on May 26, 2025. This helpful memo to PM Carney, obtained thru access-to-info, explains why. #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #BROKEN

New from me, for the IJF: RCMP cadet removed from training program following sexual assault charge. Story based on Access to Information Act request. theijf.org/rcmp-cadet-s... #cdnfoi #cdnpoli #rcmp

Shoppers Drug Mart billed Ont gov't $81M for MedsChecks over 2 years, even as COVID services waned. Data obtained through a freedom-of-info request. By @nicolebrockbank & Angela King. cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/shoppers-drug-mart-medscheck-billing-9.6981970 #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Centre for Access to Information & Justice presents: "Freedom of Information Requests and Social Science Research" With Tandeep Sidhu (UManitoba), Katrin Roots (Wilfrid Laurier University) and others Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 3 p.m. ET Audience Zoom link: us06web.zoom.us/j/84182363642

Top Durham cops oversaw 'poisoned' work culture rife with favouritism and harassment, report reveals. "The Star obtained a partial copy through a freedom-of-information request." By Abby O’Brien. thestar.com/news/gta/top... #cdnfoi #ontfoi #ontpoli

Health Canada won't explain $20M in pharmaceuticals lost from national stockpile. By CP's Sarah Ritchie Admirable digging here into the newly released Public Accounts of Canada (2025), which can be a trove of off-agenda stories. nsnews.com/national-new... #cdnpoli