News Summary February 7th, 2026

This is your Access and Privacy News Summary for Saturday, February 7th.  This week, access-to-information requests continue to expose deep accountability gaps—from millions in executive bonuses paid despite missed federal performance targets, to Alberta municipalities left carrying hundreds of millions in unpaid oil and gas taxes.  We’re also looking at how transparency failures intersect with human harm—whether that's labor trafficking hidden inside Canada’s temporary worker programs or privacy breakdowns affecting seniors, victims of crime, and students navigating AI in the classroom.  Internationally, Europe is taking some big steps—there's a raid of a major tech platform and evidence they are walking away from U.S.-based digital infrastructure in the name of privacy and sovereignty.  And in the United States, we’re tracking the growing consequences of surveillance-driven immigration enforcement, weak redaction practices, and the erosion of oversight norms.   Late breaking this week: Bill C-4, Part 4, is heading toward a unique Senate committee. It is not too late to contact Senators or your MP. You’ll find links in the show notes, and we'll be following developments closely.  Show Notes: https://fipa.bc.ca/nm/20260207-access-and-privacy-online  Individual Stories: https://fipa.bc.ca/tag/2026-season-episode-06  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