Free access to 23 million+ rows of public interest data for journalists starts today. Yes, free. Today, we launched the Free Access for Journalists program: free access to the IJF’s 23 million+ rows of public interest data for reporters across Canada. This program will give thousands of working journalists across Canada unlimited, free access to all of our public interest databases. That means no government red tape, no weeks-long waits, and no cost to access this data. That’s an investment in Canadian democracy. Learn more about this program and check your eligibility today: theijf.org/free-access-for-j…

The Department of National Defence is looking for help developing Canadian-designed robots that can locate underwater mines. But the tenders have national security exceptions applied and DND is not sharing many details. zurl.co/Trag2

After a months-long lobbying drive across the country, the Ontario government said Waymo could offer Torontonians driverless rides as early as 2028. zurl.co/pOJ4C

A former deputy minister and security adviser to Carney is a board member for a Canadian drone company that’s lobbying for defence contracts. zurl.co/JtUd2

Francesco Villi was known for harassment and threatening behaviour long before he shot six of his neighbours in a Vaughan, Ont., condo in 2022. But his gun ownership records never reflected a protection order a judge issued after complaints from his neighbours. zurl.co/wHpLm

He led the province through his “Common Sense Revolution.” His son is a cabinet minister. Now Mike Harris has started lobbying the Ontario government. zurl.co/Qx4DU

Manitoba’s police watchdog has been without a permanent civilian director for almost two years but the government is in no rush to hire a replacement, suggest documents obtained by the IJF. zurl.co/E1uR3

The cleanup of harmful leftovers from NWT’s Giant Mine is still underway, and Yellowknives Dene is pressing Ottawa over what remains unresolved from the mine’s legacy. zurl.co/MROYn

A Burnaby man has admitted to his role in a vast money laundering network linked to illegal cannabis sales. zurl.co/IAaoC

Multiple organizations, including LinkedIn and video game companies, are lobbying about online safety rules as Parliament returns to debate the Liberals' new social media bill. zurl.co/NGTwe

In B.C., you can be a city councillor and a lobbyist at the same time. But should you? An IJF analysis found four candidates who also lobby for the real estate and housing industry. zurl.co/EXGIt

Health Canada is looking for experts to test drugs like MDMA and fentanyl to better understand the risks to those who use substances and determine how the government should respond. zurl.co/5TMI3

The IJF has two nominations in the Anthem Awards, as judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. zurl.co/kdfAF

Billionaires, politicians and a National Post columnist are among those who donated a collective $1.6 million to Caroline Elliott’s unsuccessful campaign to lead the B.C. Conservative Party. zurl.co/01qIj

For the second election in a row, incumbent Vancouver school trustee Christopher Richardson is facing serious questions about his involvement with revoked charities. zurl.co/5TdZE

A federal pilot project to collect the names of Indigenous artists in Atlantic Canada, with plans to procure more works, comes amid scrutiny regarding the government’s oversight of Indigenous art. An audit revealed more than 100 pieces from a collection were unaccounted for. zurl.co/SGfsf

Food prices in Attawapiskat show how different Thanksgiving can look in the North, from the cost of store-bought food to what families can harvest from the land. zurl.co/nRc9e

After it was authorized to sell up to 49,000 EVs in Canada earlier this year, Chinese carmaker BYD wants to discuss Canada’s EV strategy as the government rolls back its ambitious sales mandate. zurl.co/hnARJ

At least 38 Indigenous people have died following encounters with Manitoba police since 2015, and only one of those cases saw officers charged in their death. The IJF asks: When a police-involved death has been deemed justified, how do you grieve? zurl.co/ISJVI

Canada’s top operator of cryptocurrency ATMs wants to find an “alternative” to the federal government’s impending ban on the devices, which it says are used to facilitate fraud. zurl.co/I9Vfd

Are prediction markets gambling or a type of investment? A battle is waging between Canadian companies and lottery corporations on how to regulate them. zurl.co/vTPZR