Weekly News (Sept. 18th – 24th)

Upcoming Events

• Senate of Canada
  • Planned and possible Senate sitting days this week: Sept. 19-22, 2017
  • SOCI: Social Affairs, Science, and Technology study on the role of robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence in the healthcare system: consideration of a draft report
  • TRCM: Transport Communication study on the regulatory and technical issues related to the deployment of connected and automated vehicles: consideration of a draft agenda

• Canadian House of Commons
  • Planned House of Commons sitting days this week: Sept. 18-22, 2017
  • [PRIVACY] ETHI: Access to Information, Privacy & Ethics – Privacy of Canadians at Airports, Boarders, and Traveling in the United States
  • CHPC: Canadian Heritage – Committee Business & Systemic Racism and Religious Discrimination
  • INDU: Industry, Science and Technology – Committee Business: Planning of Future Business
  • CIIT: International Trade – Priorities of Canadian Stakeholders in Bilateral and Trilateral Trade in North America
    • Appearance by Michael Geist Monday Sept. 18, 2017, 4:30-5:30

• CRTC:

  • Anticipated releases for the week of 18 to 22 September, 2017:

    Broadcasting Decisions:

    Applications by CIAM Media & Radio Broadcasting Association to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language radio station CIAM-FM Fort Vermilion, Alberta, in order to operate rebroadcasting transmitters in Burnt Hills and Saskatoon Hill, Alberta, and Rose Prairie and Boston Bar, British Columbia

    Application by Rogers Media Inc. for a one-year extension to fulfil the tangible benefits commitments relating to the change in effective control of The Score Television Network Ltd. to Rogers, and its acquisition of Sportsnet 360

    Application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to use the subsidiary communications multiplex operations channel of CBL-FM Toronto, Ontario (Radio 2), to broadcast a predominantly Tamil-language radio service

    Application by Radio Montmagny inc. to amend the broadcasting licence for the French-language commercial radio station CIQI-FM Montmagny

    Application by Canal Évasion inc. to amend the broadcasting licence for the Category A discretionary service Évasion (formerly Canal Évasion)

    Telecom Decision:

    Bell Canada – Various applications related to Bell Canada’s dedicated wholesale high-speed access services (legacy and fibre-to-the-node)
    File numbers: 8661-A117-201314145; Bell Aliant Tariff Notice 482; Bell Canada Tariff Notices 7429 and 7503

  • [BROADCASTING] Gatineau, Quebec (October 16, 2017) – Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-160: Renewal of the broadcasting licenses for terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings that will expire in May 2018

• Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada
  • [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Ottawa, Ontario (September 26, 2017) – Right to Know Conference

Press Releases and Decisions

CRTC Decisions

• [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-334: Addition of Star International to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
• [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-332: CJMP-FM Powell River – Technical changes
• [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-331: CHOD-FM Cornwall – New transmitter in Dunvegan
• [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-330: Exempted terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking serving fewer than 20,000 subscribers – Revocation of licence
• [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-329: Addition of various non-Canadian programming services to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
• [TELECOM] Telecom Order CRTC 2017-333: Northwestel Inc. – Interim approval of tariff applications
• [TELECOM] Telecom Order CRTC 2017-328: Northwestel Inc. – Interim approval of a tariff application
• [TELECOM] Telecom Order CRTC 2017-312-1: Interim rates for disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services in Ontario and Quebec

Federal Court of Canada

• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Canada (Office of the Information Commissioner v. Canada (Prime Minister) – The Information Commissioner of Canada challenges the denial of a reporter’s 2013 request for copies of certain records held by the Privy Council Office relating to Senators Mike Duffy, Mac Harb, Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin.

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• [PRIVACY] OPC launches investigation into Equifax breach
• [PRIVACY] Information regarding the Equifax breach
• [PRIVACY] Privacy Commissioner submits his views for the study of Bill C-49 / Letter to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities regarding the study of Bill C-49, the Transportation Modernization Act

Canadian News

• [PRIVACY] Canada’s privacy watchdog launches probe into Equifax hack (The Star)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Judge orders government to release documents on Senate scandal that were improperly withheld (The National Post)
• [CRTC] Bains defends spectrum advantage for smaller players (The Globe and Mail)
• [INTERNET] ‘Moving from megabytes to gigabytes:’ Ottawa pledges $50M for Arctic Internet (National Post)
• [CENSORSHIP] NAFTA is the wrong venue to govern digital trade (The Globe and Mail)

International News

• [E-PRIVACY] Progress on Draft ePrivacy Regulation – EU Council Publishes Proposed Amendments (Hunton & Williams Global Privacy Blog)
• [PRIVACY] UK Government Introduces Draft Data Protection Bill to Parliament (Hunton & Williams Global Privacy Blog)
• [PRIVACY] EU Publishes Measures to Strengthen EU Cybersecurity Structures and Capabilities (Hunton & Williams Global Privacy Blog)
• [E-PRIVACY] CIPL Issues Comments on the Proposal for an ePrivacy Regulation in the European Union (Hunton & Williams Global Privacy Blog)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] FBI’s ‘Foreign Agent’ Probe Into Sputnik is ‘Direct Threat to Press Freedom’ (Sputnik International)