Weekly News (Nov. 13th-19th)

Communications Governance in the News

Compiled by Charnjot Shokar

Research Assistant, Networked Communications Governance Lab

M.A. Candidate, Communication and New Media, McMaster University

Canadian News: Nov. 13-19, 2017

• [CULTURAL FUNDING] Minister, media and misunderstanding (Winnipeg Free Press)
• [TELECOM] CRTC agrees to quickly consider Rogers’ request to delay wireless code revisions (Star)
• [CULTURAL POLICY] Ottawa’s refusal to tax Netflix putting some Quebec Liberal MPs in a tight spot (National Post)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Trudeau speaks out on Quebec’s veil law as he weighs legal options (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Canada Revenue Agency Obtains Broad Court Order for Years of PayPal Data (Michael Geist)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Cyber insecurity: The high stakes of data protection in an interconnected world (BNN)
• [IP] How Canada can lead the world in innovating innovation (Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Laurier launches third-party investigation after TA plays clip of gender debate (Global News)

International News: Nov. 13-19, 2017

• [BROADCAST REGULATION] The FCC just repealed a 42-year-old rule blocking broadcast media mergers (Washington Post)
• [TELECOM REGULATION] Phone companies get new tools to block spam calls (Boston Globe)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION] Hey, Mark Zuckerberg: My Democracy Isn’t Your Laboratory (NYT)
• [PRIVACY] Digital ‘totalitarian marketing’ threatens privacy and security, former advertising executive says (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] US regulators approve first digital pill to track patients (ABC)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA/FAKE NEWS] Falling for the joke: the risk of using Twitter as a news source (Guardian)

Press Releases and Decisions: Nov. 13-19, 2017

CRTC

• [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-407: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Kelowna and Nakusp, British Columbia – APPROVED – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language radio station CBTK-FM Kelowna in order to operate an FM transmitter in Nakusp to rebroadcast the programming of its national, English language network service Radio One
• [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-406: Potlotek Communication Society – Chapel Island/Potlotek First Nation, Nova Scotia – APPROVED – Application for a broadcasting licence to operate a low power Type B Native FM radio station in Chapel Island/Potlotek First Nation

Canadian Heritage

• [CULTURAL FUNDING] Creative Canada: Minister Joly Reiterates the Government’s Vision for the Future of Canada’s Creative Industries at an Event in Calgary: Creative Canada is the federal government’s new plan for supporting Canadian creators, delivering their content to a wide and diverse audience at home and abroad, and ensuring that there is always a space for the diversity of Canadian voices
• [CULTURAL FUNDING] Minister Joly Announces $1.16 Million in Funding for Anti-Discrimination and Inter-Cultural Understandings Projects: The Government of Canada is providing funding through the Inter-Action grants contributions program

Global Affairs

• Fifth round of NAFTA negotiations in Mexico City

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• [PRIVACY] Contributions Program launches annual call for innovative research and knowledge translation proposals
• [PRIVACY] OPC publishes research paper on Privacy Enhancing Technologies
• [PRIVACY] Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada co-hosting 48^th forum of the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities

Competition Bureau

• [POLICY CONSULTATION] Big data and Innovation: Implications for competition policy in Canada: This consultation takes place between September 18 and November 17, 2017 (11:59 pm Pacific time)

Microsoft

• Microsoft pledges to cut carbon emissions by 75 percent by 2030
• AI’s sharing economy: Why Microsoft creates publicly available datasets and metrics
• Strengthening our culture of inclusion

Upcoming Events: Nov. 20-26, 2017

Supreme Court of Canada

• [LIBEL / CHOICE OF FORUM] com, et al. v. Mitchell Goldhar (Ontario) (Civil) (By Leave) 37202 Hearing: Nov. 29 2017, 9:30AM Private international law – Choice of forum – Forum non conveniens – Applicable law – Libel action commenced in Ontario over an article published by an Israeli newspaper in print and on its websites – Motion to stay the action on the basis that Ontario courts lack jurisdiction simpliciter or, alternatively, that Israel is a clearly more appropriate forum – What are the limits, if any, to a Court assuming jurisdiction over an alleged libel on the internet simply because it is downloaded by somebody in Canada? – Further, under what circumstances, if any, can the presumption of jurisdiction be rebutted in cases of internet libel? – How should the principle of forum non conveniens apply to internet libel, in order to “temper the consequences of a strict application of the rules governing the assumption of jurisdiction” and have proper regard for the impact of these rules on freedom of expression? – Should the place of “most substantial harm” rather than lex loci delicti apply to determine the applicable law in defamation actions?

Senate of Canada

• Planned and possible Senate sitting days this week: Nov. 21-24

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned House of Commons sitting days this week: Nov. 20-24
• ETHI: Access to Information, Privacy & Ethics – Privacy of Canadians at Airports, Borders and Travelling in the United States & Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA): Nov. 20 & Nov. 22
• INDU: Industry, Science & Technology – Statutory Review of An Act to Promote the Efficiency and Adaptability of the Canadian Economy by Regulating Certain Activities that Discourage Reliance on Electronic Means of Carrying Out Commercial Activities, and to Amend the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act, the Competition Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Telecommunications Act: Nov. 21

CRTC

• Anticipated releases for the week of 20 to 24 November, 2017
  • Broadcasting Decision
    • Application by Canadian Broadcasting Societyto amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language radio station CBL-FM Toronto (Radio 2) by changing the authorized contours of that station’s rebroadcasting transmitter CBL-FM-4 Owen Sound, Ontario
  • [BROADCASTING] Toronto, Ontario – Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-316: The Commission will consider various applications Hearing: Nov. 27, 2017
  • [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-359: Call for comments on the Governor in Council’s request for a report on future programming distribution models 2017-359-1 – New deadline for submission of comments: 1 December 2017
  • [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-404 Call for comments on amendments to the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations: The Commission calls for comments on amendments to the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations. The deadline for the receipt of comments is 11 December 2017.
  • [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-405: Call for comments: Implementation of universal blocking of calls with blatantly illegitimate caller identification; Deadline for submission of interventions: 18 December 2017
  • [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-381: Notice of hearing – 11 January 2018 – Gatineau, Québec – Deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 24 November 2017
  • [TELECOM] Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-259-1: Call for comments – Reconsideration of Telecom Decision 2017-56 regarding final terms and conditions for wholesale mobile wireless roaming service – New deadline for second phase of interventions: 27 October 2017 – New deadline for further comments on second phase of interventions: 3 November 2017 – Revised deadline for final submissions: 1 December 2017 – File number: 1011-NOC2017-0259
  • [BROADCASTING] Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2017-365-1: Notice of hearing 30 April 2017 – Gatineau, Quebec – Applications for the renewal of services with mandatory distribution on the basic service pursuant to section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act – New deadline for submission of interventions/comments/answers: 8 December 2017- New deadline for submission of the applicants’ replies: 18 December 2017

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• [BROADBAND POLICY REGULATION] Consultation on the Technical and Policy Framework for White Space Devices: Parties should submit their comments no later than January 15, 2018.
• [WIRELESS POLICY REGULATION] Consultation on the Technical, Policy and Licensing Framework for Wireless Microphones: Parties should submit their comments no later than January 15, 2018
• [BROADBAND/PUBLIC SAFETY] Targeted Stakeholder Engagement on potential Implementation Models for a Public Safety Broadband Network in Canada: Apr. 24, 2017- 20, 2017