Weekly News (Feb. 12th-18th)

Communications Governance in the News

Compiled by Márcio E. Gonçalves

Research Assistant, Communications Governance Lab

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

Canadian News: Feb. 05 – Feb. 11, 2018

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Supreme Court backs CBC against bid to ‘unpublish’ internet story (The Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] ‘Weaponization’ of free speech prompts talk of a new hate law (National Post)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION] Trudeau to Facebook: Fix your fake news problem or face stricter regulations (Toronto Star)
• [BROADCAST POLICY] CRTC asks U.S. tech giants to hand over confidential subscriber, revenue data (National Post)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] CRTC has big internet-piracy challenge (Winnipeg Free Press)
• [ADVERTISING REGULATION] Securities regulators seek Google ad ban on cryptocurrencies, initial coin offerings (The Globe and Mail)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Same old song: The debate over copyright litigation in the music industry (National Post)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Anti-piracy group under fire for website-blocking proposal (The Globe and Mail)
• [MEDIA CONCENTRATION] Bank of Canada warns of dangers of leaving ‘superstar’ tech giants unchecked (Financial Post)
• [PRIVACY] Should the Competition Bureau be involved in the data economy? (The Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] Should Hamilton homeowners be allowed to point cameras at the street? (Hamilton Spectator)
• [HIGH TECH] Trudeau plays up Canadian diversity and education in bid for Amazon headquarters (Globe & Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF THE PRESS] New ethics watchdog asking for sweeping new powers (Globe & Mail)

International News: Feb. 05 – Feb. 11, 2018

• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION] Katie Price urges MPs to act after ‘horrific’ online abuse of son (Guardian)
• [MEDIA CONCENTRATION] EU regulators to examine Apple buy of UK music discovery app Shazam (CNBC)
• [CENSORSHIP] Kenya crackdown on media, opposition attracts heavy criticism (Reuters)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] U.N. calls for release of Reuters journalists in Myanmar (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY] Equifax contests Warren claim that breach exposed passport numbers (The Hill)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Satellite Operators Pitch Plan to Share Airwaves (Wall Street Journal-subscription)
• [MEDIA REGULATION] Brazil’s biggest newspaper pulls content from Facebook after algorithm change (Guardian)

Press Releases and Decisions (Feb. 05 – Feb. 11, 2018)

Supreme Court of Canada

• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation v. Her Majesty The Queen – and – CTV, a Division of Bell Media Inc., Global News, a division of Corus Television Limited Partnership, The Globe and Mail Inc., Postmedia Network Inc., Vice Studio Canada Inc., Aboriginal Peoples Television Network and Ad IDEM/Canadian Media Lawyers Association (Alta.) 2018 SCC 5 / 2018 CSC 5

Federal Court of Canada

• In the Matter of Rakuten Kobo Inc. v. the Commissioner Of Competition: Dismissed

o      The Applicant, Rakuten Kobo Inc. [Kobo], is a retailer of electronic books [E-books]. It sought various types of relief in relation to consent agreements [CAs] that the Commissioner of Competition entered into with three of the major publishers of E-books [the Respondent Publishers]. Among other things, Kobo requested a declaration that the CAs were unlawful and invalid, and an order quashing them

Canadian Heritage

• Statement by Minister Joly on the National Anthem of Canada

CRTC

• Scott Shortliffe to the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence
• Chris Seidl to the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

• Broadcasting decision 2018-53 2018-02-07 11:00 CBSI-FM Sept-Îles – New transmitter in Natashquan
• Broadcasting decision 2018-52 2018-02-07 11:00  CBU Vancouver –Technical changes
• Telecom order 2018-47 2018-02-06 11:00 Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of the Neil Squire Society in the proceeding that led to Telecom Decision 2017-252
• Telecom decision 2018-51 2018-02-06 11:00 CISC Canadian Steering Committee on Numbering – Consensus report CNRE121A regarding an update of unassignable NXXs in the Canadian Non-Geographic Code Assignment Guideline
• Telecom order 2018-50 2018-02-06 11:00 Bell Canada – Ex parte application
• Telecom order 2018-49 2018-02-06 11:00 Bell Canada – Interim approval of a tariff application
• Broadcasting decision 2018-48 2018-02-06 11:00 CBTK-FM Kelowna – New transmitter at Braeloch
• Broadcasting decision 2018-46 2018-02-05 11:00 CBY Corner Brook – New transmitter in St. Anthony
• Broadcasting decision 2018-45 2018-02-05 11:00 CBQT-FM Thunder Bay – New transmitter in Ear Falls

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Commissioner shares his views on privacy considerations related to the human rights of prisoners

Microsoft

• Microsoft to host smart cities event on Feb 28th 2018

Facebook

• Safer Internet Day: Teaching Children to Safely Engage Online and Supporting Parent Conversations

Apple

• Cisco, Apple, Aon, Allianz Introduce a First in Cyber Risk Management

Upcoming Events

Senate of Canada

• Planned and possible Senate sitting days this week: Feb. 12-16
• Standing Committee National Security and Defence: Examine and report on Canada’s national security and defence policies, practices, circumstances and capabilities Feb. 12 at 1:00 PM
• Standing Committee Official Languages: Examine and report on Canadians’ views about modernizing the Official Languages Act Feb 12 at 5:00 PM

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned House of Commons sitting days this week: Feb. 12-16
• CIIT International Trade: Potential Agreement Between Canada and the Pacific Alliance: Consulting Canadians Feb 13 at 8:45 PM
• CHPC Canadian Heritage: Cultural Hubs and Cultural Districts in Canada Feb 13 at 8:45 AM
• ETHI Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics: Briefing on Net Neutrality Feb 13 at 8:45 AM
• INDU Industry, Science and Technology Feb 13: Statutory Review of the Copyright Act Feb 13 at 3:30 PM

CRTC

• Anticipated releases for the week of 12 to 16 February 2018:

o      Broadcasting Decisions:

▪     Decision relating to the following application considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:

• Ebox Inc.
  Complaint alleging Bell Media Inc.’s refusal to provide certain of its programming services
  Public record for this application: 2017-0909-9

▪     Decisions relating to the following applications considered by the Commission at the 11 January 2018 public hearing:

• Golden West Broadcasting Ltd.
  CJGY-FM Grande Prairie and its transmitters CJGY-FM-1 Fort St. John and CJGY‑FM‑2 Dawson Creek – Acquisition of assets (corporate reorganization)
  Public record for this application: 2017-0802-5
• Bell Media Inc.
  CICZ-FM Midland, CICX-FM Orillia, CJOS-FM Owen Sound and CICS-FM Sudbury – Acquisition of assets
  Public record for this application: 2017-0647-5

o      Telecom Decisions:

▪     Canadian Telecommunications Contribution Consortium Inc. – Application to revise the Procedures for the Operation of the National Contribution Fund, effective 15 February 2018
Public record: 8695-C211-201708794

▪     Forbearance from the regulation of high-capacity / digital data services interexchange private line services on certain additional routes
Public record: 8638-S1-01/98

▪     Relief for area codes 236, 250, 604, and 778 in British Columbia
Public record: 1011-NOC2016-0208

▪     CISC Business Process Working Group – Consensus report BPRE096a regarding readiness of Canadian carriers to implement enhanced Transport Layer Security via Applicability Statement 2
Public record: 8621-C12-01/08

o      Open Consultations:

▪     [BROADCAST POLICY] Broadcasting notice of consultation 2017-359-2 Call for comments on the Governor in Council’s request for a report on future programming distribution models – New deadline for comments in the second phase of the proceeding: 13 February 2018

▪     [TELECOM] Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2018-5: Show cause proceeding and call for comments – Telecommunications service providers that have failed to become participants in the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services Inc. – Deadline for submission of interventions 22 February 2018

▪     Additional open consultations

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Government of Canada to celebrate International Day of Women & Girls in Science with Microsoft Research. Montréal, Quebec, February 9, 2018—Kate Young, Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Member of Parliament for London West, on behalf of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, will deliver the keynote address at Microsoft Research’s “I Chose STEM” symposium. Feb 12 at 9:35 AM
• Consultation on the Spectrum Outlook 2018 to 2022 Comments (and Reply Comments) deadline for the Spectrum Outlook Consultation have been extend until Feb 16 and March 16 respectively (http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf11359.html).
• (with Public Safety) Targeted Stakeholder Engagement on potential Implementation Models for a Public Safety Broadband Network in Canada

Parks Canada

• Consultation: Signal Hill National Historic Site Draft Management Plan closes February 28 2018