Weekly News (May 7, 2018)

Compiled by Emmanual Appiah and Ian Steinberg

McMaster University, Communications Governance Lab

Canadian News (April 30-May 6, 2018)

[PRIVACY] Canada proposes broad law to protect elections (Washington Post)

[PRIVACY] Canadian class action begun over Facebook data scandal; Cambridge Analytica, at heart of harvesting saga, filing for bankruptcy (The Toronto Star)

[PRIVACY] Yahoo owner changes terms of service after privacy watchdog investigation (Toronto Star)

[PRIVACY] Privacy experts: EU changes will help consumers indirectly, push Canada to follow (CP via Yahoo News)

[PLATFORM REGULATION] Futrelle: Can the radicalization of ‘incels’ be stopped? (Globe & Mail)

[BROADCAST POLICY] Group of Canadian channels make their case for retaining status as mandatory (Financial Post)

[TELECOM POLICY] Pavlovic: Why one man’s victory against Bell won’t resolve telecom’s customer-service problems (Globe & Mail)

[TELECOM POLICY] The arrival of 5G wireless could turn customers into roadkill (Globe & Mail – subscriber access)

[ADVERTISING REGULATION] Vancouver YWCA aims to clean up overly sexual advertisements (The Globe and Mail)

[PRIVACY/ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Nova Scotia notifies police after new alleged breaches of FOI website (The Toronto Star)

[CROSS-BORDER DATA POLICY] Feds see internet data cloud as alternative to their creaky computer systems (The Canadian Press) (Also accessible through the National Post)

International News (April 30-May 6, 2018)

[PLATFORM REGULATION] The agency in charge of policing Facebook and Google is 103 years old. Can it modernize? (Washington Post)

[PRIVACY] UK Info Chief Orders SCL to Give Professor His Personal Data (New York Times)

[PRIVACY] Data firm at centre of Facebook privacy scandal will close (CP/Washington Post)

[PERSONAL INFORMATION] Creet: How cops used a public genealogy database in the Golden State Killer case (CP/The Conversation)

[PRIVACY] What Europe’s Tough New Data Law Means for You, and the Internet (The New York Times)

[TELECOM POLICY] Yes, It’s Bad. Robocalls, and Their Scams, Are Surging (The New York Times)

[ANTITRUST] Will T-Mobile Keep Disrupting After the Deal? (The Wall Street Journal – subscriber access)

Press Releases and Decisions (April 30-May 6, 2018)

Supreme Court of Canada

The entire collection of Supreme Court Reports is now available online for easy access by lawyers, researchers, and interested members of the public, the Court announced today.

House of Commons

Canadian Heritage (CHPC)

Study: Gender Parity on the Boards and Senior Leadership Levels of Canadian Artistic and Cultural Organizations

Industry, Science and Technology (INDU)

News Release: Statutory Review of the Copyright Act: Standing Committee on Industry, science and technology travelling details for Canada.

International Trade (CIIT)

News Release: House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade Releases Report on Multiculturalism and International Trade

Report: Multiculturalism: its Contribution to Canada’s International Trade and Investment Activities

Public Safety and National Security (SECU)

Report: Bill C-59, An Act respecting national security matters

CRTC

Ian Scott at the public hearing on broadcasting licence renewal for services with mandatory distribution on basic service in accordance with section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act

Public alerting tests to take place in Quebec and Ontario on May 7

514-BILLETS to pay $100,000 for allegedly violating Canada’s anti-spam law

Releases:

• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2018-127-1
  [2018-05-04 11:00]
  Avis d’audience – 15 octobre 2018 – Gatineau (Québec) – Demandes pour un service national de télévision multilingue à caractère multiethnique offrant des émissions de nouvelles et d’information qui, si autorisé, bénéficierait d’une ordonnance de distribution obligatoire au service de base en vertu de l’alinéa 9(1)h) de la Loi sur la radiodiffusion – Nouvelle date limite pour le dépôt des interventions/observations/réponses : 7 juin 2018 – Nouvelle date limite pour le dépôt des répliques des demandeurs : 18 juin 2018
• Telecom order 2018-148
  [2018-05-04 11:00]
  TELUS Communications Inc. – Introduction d’une nouvelle vitesse de service de résidence au Service Internet LNPA de gros – Dossier public : Avis de modification tarifaire 535
• Broadcasting decision 2018-147
  [2018-05-04 11:00]
  – APPROVED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Kamloops and Cache Creek, British Columbia – Application to amend the broadcasting licence for the English-language radio station CBYK-FM Kamloops, to operate a transmitter at Cache Creek to rebroadcast the programming of the national English-language network service Radio One
• Broadcasting decision 2018-146
  [2018-05-04 11:00]
  APPROVED – Ethnic Channels Group Limited – Across Canada – Application to add One America News Network, a non Canadian English-language service, to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
• Broadcasting decision 2018-145
  [2018-05-04 11:00]
  – DENIED – Quebecor Media Inc., on behalf of Videotron G.P. – Various locations in Quebec – Complaint by Quebecor Media Inc. against Rogers Communications Canada Inc. alleging a breach of the Wholesale Code
• Ordonnance de télécom 2018-144
  [2018-05-03 11:00]
  Streamlined Order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff applications: Northwestel Inc. TNs 1017 and 1018
• Ordonnance de télécom 2018-143
  [2018-05-03 11:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Bell Canada TN 944; Northwestel Inc. TN 1009
• Telecom order 2018-142
  [2018-05-01 11:00]
  Streamlined Order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership TN 516
• Telecom order 2018-141
  [2018-05-01 11:00]
  Streamlined Order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff applications: Bell Canada TN 7556 and Northwestel Inc. TN 1014
• Broadcasting decision 2018-140
  [2018-05-01 11:00]
  APPROVED – Carol Anne O’Brien, Barrister & Solicitor – Across Canada – Application to add Shalom World to the List of non Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2017-365-3
  [2018-04-30 11:00]
  Notice of hearing 30 April 2018 – 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 – Deadline for the filing of undertakings: 9 May 2018 – Deadline for the filing of final submissions from interveners: 17 May 2018 – Deadline for the filing of final replies by applicants: 24 May 2018
• Broadcasting decision 2018-139
  [2018-04-30 11:00]
  APPROVED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Québec, Quebec – Application to change the authorized contours of the television station CBVT-DT Québec

Competition Bureau Canada

Building trust: Draft Annual Plan outlines the Bureau’s strategy to advance competition in the marketplace

Populism, Public Interest and Competition

Are lower prices, more choices and greater innovation important to you? Help us shape the future of our advocacy work

Copyright Board

• SOCAN
  Tariffs Nos. 1.A, 1.C, 2.D, 3.A, 4.A.1, 4.A.2, 4.B.1, 4.B.2, 4.B.3, 6, 9, 15.A, 15.B, 16, 19, 22.A, 22.B, 22.C, 22.D.1, 22.D.2, 22.E, 22.G, 24, 25, 26 (2019)
  Tariffs Nos. 1.B, 2.A, 2.B, 2.C, 8, 17, 18, 22.D.3 (2019-2020)
  Canada Gazette, May 5, 2018
• Re:Sound
  Tariffs Nos. 2, 8 (2019)
  Tariffs Nos. 3.A, 3.B (2019-2022)
  Tariff No. 4 (2019-2021)
  Tariffs Nos. 6.A, 6.C (2019-2023)
  Canada Gazette, May 5, 2018

Democratic Institutions

Government of Canada introduces legislation to modernize the electoral system, making it more accessible, transparent, and secure

Global Affairs Canada

Minister Freeland marks World Press Freedom Day

Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada

Federal government supports creation of advanced manufacturing centre in Burlington

Rural and remote communities in Nova Scotia will benefit from faster Internet

Minister Bains to participate in Q&A session at launch of Inspiring Fifty Canada 2018

Office of Privacy Commissioner

Commissioner appears before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to discuss the 2018-19 Main Estimates

Google

Supporting election integrity through greater advertising transparency

Microsoft

Encouraging digital civility: what companies and others can do

Twitter

Keeping your account secure

Facebook

Getting Feedback on New Tools to Protect People’s Privacy

F8 2018: Using Technology to Remove the Bad Stuff Before It’s Even Reported

Apple

Apple Reports Second Quarter Results

Amazon

Making AI more accurate

Upcoming Events

Senate of Canada

Fixed & possible sitting days: May 7-11, 2018

House of Commons

Sitting days: May 7-11, 2018

Canadian Heritage (CHPC):

• Gender parity on the boards and senior leadership levels of Canadian artistic and cultural organizations (Tuesday)

Industry, Science and Technology (INDU):

• Statutory Review of Copyright Act (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)

Supreme Court of Canada

Hearing: 2018-05-23: Vice Media Canada Inc., et al. v. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (Ontario) (Civil) (By Leave) 37574

• Constitutional law – Charter of Rights – Constitutional law — Charter of Rights — Fundamental freedoms — Freedom of the press — Criminal law — Evidence — Search warrant — Production order — Production order issued for records of communications between journalist and source who is under investigation for terrorist activity — Whether production, sealing or non-publication order should have been set aside —How balancing test under third factor set out in Canadian Broadcasting Corp. v. Lessard, [1991] 3 S.C.R. 421, for issuing search warrant for media premises, should apply to journalist-source communications? — How should courts assess and weigh “chilling effect” of production order on media’s news-gathering abilities? — If at all, how should courts assess and weigh probative value and usefulness of material sought by means of production order, in terms of its actual value to criminal investigation or to prosecution of crime? — What standard of review should superior courts apply in reviewing ex parte production orders targeting media, to ensure that due consideration and weight is given to Lessard factors?

CRTC

Anticipated releases for the week of 7 to 11 May 2018

Broadcasting Decisions: 

Decisions relating to the following applications considered under the Commission’s Part 1 process:

• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  CBAF-FM Halifax and its transmitter CBAF-FM-14 Sydney –Technical changes
  Public record for this application: 2018-0053-2
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  CBI Sydney and CBIS-FM Sydney – Technical changes
  Public record for this application: 2018-0054-0
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  CBI-FM Sydney – Technical changes
  Public record for this application: 2018-0056-6

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

• Faith Baptist Church of Sydney
  Christian music FM radio station in the Greater Sydney Area
  Public record for this application: 2016-1248-2
• United Christian Broadcasters Media Canada
  New Christian music FM radio station in Regina
  Public record for this application: 2017-0160-8

CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings

CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings