Newsletter: November 12, 2019

Weekly News (November 12, 2019)

Compiled by Ian Steinberg and Kim Payne with Sara Bannerman

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(November 5-11)

Canadian News

• [PLATFORM REGULATION] ‘Netflix tax’ a big success in Quebec; As new streaming services launch, expert says Ottawa should follow suit (Star)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook, propaganda and the obligation of accuracy (Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] All Ontario campuses complied with free-speech directive, report says (Globe and Mail)
• [NATIONAL SECURITY] Ottawa fights court order on details of spy operation at Chinese embassy (Globe and Mail)
• [HATE SPEECH] Now is the time to combat online hate (Spectator)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Opinion (Robyn Urback): Cancel culture’s lunacy: equating bad onions with bad people (Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Opinion (Susan Delacourt) ‘Block’ and ‘mute’ both better election tools than Twitter’s planned political ad ban (Star/Spectator)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Opinion (Cara Zwibel and Joan Moriarity): Yes. It is her legal right and the library’s right, too. No. Speech that incites hatred makes us less free (Star)

 International News

• [PRIVACY] 5G race could leave personal privacy in the dust (WSJ)
• [LABOUR] Black Facebook employees complain racism, discrimination have gotten worse (USA Today)
• [POLITICAL ADVERTISING] International committee calls for pause on false political ads online (Reuters)
• [PRIVACY] Census Overhaul Seeks to Guard Privacy (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY] Facebook response to privacy probe is ‘inadequate’: California AG (ABC)
• [PRIVACY] Indian WhatsApp users ask government to explain ties with Israeli firm in privacy breach case (Reuters)
• [ESPIONAGE] Ex-Twitter employee charged with spying for Saudi Arabia granted bond (Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook and Google urged to ban political ads before UK election (Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE]: Opinion (Shannon McGregor) Why Twitter’s ban on political ads isn’t as good as it sound (Guardian)

(November 5-11)

 CRTC

News Releases:

• Opening remarks at the  public hearing to consider renewing Super Channel’s broadcasting licence
• Opening remarks at the public hearing to consider renewing the broadcasting licences of four radio stations
• Telecom order 2019-370
  [2019-11-08 11:00:00]
  Independent Telecommunications Providers Association – Ratification of toll trunk rates and proposed updates to toll trunk ranges – Public record: Tariff Notice 117
• Broadcasting decision 2019-369
  [2019-11-07 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – 1395047 Ontario Inc. – Toronto, Ontario – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the third-language, general interest, ethnic specialty Category B service Festival Portuguese Television
• Broadcasting decision 2019-368
  [2019-11-05 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Radio communautaire de Harrington Harbour – Harrington Harbour, Mutton Bay and Kegaska, Quebec – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the English-language community radio station CFTH-FM-1 Harrington Harbour and its transmitters
• Broadcasting decision 2019-367
  [2019-11-05 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Cosmopolitan Television Canada Company – Across Canada – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the national, English-language discretionary service known as Cosmopolitan TV

 Copyright Board of Canada

Proposed Tariffs for the Years 2021 and Beyond:

• Access Copyright
  • Access Copyright Post-Secondary Educational Institution Tariff, 2021-2023,
    November 7, 2019
  • Access Copyright Provincial and Territorial Government Tariff, 2021-2025,
    November 7, 2019
  • Commercial Radio Reproduction Tariff (CMRRA, SOCAN, Connect/SOPROQ, and Artisti: 2021-2023), November 6, 2019
  • CMRRA/SOCAN – Non-Commercial Radio Reproduction Tariff (2021-2023), November 6, 2019
• SOCAN
• SOCAN, Sports Events (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN Tariff 22.A (Online Music Services), (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN Tariff No. 22.A.R, Reproduction of Musical Works Embedded in Music Videos for Transmission by a Service (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Internet – Commercial Radio, Satellite Radio and Pay Audio (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Internet – Other Audio Websites (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Internet – Audiovisual Content (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN Tariff No. 22.D.1.R, Reproduction of Musical Work Embedded in Audiovisual Works for Transmission by a Service (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Internet – User-Generated Content (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Allied Audiovisual Services (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Internet – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Internet – Game Sites (2021-2023), November 5, 2019
• SOCAN, Satellite Radio Services (2021-2023), November 5, 2019

 Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Canada’s access to information and privacy guardians urge governments to modernize legislation to better protect Canadians

Microsoft

• Paris Call: Growing Consensus on Cyberspace
• Microsoft will honor California’s new privacy rights throughout the United States

Twitter

• Help us shape our approach to synthetic and manipulated media

“The 42nd Parliament was dissolved on September 11, 2019.

Dissolution occurs when the Governor General, on the advice of the Prime Minister, issues a proclamation putting an end to the current Parliament, which triggers a general election.

In practice, as soon as Parliament is dissolved, all committee activity ceases and, as such, all orders of reference and committee studies lapse. No committee may sit during a dissolution.”

Senate of Canada

• No fixed and possible Senate sitting days this week.

Canadian House of Commons

• No fixed and possible House of Commons sitting days this week.

 CRTC

The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the coming week. This list may be incomplete and is subject to change without notice.

Broadcasting Decision:

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

• CILK-FM Kelowna
  Deletion of rebroadcasting transmitter
  Public record of request: 2019-0813-8

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• 2019-217 Co-development of a new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy
•  December 3, 2019 – Gatineau, Quebec
  • To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-341  View hearing documents (2019-341)

Copyright Board of Canada

Upcoming hearings:

• Non-Commercial Radio
  [CMRRA: 2003-2010; CSI: 2011-2018; Re:Sound: 2013-2018]
  Hearing: Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., Copyright Board hearing room.
  Schedule of Proceedings;
  Directive on Procedure
• Background Music
  [SOCAN: 2012-2018; Re:Sound: 2014-2018]
  Hearing: Tuesday, December 8, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., Copyright Board hearing room.
  Schedule of Proceedings;
  Directive on Procedure

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings