Newsletter: March 3, 2020

Weekly News (March 3, 2020)
Compiled by Fizza Kulvi with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(February 24 – March 3, 2020)

Canadian News

• [PRIVACY] Privacy Commissioner opens investigation into RCMP’s use of facial-recognition technology (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] 8 things you should know about Internet privacy, facial-recognition and Clearview AI (The Star)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Opinion: Geist: The USMCA cultural poison pill: Why the broadcast panel report could lead to millions in tariff retaliation
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING]: Opinion: Doyle: CBC is at its weakest in a generation, but radical change isn’t the answer (Globe and Mail)
• [DEFAMATION] Subway must pay CBC $500k for failed defamation suit over chicken (CBC)
• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] CRTC needs to take new approach on wireless price reductions, advocate says (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] In Toronto, Sidewalk Labs is getting closer to building – but what? (Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Alberta tables bill that would jail pipeline protesters for up to six months, impose major fines (Globe and Mail)
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Should Canada treat China’s state media outlets as foreign missions? This MP wants to talk about it (The Star)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Documents in Russia spy case lost or destroyed, watchdog says (National Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] When contractors are actually employees: Tax court ruling leaves caterer with massive bill (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] What are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s options for security in Canada? (The Star)
• [TRADEMARK] Sale of brewery to Labatt splits Calgary’s craft brewers in ‘Barley Belt’ trademark dispute (Globe and Mail)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Opinion: Owens & Byers: A better innovation policy: Protect ideas, don’t subsidize businesses (Financial Post)

International News

• [PRIVACY] Cellphone Carriers Face $200 Million Fine for Not Protecting Location Data (NYT)
• [LIBEL/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] 8chan’s current owner and its founder are locked in a bitter libel battle in the Philippines (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] How Facebook’s early decisions set the stage for scandal (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Huwaei seeks advisers for U.S. image makeover (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY] China rolls out fresh data collection campaign to combat coronavirus (Reuters)
• [INTERNET POLICY] Internet Shutdowns Become a Favorite Tool of Governments: ‘It’s Like We Suddenly Went Blind’ (WSJ)

(February 24 – March 3, 2020)

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• Patent and trademark agent annual maintenance (renewal) deadline: March 31, 2020

Canadian Heritage

• Investing in Arts and Culture in Victoria

 Competition Bureau

• Fight fraud this March! The Competition Bureau launches the annual Fraud Prevention Month campaign

 Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Roadmap for Open Science to reduce barriers and speed up discovery

 Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• OPC launches investigation intoRCMP’s use of facial recognition technology

 Facebook

• With More Than Half the World Online, How Do We Connect the Rest?
• February 2020 Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior Report
• Taking Action Against Platform Abuse

 CRTC

News Releases:

• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-79
  • [2020-02-28 11:00AM]
  • APPROVED IN PART – Intercity Broadcasting Network Inc. – Toronto, Ontario – Application to extend deadlines to fulfill requirements relating to additional Canadian content development contributions for the English-language commercial (specialty) radio station CKFG-FM Toronto
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-76
  • [2020-02-28 11:00AM]
  • APPROVED – CHMZ-FM Radio Ltd. – Tofino, British Columbia – CIMM-FM Radio Ltd. – Ucluelet, British Columbia – Applications for authority to change the ownership and effective control of the licensees through the transfer of all of their issued and outstanding shares to 1193833 B.C. Ltd. – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for CHMZ-FM Tofino and CIMM-FM Ucluelet.
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-73
  • [2020-02-24 11:00AM]
  • RENEWED – Bell Canada – Various locations – Broadcasting licences for the terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertakings set out in the appendix to the decision, from 1 March 2020 to 30 June 2020
• Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2020-71
  • [2020-02-24 11:00AM]
  • APPROVED – Discovery Health Channel Canada ULC – Across Canada – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence for the national, English-language discretionary service
• Telecom Decision CRTC 2020-72
  • [2020-02-25 11:00AM]
  • KMTS, a division of Bell Canada – Implementation of local competition for TBayTel in the exchanges of Kenora and Keewatin, Ontario – Public record: 8663-K1-201903071

Senate of Canada

• No relevant Senate of Canada sitting days this week.

Canadian House of Commons

• No relevant 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.

• Anticipated releases for the week of Mar 2-6
• Broadcasting Decisions:
  Decisions relating to the following applications considered by the Commission at the 5 November 2019 public hearing:
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
    English-language FM radio station in Chisasibi and licence amendment for CBVE-FM Québec
    Public record for these applications: 2019-0375-8 and 2019-0395-6
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
    CBF-FM Montréal – Licence amendments; CBFG-FM Chisasibi and its transmitters – Revocation of licence
    Public record for these applications: 2019-0374-0, 2910-0376-6, 2019-0378-2, 2019-0380-8, 2019-0382-3, 2019-0384-9, 2019-0386-5 and 2019-0392-2
  • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
    English language FM radio station in Kuujjuaq and licence amendment for CFFB Iqaluit
    Public record for these applications: 2019-0396-4 and 2019-0390-7
• Telecom Decisions:
  • Public Interest Advocacy Centre and National Pensioners Federation
    Application regarding paper billing by Koodo Mobile
    Public record: 8661-P8-201804295

Upcoming Public Hearings:

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings