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  1. Communications Governance Observatory
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  4. Newsletter: February 17, 2021

Newsletter: February 17, 2021

Posted on March 10, 2021
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Weekly News (February 17, 2021)

Compiled by Emmanuel Appiah, Meaghan Wester, and Nick Gertler with Sara Bannerman, Fenwick McKelvey, Guillaume Dandurand, Marek Blottière, and Kevin Morin

This week’s newsletter includes additional links to articles made available through Factiva via McMaster and York respectively.

The Communications Governance Discussion Group meets every few weeks by Zoom.  Email organizer Derek Hrynyshyn <derekh@yorku.ca> for details.

(February 9-16, 2021)

Canadian News

  •      [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Mike Ward’s case before Supreme Court tests limits of artistic freedom (Canadian Press via CBC News; Similar article at McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Mike Ward joue sa dernière chance en Cour suprême (Le Devoir) [PLATFORM REGULATION/NEWS] Google news deals won’t pre-empt bill: minister (National Post)
  • [PLATFORM REGULATION/NEWS] Microsoft calls on Canada to back Australian model (Financial Post; McMaster; York)
  • [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Prominent Canadians rally to save Radio Canada International one more time (Canadian Press via National Post; McMaster; York)
  • [TRADEMARK] ‘At the Hundredth Meridian,’ where the lawsuits begin (The Toronto Star; McMaster; York)
  • [PATENTS/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Tobi vs. Goliath: How Shopify is bracing for a looming battle with Amazon (The Globe and Mail; McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] Saskatchewan judge rules university must give professor oil and gas research info (The Canadian Press)
  • [TELECOM POLICY] Telecoms take $240M from wage subsidy (The Hamilton Spectator)
  • [SECURITY INTELLIGENCE] Canadian spy chief calls China strategic threat (The Globe and Mail)
  • [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION) First Nations agree to COVID-19 data-sharing agreement with B.C., but say deal flawed (Vancouver Sun; McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Legault veut « protéger notre liberté d’expression » (La Presse) [PRIVACY/PERSONAL INFORMATION] TTC wins fight to display badge numbers (Toronto Star; McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Ex-Hamilton crossing guard says ‘freedom of expression’ at heart of claim against city (The Hamilton Spectator; McMaster; York)
  • [CULTURAL FUNDING/PLATFORM REGULATION] Opinion: Drouin et Skolnik: Notre souveraineté culturelle est en jeu (Le Devoir)
  • [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Opinion: Fournier: Catherine Tait a presque tout vrai (Le Journal de Montréal)
  • [MEDIA OWNERSHIP/PUBLISHING] Opinion: Kate Edwards: Merger of publishing giants a concern for Canadian writers and readers (The Toronto Star; McMaster; York)

International News

  •     [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/INCITEMENT] Trump, Giuliani Accused of Conspiring to Incite U.S. Capitol Riot in New Lawsuit (Wall Street Journal; McMaster; York)
  • [TELECOMMUNICATIONS/NATIONAL SECURITY] Huawei Files U.S. Lawsuit Disputing That It Is a Security Threat (The Wall Street Journal; McMaster; York)
  • [DEFAMATION/FREEDOM OF THE PRESS] Fox Moves to Dismiss Voting-Machine Suit (The Wall Street Journal; McMaster; York)
  • [PLATFORM REGULATION/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] India chides Twitter for not complying with blocking orders (The Associated Press via CTV News; McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/PLATFORM REGULATION] Mexico social media plan is a ‘definite violation’ of North American trade deal, industry says (Reuters; McMaster; York)
  • [PLATFORM REGULATION] Australia says Google, Facebook close to media pay deals (The Globe and Mail)
  • [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/MISINFORMATION] Facebook bans misinformation about all vaccines after years of controversy (The Guardian)
  • [PRIVACY] Google apps feel strain as firm’s privacy standoff with Apple drags on (The Guardian)
  • [PRIVACY] Facebook may have vastly overpaid in data privacy settlement – court filing (Reuters; McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF SPEECH/PRIVACY] Myanmar Proposes Crackdown on Free Speech in an Effort to Stifle Protests (New York Times; McMaster; York)
  • [CENSORSHIP/PIRACY] China Nudges Accused Video Pirates Down the Plank, Stirring Frustration Over Censorship (The Wall Street Journal; McMaster; York)
  • [WHISTLEBLOWING/PRIVACY] US government appeals UK ruling against Julian Assange’s extradition (The Guardian)
  • [LIBEL] Polish Court Orders Scholars to Apologize Over Holocaust Study (New York Times; McMaster; York)
  •  [PLATFORM REGULATION/TAXES] U.S. eyes flurry of new taxes on Amazon, Facebook and Google, trying to force tech to pay its ‘fair share’ (Washington Post; McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/NEWS MEDIA] Polish news outlets protest proposed tax, calling it ‘extortion’ (The Washington Post; McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/BROADCAST] EU calls on China to reverse ban on BBC World News channel (Reuters; McMaster; York)
  • [PRIVACY] Aiming to Cash In on Data, European Firms Grapple With Privacy Laws (The Wall Street Journal; McMaster; York)
  • [PRIVACY] TikTok hit with consumer law breaches complaints across Europe (Reuters)
  • [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] It was a milestone for Mexico’s democracy. Now, López Obrador wants to get rid of the country’s freedom of information institute. (The Washington Post; McMaster; York)
  • [AI/ROBOTICS] Pentagon Charges Forward on Robotics (Wall Street Journal; McMaster; York)
  • [COMPETITION/ADVERTISING] Why Is Facebook Rejecting These Fashion Ads? (The New York Times; McMaster; York)
  • [PRIVACY] Duchess Meghan wins privacy battle against ‘dehumanizing’ tabloid paper (National Post; Similar story at McMaster; York)
  • [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/DEFAMATION] Blind to Hate, Or Sounding Right Notes? (New York Times; McMaster; York)
  • [CENSORSHIP/CONTENT MODERATION] Opinion: Rabbi Alissa Wise: Facebook might censor criticism of Zionists. That’s dangerous (The Guardian)

(February 9-16, 2021)

Canadian Heritage

  • Government of Canada Launches Consultation on How to Implement its CUSMA Commitment to Extend Canada’s General Copyright Term of Protection
  • The government extends and increases compensation to the audiovisual sector for production stoppages caused by COVID-19
  • Minister Guilbeault Hosts Ministers Meeting to Discuss Diversity of Online Content
  • Ongoing Support for Research and Media Literacy Projects as Canada Continues to Fight Online Disinformation

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

  • Remarks by Director David Vigneault to the Centre for International Governance Innovation

Global Affairs Canada

  • Statement of Members of the Governing Council of the Community of Democracies

Federal Court of Appeal

  • [TRADEMARK] Loblaws Inc. v. Columbia Insurance Company – 2021 FCA 29 – 2021-02-15
  • [PATENT] Western Oilfield Equipment Rentals Ltd. v. M-I LLC – 2021 FCA 24 – 2021-02-09

Federal Court of Canada

  • [PATENT] Betser-Zilevitch v. Petrochina Canada Ltd – 2021 FC 151 – 2021-02-15
  • [TRADE SECRETS] Concord Premium Meats Ltd. v. Canada (Food Inspection Agency) – 2020 FC 1166 – 2021-01-22

 Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

  • CRTC Broadband Fund second call: first group of selected projects
  • Over 40 underserved communities in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario to benefit from improved broadband connectivity

Microsoft

  • Microsoft’s Endorsement of Australia’s Proposal on Technology and the News

Twitter

  • Expanding our work to identify state-affiliated accounts

Faceboook

  • Reducing Political Content in News Feed
  • Community Standards Enforcement Report, Fourth Quarter 2020

CRTC

News Releases:

  • Broadcasting decision 2021-66
    [2021-02-16 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – Maritime Broadcasting System Limited – Sydney, Nova Scotia – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CHER-FM Sydney
  • Broadcasting decision 2021-65
    [2021-02-16 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – CAB-K Broadcasting Ltd. – Vegreville, Alberta – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CKVG-FM Vegreville
  • Telecom order 2020-64
    [2021-02-15 11:00:00]
    Streamlined Order – The Commission approves the following tariff applications: Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel), TN 368 and TN 368A
  • Broadcasting decision 2020-63
    [2021-02-15 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – Rogers Media Inc. – Smiths Falls, Ontario – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CJET-FM Smiths Falls – DENIED – Application to amend CJET-FM’s broadcasting licence by deleting its condition of licence relating to the broadcast of hit material
  • Telecom order 2020-62
    [2021-02-15 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – Commission approves the following tariff application: TELUS Communications Inc. TN 639 (TCQ)
  • Broadcasting decision 2020-61
    [2021-02-15 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – Acadia Broadcasting Limited – Moncton, New Brunswick – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CKNI-FM Moncton – Application to amend CKNI-FM’s condition of licence relating to over-and-above Canadian content development contributions
  • Broadcasting decision 2020-60
    [2021-02-15 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – Association d’Églises baptistes réformées du Québec – Québec and Saint-Jérôme, Quebec – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the French-language religious specialty radio station CFOI-FM Québec and its transmitter CFOI-FM-1 Saint-Jérôme
  • Broadcasting decision 2020-59
    [2021-02-15 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – Base Commander of Canadian Forces in Suffield – Suffield, Alberta – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the non-commercial English language radio station CKBF-FM Suffield and its transmitter CKBF-FM-1 Suffield
  • Broadcasting decision 2021-58
    [2021-02-11 11:00:00]
    DENIED – JAZZ.FM91 Inc. – Toronto, Ontario – Application to increase from 504 to 1,200 the maximum number of minutes of advertising that may be broadcast per broadcast week on the English-language radio station CJRT-FM Toronto
  • Telecom order 2021-57
    [2021-02-11 11:00:00]
    Shaw Cablesystems G.P. – Introduction of Internet 1000 wholesale high-speed access service – Public record: Tariff Notice 34
  • Telecom order 2021-56
    [2021-02-10 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1112
  • Broadcasting decision 2021-55
    [2021-02-10 11:00:00]
    APPROVED – Bell Media Inc. and 8384819 Canada Inc., partners in a general partnership carrying on business as Bell Media Regional Radio Partnership – Montréal, Quebec – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial AM radio station CKGM Montréal – DENIED – Request to amend CKGM’s condition of licence relating to local programming in order to reduce the amount of local programming broadcast from 96 hours to 63 hours per broadcast week – APPROVED – Request to delete CKGM’s condition of licence relating to over-and-above Canadian content development contributions
  • Broadcasting decision 2021-54
    [2021-02-10 11:00:00]
    Findings regarding market capacity and the appropriateness of issuing a call for radio applications to serve the Ajax/Pickering market – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0001
  • Broadcasting decision 2021-53
    [2021-02-10 11:00:00]
    Findings regarding market capacity and the appropriateness of issuing a call for radio applications to serve Salt Spring Island – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0384
  • Broadcasting notice of consultation 2019-379-7
    [2021-02-09 11:00:00]
    Notice of hearing – 11 January 2021 – Gatineau, Quebec – New deadline for the filing of final submissions from interveners: 1 March 2021 – New deadline for the filing of final reply by the Corporation: 17 March 2021

Senate of Canada

  • Planned & Possible sitting days this week: February 16th-19th, 2021

Canadian House of Commons

  • Planned & Possible sitting days this week: February 16th-19th, 2021

 Upcoming Committee Meetings

  • [CACN] (February 18, 2021) Special Committee on Canada-China Relations
  • [CHPC] (February 19, 2021) Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage: Subject Matter of Bill C-10, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts

Bills in Current Session

  • [C-209] An Act to amend the Copyright Act (Crown copyright)

CRTC

Open Proceedings

  • CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
  • CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Anticipated releases for the week of February 15-19, 2021

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

      Broadcasting Decision:

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

  • Applications by various licensees to renew the broadcasting licences for various radio stations

         Regulatory Policies

Broadcasting
2021-3 – Revised list of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution – Annual compilation of amendments

Public Hearings

  • To consider the broadcasting application listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2020-396 – View hearing documents (2020-396) (February 25, 2021)

Open Public Consultations:

  • Government Procurement: Update to the Practitioner’s Guide for Procurement Pricing (Jan 5, 2021 to Mar 15, 2021)
  • Canadian Heritage: A Consultation on How to Implement an Extended General Term of Copyright Protection in Canada (March 21, 2021)
  • Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission: Commercial radio policy framework review (Nov 12, 2020 to March 29, 2021)

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