Newsletter: July 6, 2021

Weekly News (July 6th, 2021)

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

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

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

(June 29-July 5, 2021) 

Canadian News  

• [DEFAMATION] Details of UBC actions revealed through defamation suit brought by Steven Galloway (Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York) 
• [INTERNET REGULATION] TekSavvy seeks leave with Federal Court of Appeal to overturn CRTC decision (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York) 
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] Les tarifs d’accès à Internet devant la Cour d’appel fédérale (Le Devoir)  
• [BROADCAST POLICY] Heritage Minister asks senators to focus on passing Bill C-10(Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York) 
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Editorial: Brousseau-Pouliot: C-10, un beau gâchis parlementaire (La Presse)  
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Adoption des projets de loi C-6 et C-10: Les libéraux veulent négocier avec le Sénat (La Presse) 
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] OPINION: Wendy Wong: Our faces are who we are to the world. What happens when they become data?(Globe and Mail)  (McMaster; York) 
• [HATE SPEECH] OPINION: Avi Benlolo: Strengthening hate-speech laws a sad necessity (National Post) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/BANKING] Crypto competition may force BoC’s hand (National Post) (McMaster; York) 

International News 

• [ANTITRUST] Congress Faces Renewed Pressure to ‘Modernize Our Antitrust Laws’(New York Times) (McMaster; York) 
• [LIBEL] 2 Justices Say They Support Reassessment Of Libel Case (New York Times) (McMaster; York) 
• [CENSORSHIP/PLATFORM REGULATION] Judge Blocks Florida Law Barring Twitter, Facebook Bans of Candidates (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY] Google must face Voice Assistant privacy lawsuit -U.S. judge (Reuters) (McMaster; York) 
•  [ANTITRUST/ONLINE NEWS CONTENT] Google deal with French publishers reportedly on hold(Reuters via Yahoo Finance)  (McMaster; York) 
• [DEFAMATION] Malaysian news portal ordered to pay damages to Australian miner in defamation case (Reuters) (McMaster; York) 
• [TECH POLICY] House Passes Bipartisan Bill to Boost Scientific Competitiveness, Following Senate (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York) 
• [MEDIA OWNERSHIP/DIVERSITY] Congressional leaders urge FCC to perform equity audit (Associated Press via CityNews) (McMaster; York) 
• [ANTITRUST] FTC chair Lina Khan holds open meeting amid early challenges(Washington Post) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY REGULATION] FTC Vote Could Pave Way for New Privacy Rules (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York) 
•  [ANTITRUST/US-CHINA RELATIONS] OPINION: Robert Atkinson: Antitrust Can Hurt U.S. Competitiveness (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York) 
• [CENSORSHIP] OPINION: Anti-Critical Race Theory Laws Are Un-American (New York Times) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY] Privacy Watchdog Board’s Secret Report on N.S.A. System Fell Short, Member Says (New York Times) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/FACIAL RECOGNITION] Federal agencies need stricter limits on facial recognition to protect privacy, says government watchdog (Washington Post/Seattle Times) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook, Twitter, Google Threaten to Quit Hong Kong Over Proposed Data Laws (The Guardian Similar article in the New York Times) (McMaster; York) 
• [DIGITAL ADVERTISING/PRIVACY] After Apple Tightens Tracking Rules, Advertisers Shift Spending Toward Android Devices (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York) 
• [INTERNET REGULATION] Verizon Offers Low-Cost Service Commitment to Seal TracFone Deal (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/US-CHINA RELATIONS] OPINION: Shuli Ren: For Didi, the U.S. Is a Wonderland of Amateurs (Bloomberg News)  (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/HEALTH INFORMATION/VACCINE] Australian unions reject ‘unacceptable’ proposal allowing employers access to staff vaccination data (The Guardian) (McMaster; York) 

(June 29-July 5, 2021) 

Federal Court of Appeal 

• [PATENT] Eli Lilly Canada Inc. v. Mylan Pharmaceuticals ULC – 2021 FCA 128 – 2021-06-29 
• [PATENT] Eli Lilly Canada Inc. v. Teva Canada Limited – 2021 FCA 129 – 2021-06-29 
• [PATENT] Eli Lilly Canada Inc. v. Pharmascience and Laboratoire Riva Inc. – 2021 FCA 127 – 2021-06-29 
• [PATENT] Eli Lilly Canada Inc. v. Apotex Inc. – 2021 FCA 126 – 2021-06-29 

 US Supreme Court 

• [DEFAMATION] BERISHA v. LAWSON: No. 20-1063 (July 2, 2021) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] HOGGARD v. RHODES No. 20-1066 ( July 2, 2021) 
• [PATENT] MINERVA SURGICAL, INC. v. HOLOGIC, INC. No. 20-440 argued date: April 21, 2021 decided date: June 29, 2021  

Canadian Heritage 

• Government of Canada Continues to Support Heritage Organizations and Access to Canada’s Heritage Collections 
• Canada Releases Guiding Principles on Diversity of Content Online 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 

• Minister Champagne presents Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence priorities for 2021 

Microsoft 

• The need for legislative reform on secrecy orders  
• Building on our commitment to human-centered connectivity at the 2021 UN Generation Equality Forum 

CRTC 

News Releases: 

• Telecom notice of consultation 2021-102-2Call for comments – Review of video relay service – Changes to procedure – Suspension of deadlines until further notice – Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0102 
• [2021-06-30 11:00:00]
• Broadcasting notice of consultation 2019-90-1Call for comments on a new, annual digital media survey – Additional information to be added to the public record – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0090 
• [2021-06-30 11:00:00]
• Broadcasting decision 2021-214APPROVED – Lakeside Radio Broadcasting Corp. – Kincardine, Goderich and Port Elgin, Ontario – Application for authority to acquire the assets of the English-language commercial radio station CIYN-FM Kincardine and its rebroadcasting transmitters CIYN-FM-1 Goderich and CIYN-FM-2 Port Elgin, and to obtain a new broadcasting licence to continue the operation of the station 
• [2021-06-30 11:00:00]
• Broadcasting decision 2021-213APPROVED – McCarthy Tétrault LLP – Across Canada – Application to add Jewelry Television to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution 
• [2021-06-30 11:00:00]
• Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom notice of consultation 2021-9-1Call for comments – Development of a network-level blocking framework to limit botnet traffic and strengthen Canadians’ online safety – Changes to procedure – Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0009 
• [2021-06-29 11:00:00]
• Telecom notice of consultation 2020-178-5Call for comments – Accessibility – Mobile wireless service plans that meet the needs of Canadians with various disabilities – Changes to procedure – Availability of sign language videos and revised intervention and reply deadlines – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0178 
• [2021-06-29 11:00:00]
• Telecom Decision 2007-84-1TELUS Communications Company – Application for forbearance from the regulation of residential local exchange services – Correction – Reference: 8640-T66-200709777 
• [2021-06-29 11:00:00]
• Telecom order 2021-212Broadband Fund Payment Order – Approval of Claim Forms – June 2021 
• [2021-06-28 11:00:00]

Supreme Court of Canada 

• The Supreme Court of Canada announced today that judgment in the following leave applications will be delivered at 9:45 a.m. EDT on Thursday, July 8, 2021. This list is subject to change. 

• • [PATENT] Amgen Inc., et al. v. Pfizer Canada ULC (F.C.) (Civil) (By Leave) (39530) 
  • [PATENT] J.R. Simplot Company, et al. v. McCain Foods Limited, et al. (F.C.) (Civil) (By Leave) (39600) 

Senate of Canada 

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The Senate is not sitting today. 

Canadian House of Commons 

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week, with possible extension of sitting hours:The House of Commons is not sitting today. The House is adjourned until Monday, September 20, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. (EDT). 

CRTC  

Open Proceedings 

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings 
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings 

Anticipated releases for the week of July 5 to 9, 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 Decisions: 

• • Durham Radio Inc. on behalf of 0971197 B.C. Ltd.Vancouver, British Columbia
    CIRH-FM Vancouver – Change in ownership and effective control, licence renewal, and licence amendments
    Public records: 2020-0535-5, 2021-0115-3 and 2021-0130-2 

 

Telecom and Broadcasting Regulator Policy 

• • The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
    Accessibility Reporting Regulations
    Public records: 1011-NOC2020-0124 and 1011-NOC2021-0069 

Telecom Decision 

• • CISC Canadian Steering Committee on Numbering – Consensus report CNRE126a – Revised Appendix B, Canadian NPA Relief Planning Timeline, to the Canadian NPA Relief Planning Guideline
    Public record: 8621-C12-01/08 

 Public Hearings 

• To consider the broadcasting application listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-165 and 2021-165-1
• View hearing documents (2021-165)  (July 8, 2021) 

Open Public Consultations:  

• Access to Information Review Public Engagement: Reviewing access to information –https://atiareview.ca (March 31, 2021-July 31, 2021) 
• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission: Call for comments – Introduction of a three-digit abbreviated dialing code for mental health crisis and suicide prevention services (June 3- Sept 1, 2021) 
• Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat: Reviewing access to information (March 31 – July 31, 2021)