Weekly Newsletter: June 15, 2022

Weekly News (June 15, 2022)

Compiled by Fizza Kulvi, Meaghan Wester, and Nick Gertler with Sara Bannerman, Fenwick McKelvey, Guillaume Dandurand, Marek Blottière, and Kevin Morin
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(June 7 – June 13, 2022) 

Canadian News 

• [PRIVACY] PM tabs chief legal officer at House of Commons to be next privacy commissioner (Toronto Star)
• [PRIVACY] Protection des renseignements personnels;Ottawa nomme un nouveau chien de garde de la vie privée (La Presse)
• [COPYRIGHT/NET NEUTRALITY] ‘Wildly inappropriate’ attack on net neutrality or ‘exciting’ new tool to fight piracy? Experts divided on new dynamic website blocking court order (National Post)
• [PRIVACY] ‘A fishing expedition’: Cellphone searches at border will face Charter challenge, say experts (National Post)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] FIRST READING: Liberals’ latest ‘censor the internet’ bill sparks Canadian YouTuber backlash (National Post)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Ottawa says it won’t press senators to pass online-streaming bill by summer after moving to shut down Commons debate (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY/PLATFORM REGULATION] Sprint pour une Loi sur la radiodiffusion à l’opposition bigarrée (Le Devoir)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Les retombées pour les créateurs estimées à un milliard par année (Le Devoir)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Canadian universities still partnering with Huawei despite 5G ban over security (Globe and Mail)
• [MISINFORMATION] Chief electoral officer says it should be illegal to spread misinformation about voting (CBC)
• [MISINFORMATION] Élections Canada réclame des mesures punitives pour contrer la désinformation (La Presse)
• [NATIONAL ALERT SYSTEM] Mounties under scrutiny in Nova Scotia mass shooting call on Ottawa to step up role in alert system (Globe and Mail)

International News

• [CENSORSHIP] Pelosi said to fear Big Tech may exploit loophole in China competition bill (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook allows 10 violations in ban on gun sales (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] What Texas Gains by Investigating Twitter’s Fake Accounts (NYT)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Why younger users may shake up the debate on social media regulation (Washington Post) 
• [GAMING] Meet the YouTubers exposing the dark side of making video games Washington Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] App makers are scooping up kids’ data with few real checks (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Snowden leaks ushered in an era of digital anxiety (Washington Post)
• [FREE SPEECH] The rise in book bans, explained (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] WhatsApp has until July to comply with EU consumer law, EU says (Reuters)
• [TECH REGULATION] Europe wants to help clear out your drawer full of chargers (NYT)

(June 7 – June 13, 2022)

Senate of Canada

Hansard

• [OFFICIAL LANGUAGES] June 8, 2022: Debate on Bill C-13

House of Commons

Hansard

• [BROADCASTING POLICY] June 9, 2022: Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts
• [OFFICIAL LANGUAGES] June 9, 2022: Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages  Act 
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] June 10, 2022: Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts

Canadian Heritage

• CRTC invites Canadians to help find solutions to improve telecommunications services in the Far North

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Prime Minister announces nomination of next Privacy Commissioner

Google

• How Congress’ anti-tech bill undermines security

Microsoft

• CWA and Microsoft announce labor neutrality agreement

Amazon

• Amazon Holds Bad Actors Accountable, Protects Customers and Brands from Counterfeit

CRTC

Broadcasting Decisions

• 2022-153 – Various licensees – Across Canada – Renewal of the broadcasting licences for the radio stations, specialty audio programming undertakings and a radio network set out in the appendices to the decision

Telecommunications 

• 2022-148 – Rogers Communications Canada Inc. – Application for non-discriminatory and timely access under reasonable terms and conditions to the multi-dwelling unit at 70 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto, Ontario – Public record: 8622-R28-202105304
• 2022-150 – Bell Canada – Application to review and vary and stay Telecom Order 2021-182 regarding the routing of competitive local exchange carrier 800/888 calls – Public record: 8662-B2-202105106

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, June 16, 2022. This list is subject to change

• [DEFAMATION] Alain Gravel, et al. c. Lee Lalli (Qc) (Civile) (Autorisation) (39979)

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The Senate sits all week.
  • OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
    • June 13, 2022, 5 PM ET: The subject matter of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The House sits all week
  • ETHICS
    • June 13, 2022, 11 AM ET: Certificate of Nomination of Phillipe Dufresne to the Position of Privacy Commissioner 
  • CANADIAN HERITAGE
    • June 13, 2022, 3:30 PM ET: Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Sport Sector Recovery from the Impact of COVID-19
    • ​June 14, 2022, 11 AM, 3:30 PM, and 6:30 PM ET: Bill C-11: An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts
  • LANGUAGES
    • June 15, 2022, 5 PM ET: The subject matter of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts 

CRTC

The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies in the week of 13 to 17 June 2022. This is subject to change without notice.

Broadcasting Notice of Consultation

• Call for licence renewal applications – Submission of renewal applications for broadcasting licences of radio stations expiring on 31 August 2023

Telecom Decisions

• Rogers Communications Canada Inc. – Application for non-discriminatory and timely access under reasonable terms and conditions to the multi-dwelling unit at 70 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto, Ontario
  Public record: 8622-R28-202105304
• Bell Canada – Application to review and vary and stay Telecom Order 2021-182 regarding the routing of competitive local exchange carrier 800/888 calls Public record: 8662-B2-202105106

Public Consultations

• CBC/Radio-Canada engaging with Indigenous communities across Canada about better reflecting Indigenous cultures (April 26 – September 27, 2022)

Have suggestions? Email Sara Bannerman at banners@mcmaster.ca 

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