Weekly News (November 1, 2022)

Compiled by Brad McNeil, Kyle Wyndham-West, and Beatrice Sunderland, with Sara Bannerman  and Fenwick McKelvey

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.

(October 26 – October 31, 2022)

Canadian News 

• [ONLINE NEWS ACT/PLATFORM REGULATION] MPs confront Meta over its threat to block Canadians from sharing news (The Toronto Star) / Facebook menace de retirer le contenu des médias canadiens (La Presse)
• [ONLINE NEWS ACT] Meta dit n’avoir jamais payé pour des liens dans ses ententes avec des médias (Le Presse)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS / COMPETITION / MEDIA OWNERSHIP] Ottawa impose des conditions à Québecor, qui accepte (La Presse)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS / COMPETITION / MEDIA OWNERSHIP] Mediation fails to resolve Rogers-Shaw takeover differences (CBC)
• [BROADCASTING REGULATION] Canadian songs played far less often on streaming platforms than on radio, warns royalties body (The Globe and Mail)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Advocates call for major reforms to federal access-to-information legislation (The Globe and Mail)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Mauvais bulletin pour le ministère de l’Éducation (La Presse)
• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND PRIVACY] Commissioner calls on Nova Scotia government to overhaul outdated access laws (CTV News)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Une Chaire franco-québécoise sur la liberté d’expression est créée (Le Devoir)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS / COMPETITION / MEDIA OWNERSHIP] CPINION: Trichur: Can’t make sense of Ottawa’s plan for wireless competition? It’s time for a tipple (The Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY] OPINION: Jamie Sarkonak: Don’t expect accountability for pandemic cellphone tracking (The National Post)
• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] OPINION/EDITOR: More transparency, less secrecy needed (The Globe and Mail)

International News

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Russian lawmakers vet new bill restricting LGBTQ ‘propaganda’ (CBC)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] The U.K.’s communications regulator issues its first report on video services (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Musk has a decision to make on Section 230: Does he support it or not? (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] One of the biggest tech acquisitions ever is under regulatory review (The Washington Post)
• [PERSONAL INFORMATION] Japan steps up push to get public buy-in to digital IDs (Associated Press News)
• [ONLINE HARASSMENT] Women of color running for office face higher rates of violent threats online (The Washington Post)
• [MISINFORMATION] Brazilian voters bombarded with misinformation days before vote (PBS)
• [PRIVACY] Australian health insurer says data of all customers hacked (The Financial Post)

(October 26 – October 31, 2022)

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada 

• International privacy regulators endorse resolutions on cybersecurity and facial recognition 

CRTC

• CRTC hosts first meeting between five countries to combat scam communications  
• Broadcasting Decision 2022-296:  The News Forum – Distribution pursuant to paragraph 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act
• Broadcasting order 2022-297: Distribution of national news discretionary services 

Communications Security Establishment Canada

• News conference and technical briefing by the Communications Security Establishment’s Canadian Centre for Cyber Security on the National Cyber Threat Assessment 2023-2024
• Canadian Centre for Cyber Security releases National Cyber Threat Assessment 2023-2024 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Governments of Canada and Ontario invest over $56 million to bring high-speed Internet access to over 16,000 rural homes in eastern Ontario 
• Government of Canada to support EXFO in developing the next generation 5G centre of excellence using AI 

Google 

• Why Google supports the US Securing Open Source Software Act
• In Madrid, a pitch for “open security” 

Meta 

• Exploring the Potential of the Creator Economy  

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The Senate sits from November 1 – November 3, 1022. With possible sitting days on November 4, 2022.
  • Bills on the Agenda: 

• Senate Public Bills – Second Reading: Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Patterson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Cormier, for the second reading of Bill S-242, An Act to amend the Radiocommunication Act.—(Honourable Senator Duncan) 
• At consideration in committee in the Senate: C-11: An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts  
• TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
  • November 1, 2022, 9:00 AM ET: Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts  
  • November 2, 2022, 6:45 PM ET: Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts 
• LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS
  • November 2, 2022, 4:15 PM ET: Bill S-210, An Act to restrict young persons’ online access to sexually explicit material 

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The House of Commons sits from November 1-November 4, 2022.
• Bills on the Agenda: 

• At second reading in the House of Commons – C-288: An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information)  
• PROCEDURE AND HOUSE AFFAIRS (PROC)
  • November 1, 2022, 11:00 AM: Foreign Election Interference 
• CANADIAN HERITAGE (CHPC)
  • November 1, 2022, 11:00 AM: Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada 
  • November 4, 2022, 1:00 PM:  Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada

CRTC 

• Anticipated releases for the week of 31 October to 4 November 2022
  • Broadcasting Decision: 
    • The News Forum Inc.
      Across Canada
      The News Forum – Distribution pursuant to section 9(1)(h) of the Broadcasting Act
      Public record: 2022-0359-5

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Public Consultations: 

• CRTC: 
  • Application to add Natyf TV and Uvagut TV to basic television packages (September 21, 2022-November 7, 2022)
  • Share your ideas and comments about telecommunications services in the Far North (October 24, 2022-December 12, 2022) 
  • Share your views on a request made by TV service providers to raise basic cable rates (September 28-November 28, 2022) 
  • To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-248, View hearing documents (2022-248) (November 18, 2022 – Gatineau Quebec) 
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada:
  • Consultation on Updates to the Licensing and Fee Framework for Earth Stations and Space Stations in Canada (reply comments due November 8, 2021)

Have a suggestion? Email Sara Bannerman at banners@mcmaster.ca 

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