Weekly Newsletter: November 15, 2022

Weekly News (November 15th, 2022)

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

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(November 8 – November 14, 2022)

Canadian News 

• [ACCESS TO INFORMATION] Ottawa cites translation, accessibility costs as reason for keeping documents from public (The Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOM OWNERSHIP] Competition Bureau received thousands of comments on the Rogers-Shaw deal, many of them opposed, hearing told (The Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOM OWNERSHIP] Telus a tenté de saper la vente de Freedom à Vidéotron (La Presse) 
• [PRIVACY/DATA PROTECTION] Informatique: L’opacité du project d’indentité numérique est dénoncée (Journal de Montréal)
• [PRIVACY] Sobeys data breach serves as wake up call for industry: expert (Global News)
• [PRIVACY] OPINION: Therrien: A privacy law fit for the modern age: New legislation must impose sanctions for breaches of our democratic values (The Toronto Star) / Un projet de loi trop timide (La Presse)
• [ONLINE NEWS] OPINION: Owen: The Online News Act keeps journalism alive while it adapts to a new world (National Post)
• [ONLINE NEWS] OPINION: Crawley: The wording of Bill C-18 needs a rework to protect independent journalism (Globe & Mail)

International News

• [INTERNET GOVERNANCE] Mysterious company with government ties plays key internet role (The Washington Post)
• [ONLINE HARM] UK government criticised for failing to protect children from online harm (The Guardian)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] How tech ballot measures fared this election cycle (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ANTITRUST/PRIVACY] Midterms may dash tech antitrust push, but not data privacy (The Washington Post)
• [MISINFORMATION] Misinformation floods the midterms, at times urging violence (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/ANTITRUST] EU antitrust regulators about to charge Meta, sources say (Reuters)
• [BROADBAND] EU countries, lawmakers likely to clinch deal next week on satellite internet system, sources say (Reuters)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Apple limits AirDrop on iPhones in China after filesharing feature was used by protesters (The Guardian)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Musk warns Twitter’s survival is at stake as staff quits (ABC News)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Iran is using every effort to crush protesters intent on a revolution — except hearing them out (The National Post)

(November 8 – November 14,  2022)

Supreme Court of Canada

• TELUS Communications Inc. v. Marjorie Nelson (Civil) (By Leave)  (39957): The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal for Ontario, Number C69093, 2021 ONCA 751, dated October 21, 2021, is dismissed with costs.  
• Telus Communication inc. c. Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (Office de la protection du consommateur) et procureur général du Québec (Qc) (Civile) (Autorisation) (40192): The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Quebec (Montréal), Number 500-10-007391-202, 2022 QCCA 408, dated March 24, 2022 is dismissed with costs to the respondent, Attorney General of Quebec. Jamal J. took no part in the judgment.
• Bell Canada c. Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (Office de la protection du consommateur) et procureur général du Québec (Qc) (Civile) (Autorisation) (40193): The application for leave to appeal from the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Quebec (Montréal), Number 500-10-007390-204, 2022 QCCA 408, dated March 24, 2022, is dismissed with costs to the respondent, Attorney General of Quebec. Jamal J. took no part in the judgment.

Global Media and Internet Concentration Project 

• Media and Internet Concentration in Canada, 1984–2021 – 11th Edition 

Canadian Heritage

• Booksellers across Canada receive funding to help expand their online book sales

Competition Tribunal 

• Rogers-Shaw – Public Order concerning Claim of Solicitor-Client Privilege (Merger Application) (Date filled: 2022-11-10) 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Governments of Canada and Alberta invest over $2.6 million to connect more than 300 Indigenous households to high-speed Internet in the Tsuut’ina Nation
• Making digital technologies more accessible to Canadians with disabilities 

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Commissioner Dufresne addresses CBA online symposium 

Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE)

• Report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development: THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS, JOURNALISTS AND MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS  

CRTC

• Broadcasting decision 2022-310
  [2022-11-08 11:00:00]
  Nostalgia Broadcasting Cooperative Inc. – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Application to relocate the transmitter and change the authorized contours of the English-language radio station CJNU-FM Winnipeg
• Telecom order 2022-309
  [2022-11-08 11:00:00]
  Northwestel Inc. – Introduction of Fibre Construction for Enterprise Services – Public record: Tariff Notice 1157
• Telecom decision 2022-308
  [2022-11-08 11:00:00]
  CISC Canadian Steering Committee on Numbering – Consensus report CNRE134A regarding setting aside five area codes for future relief of exhausting area code complexes – Public record: 8621-C12-01/08

Google

• Managing your location data 

Microsoft blog

• Simplify privacy protection with Microsoft Priva Subject Rights Requests  

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week:  The Senate sits from November 15 – November 17 with possible sitting days on November 18 and 21. 
• TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
• November 15, 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 16, 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 

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The House of Commons sits from November 15 – November 18, and November 21. 
• CANADIAN HERITAGE (CHPC): November 18, 2022, 1:00 PM EST: Bill C-18, An Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada  
• PUBLIC SAFETY AND NATIONAL SECURITY (SECU): November 15, 2022, 4:30 PM EST: Assessment of Canada’ s Security Posture in Relation to Russia 

CRTC

• Anticipated releases for the week of 14 to 18 November 2022:
  • Telecom Decision:
    • Rogers Communications Canada Inc. and Shaw Cablesystems G.P. – Application regarding compensation for transmission line relocation in British Columbia Public record: 8690-R28-202006353
    • Revisions to Master Agreement for Local Interconnection Public record: 8621-C12-01/08
• Public Hearing:
  • November 18, 2022 – Gatineau Quebec To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-248, View hearing documents (2022-248)

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Public Consultations: 

• CRTC:
  • 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) 
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada:
  • Consultation on the Spectrum Outlook 2022 to 2026 (September 29-November 21, 2022)

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

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