Weekly News (March 28, 2023)

Compiled by Brad McNeil, Kyle Wyndham-West, and Beatrice Sunderland,

with Sara Bannerman  and Fenwick McKelvey

McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(March 21 -March 27, 2023)

Canadian News 

• [ONLINE NEWS ACT / PRIVACY] MPs dilute demands for Facebook to produce e-mails after business leader warns of threat to privacy (The Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCAST POLICY/ONLINE NEWS ACT] Des lobbies américains critiquent deux projets de loi canadiens sur le numérique (Le Devoir)
• [TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY] Rogers gave undue preference to its own sports service over OneSoccer, CRTC rules (The Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] CRTC takes aim at roaming rates after Industry Minister criticizes carriers (The Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] CRTC-mandated rate cut won’t lower consumers’ internet bills, independent ISPs say (The Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] CRTC asks Rogers for details of network-sharing deal with Quebecor (The Financial Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION][PRIVACY] Ottawa still advertising on TikTok despite banning it on government devices due to security concerns (The Globe and Mail)
• [INTERNET POLICY] Ottawa’s slow rollout of internet to First Nations creating economic rift: audit (CTV News)
• [SURVEILLANCE/PRIVACY] RCMP phone tracking continues despite privacy concerns (The Globe and Mail)
• [CULTURAL FUNDING/PUBLIC BROADCASTING] Culture : priorité au jeune public et au contenu numérique (La Presse) 
• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] Watchdog to investigate Alberta’s failure to disclose Imperial Oil toxic leak to local communities (The Globe and Mail)
• [FREEDOM OF SPEECH] OPINION: Christine Van Geyn: Calgary’s authoritarian crackdown on free speech (The National Post)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/COPYRIGHT] As AI debate swirls, artists are torn between embracing it and trying to break it (The Globe and Mail)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] They fell in love with an AI chatbot. Now, they’re heartbroken (The Globe and Mail)
• [TELECOM POLICY / COMPETITION] OPINION:CREAN Telecom mergers promote greater profits over better content (The Toronto Star)
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW] OPINION: WISEMAN: Canada’s productivity weakness has a greater impact than most believe (The Globe and Mail)

International News

• [DEFAMATION] Fox, Dominion Voting Systems lawyers spar over top executives’ liability in defamation suit (The Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/PRIVACY] 4 key takeaways from the TikTok CEO’s House grilling (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] TikTok sur la sellette au Congrès américain (La Presse)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Le débranchement de TikTok sera plus difficile qu’il n’y paraît (The New York Time in La Presse)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] TikTok sends influencers to Washington as its troubles grow (ABC News)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION] Warning of a ‘Red Scare,’ some Democrats rush to TikTok’s defense (The Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Popular apps with Chinese ties can gather more data than TikTok (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/SECURITY/PRIVACY] TikTok bans deepfakes of young people as it updates guidelines (AP News)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Deepfakes Pose a Growing Danger, New Research Says (CNET)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CHILDREN] Utah governor signs bill to curb children’s social media use (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Indicted Chinese exile controls Gettr social media site, ex-employees say (The Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Privacy fears stymie government surveyors as responses dive (The Financial Post)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] What can Google’s AI-powered Bard do? We tested it for you (The Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM REGULATION/CONSUMER PROTECTION] Face au monstre des GAFAM (La Presse)
• [DISINFORMATION] Q-and-A: Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa on democracy and disinformation (The Toronto Star)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] OPINION:FRIEDMAN Our New Promethean Moment (New York Times)

(March 21 -March 27, 2023)

CRTC

• CRTC to improve access to Internet and mobile services across Canada 
  
  
  
• Telecom and Broadcast Decisions
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-94
    [2023-03-23 16:00:00]
    Timeless Inc. – Across Canada – Application to direct both RCCI and Timeless to submit, by no later than 11 April 2023, proposed remedies for resolving the finding of undue preference and disadvantage
  • Telecom order 2023-93
    [2023-03-23 16:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff applications: Bell Canada, TN 7660 and TN 7661
  • Telecom notice of consultation 2023-92
    [2023-03-23 16:00:00]
    Call for comments – Implementing thousand-block pooling – Public record: 1011-NOC2023-0092
  • Telecom regulatory policy 2023-91
    [2023-03-23 16:00:00]
    Amendments to the Telecommunications Fees Regulations, 2010 – Public record: 1011-NOC2022-0032
  • Broadcasting regulatory policy 2023-90
    [2023-03-23 16:00:00]
    Change to the treatment of stock footage costs as part of the evaluation of applications for Canadian program certification
  • Telecom notice of consultation 2023-89
    [2023-03-23 16:00:00]
    Call for comments – Broadband Fund policy review – Public record: 1011-NOC2023-0089
  • Telecom regulatory policy 2023-31-1
    [2023-03-22 11:00:00]
    Regulatory measures to make access to poles owned or controlled by Canadian carriers more efficient – Clarification – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0366
  • Telecom decision 2023-88
    [2023-03-22 11:00:00]
    TBayTel – Application for a modified implementation timeline for ten-digit local dialing – Public record: 8698-T8-202209618
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-87
    [2023-03-22 11:00:00]
    Wesley United Church Radio Board – St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language religious radio station VOWR
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-86
    [2023-03-22 11:00:00]
    Rawlco Radio Ltd. – Regina, Saskatchewan – Application to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio station set out in the decision
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-85
    [2023-03-22 11:00:00]
    Peace River Broadcasting Corporation Ltd. – Various locations in Alberta – Applications to renew the broadcasting licences for the English-language commercial radio stations listed in the decision
  • Broadcasting order 2023-84
    [2023-03-22 11:00:00]
    Broadcasting Licence Fees – Part I
  • Telecom order 2023-83
    [2023-03-21 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves with changes the following tariff application: NorthernTel, Limited Partnership, TN 413
  • Telecom order 2023-82
    [2023-03-21 11:00:00]
    Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: Télébec, Société en commandite, TN 530
  • Broadcasting decision 2023-81
    [2023-03-21 11:00:00]
    Local Radio Lab Inc. – Milton, Ontario – Application to renew the broadcasting licence for the English-language commercial radio station CJML-FM Milton

Canadian Heritage

• Minister Rodriguez announces the reappointment of Neil Russon as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at the National Museum of Science and Technology (Ingenium) 

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• CIPO releases its 2023−2028 Business Strategy 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Statement from Minister Hutchings on the Auditor General of Canada’s report on rural and remote connectivity 

Google

• Protecting and advancing democracy online 

Senate of Canada

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The Senate will sit from March 28 to March 30, 2023, with a possible sitting day on March 31.
  • Bills on the agenda:
    • Bill C-18 (Online News Act): at second reading in the Senate 
    • Bill S-210 (Protecting Young Persons from Exposure to Pornography Act): at third reading in the Senate 

• Transport and Communications – Standing Committee meeting – Tuesday March 28, 2023 at 9:00 AM ET: Bill S-242, An Act to amend the Radiocommunication Act 

House of Commons

• Planned and Possible Sitting Days: The House of Commons will sit from March 28 to March 31, 2023.
  • Bills on the agenda:
    • C-288 (An Act to amend the Telecommunications Act (transparent and accurate broadband services information) 
    • C-27 — The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry — Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022 — Second reading (resuming debate)   

• Standing Committee on Public Accounts – Thursday March 30, 2023 at 3:30 pm: Report 7, Cybersecurity of Personal Information in the Cloud, of the 2022 Reports 5 to 8 of the Auditor General of Canada  

CRTC

• Anticipated releases for the week of 27 to 31 March 2023: The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies in the week of 27 to 31 March 2023. This is subject to change without notice.

• Broadcasting Decisions: 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
  • Hill Valley’s application for final offer arbitration regarding the distribution of TVA Sports Public record: 2023-0094-5
• Upcoming Hearing:
  • April 17, 2023 – Whitehorse, Yukon: Call for comments – Telecommunications in the Far North, Phase II – Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-147, 2022-147-1, 2022-147-2 View hearing documents (2022-147)

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Public Consultations:

• CRTC
  • Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-39 – Call for comments – Development of a regulatory framework to improve network reliability and resiliency – Mandatory notification and reporting about major telecommunications service outages  
  • Share your comments on the review of the Broadband fund (start date March 23, 2023 to July 21, 2023) 
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 
  • Consultation on the future of competition policy in Canada (November 17, 2022 to March 31, 2023) 
  • Strategic Intellectual Property Program Review (November 15, 2022 to March 31, 2023) 
• Consultation on the Spectrum Licence Renewal Process for Wireless Communication Services (WCS) Licences (January 31, 2023 to March 14, 2023)  
• Consultation on Amending CPC-2-0-20 — Radio Frequency (RF) Fields – Signs and Access Control (January 31, 2023 to March 20, 2023) 
• Consultation on the Spectrum Licence Renewal Process for Wireless Communication Services (WCS) Licences (January 31, 2023 to March 14, 2023)

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

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