Newsletter: March 24, 2020

Weekly News (March 24, 2020)
Compiled by Leandra Greenfield with Sara Bannerman
McMaster University, Communications Governance Observatory

(March 17-March 24, 2020)

Canadian News

• [CULTURAL FUNDING] Ottawa’s cultural funding to continue, but festivals may need extra help if pandemic persists (Globe and Mail)
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING] OPINION: Rex Murphy: Rex Murphy: Just when the CBC could really help Canadians, it lets them down (National Post)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Telecom networks deal with ‘unprecedented’ pressure as Canadians work from home (CBC)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] Crisis highlights Ottawa’s misguided approach to reducing wireless prices (Globe and Mail)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Spy agency warns Canada’s coronavirus researchers to look out for hacking threats (Globe and Mail)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Working from home? You’re likely now at greater risk of being hacked, experts say (The Star)

International News

• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] Israel uses mass cellphone surveillance to contend with coronavirus (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] As Coronavirus Surveillance Escalates, Personal Privacy Plummets (NYT)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] To Track Virus, Governments Weigh Surveillance Tools That Push Privacy Limits (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] Translating a Surveillance Tool into a Virus Tracker for Democracies (NYT)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] UK coronavirus app ‘must respect privacy rights’ (BBC)
• [PRIVACY/SURVEILLANCE] COVID-19 Is Changing Our World – And Our Attitude To Technology And Privacy –Why Could That Be Dangerous? (Forbes)
• [PRIVACY] Trade Groups Ask California to Delay Privacy Law Because of Coronavirus (WSJ)
• [PRIVACY] As schooling rapidly moves online across the country, concerns rise about student data privacy (Washington Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Feds: Virus frauds spread, preying on Medicare recipients (The Star)
• [PRIVACY] Uber’s challenge to balance driver safety with customer privacy (The Guardian)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Not Just a Crisis: Coronavirus Is a Test for Putin’s Security State (NYT)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE / PRIVACY] OK, Fine, Let’s All Get Back on Facebook (WSJ)
• [INTERNET MISINFORMATION] In fast-moving pandemic, sources of falsehoods spread by text, email, WhatsApp and TikTok elude authorities (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Doctors now urge patients to use apps in place of visits (Washington Post)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY] OPINION: Geoffrey Starks: To Fight Coronavirus, Millions More Americans Need Internet Access (NYT)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] My cellphone should have buzzed with a coronavirus emergency alert (Washington Post)
• [TELECOMMUNICATIONS] Everbridge Acquires Cell Broadcast Technology Leader one2many; Launches Industry’s First Unified Public Warning Platform to Combat COVID-19 Pandemic Globally (Financial Post)

(March 17-March 24, 2020)

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Government of Canada partners with the telecommunications sector to ensure Canadians abroad receive text messages containing key Global Affairs Canada information during the COVID-19 outbreak

Competition Bureau Canada

• Statement from the Commissioner of Competition regarding enforcement during the COVID-19 coronavirus situation

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• Patent and trademark agent annual maintenance (renewal) deadline: March 31, 2020

Elections Canada

• 2020-2021 departmental plans released

Judgements in Leave Applications

• [Intellectual Property] The Supreme Court of Canada has today deposited with the Registrar judgments in the following leave applications. Dismissed: MediaTube Corp v Bell Canada

CRTC

News Releases:

• Telecom notice of consultation 2019-372-1
  [2020-03-20 11:00:00]
  Call for applications Broadband Fund – Second call for applications – Changes to procedure
• Telecom notice of consultation 2019-57-2
  [2020-03-20 11:00:00]
  Notice of hearing Review of mobile wireless services – Changes to procedure – Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0057
• Telecom order 2020-102
  [2020-03-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1075
• Telecom order 2020-101
  [2020-03-20 11:00:00]
  Streamlined Order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Aptum Technologies (Fibre) Inc. TN 1
• Telecom order 2020-100
  [2020-03-20 11:00:00]
  Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the National Pensioners Federation in the proceeding that led to Telecom Decision 2020-91 – File numbers: 8620-P8-201800756 and 4754-593
• Telecom order 2020-99
  [2020-03-20 11:00:00]
  Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of l’Union des consommateurs in the proceeding that led to Telecom Decision 2020-91 – File numbers: 8620-P8-201800756 and 4754-595
• Broadcasting decision 2020-98
  [2020-03-19 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Ottawa and Cornwall, Ontario – Application to change the authorized contours of CBOC-FM, and application to change the authorized contours of CBOF-FM-6
• Broadcasting decision 2020-97
  [2020-03-19 11:00:00]
  Final offer arbitration between Rogers Media Inc. and Bragg Communications Incorporated regarding the distribution of Sportsnet and Sportsnet One
• Telecom order 2020-96
  [2020-03-16 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1063
• Telecom order 2020-95
  [2020-03-16 11:00:00]
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Rogers Communications Canada Inc. TN 65

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Commissioner issues guidance on privacy and the COVID-19 outbreak

Senate of Canada

• Sitting days this week:  March 24 & 25

Canadian House of Commons

• Sitting days this week:  March 24, 2020

CRTC

Anticipated Releases: The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the coming week. This list may be incomplete and is subject to change without notice.

• Telecom Decisions:
  • CISC Business Process Working Group – Consensus report BPRE098b regarding changes to the Network Management Guidelines
    • Public record: 8621-C12-01/08
  • Cloudwifi Inc. – Application for an order completing the company’s registration as a competitive local exchange carrier or requiring Bell Canada to sign a Special Master Agreement for Local Interconnection
    • Public record: 8622-C282-201901942
  • TELUS Communications Inc. and the Canadian Network Operators Consortium Inc. – Requests for disclosure of information filed in confidence as part of the Telecom Notice of Consultation 2019-57 proceeding, and related procedural requests
    • Public record: 1011-NOC2019-0057

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings