Newsletter: June 29, 2021

Weekly News (June 29th, 2021)

Compiled by Emmanuel Appiah, Meaghan Wester, and Nick Gertlerwith Sara Bannerman, Fenwick McKelvey, Guillaume Dandurand, Marek Blottière, and Kevin Morin

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.

(June 22-28, 2021)

Canadian News

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/ DEFAMATION] Discours haineux sur l’internet: Le projet de loi C-36 déposé aux Communes (La Presse)
• [ONLINE HATE SPEECH] OPINION: Matthew Lau: Liberal hate speech bill an unnecessary, bureaucratic attack on free expression (National Post) (McMaster; York)
• [BROADCAST POLICY] Broadcasting Act changes headed to the Senate (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York)
• [BROADCAST POLICY] Senate adds sitting days to deal with budget bill, insists broadcasting legislation will receive thorough study (Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY/FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Radiodiffusion; Le projet de loi C-10 adopté aux Communes, mais le temps manque au Sénat (La Presse)
• [TELECOM REGULATION] CRTC chairman under fire for lobbyist meetings (National Post) (McMaster; York)
• [PRIVACY] Liberals face possible federal, provincial privacy probes for use of facial recognition technology (Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York)
• [CULTURAL FUNDING] From TIFF to the Calgary Stampede – feds talk details of $700-million funding to help arts, culture and sports recover from COVID-19 (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York)
• [ACCESS TO COURT DOCUMENTS] Why a Star investigation into a toddler’s death could pave the way for better media access to police documents (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/LABOUR] Media lobby group calls on Ottawa to require tech giants to pay licensing fees to all publications (Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York)
• [NEWS LICENSING] Canadian media outlets, including The Globe and Mail, sign licensing deal with Google (Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York)
• [MISINFORMATION] Private messages contribute to the spread of COVID-19 conspiracies (The Conversation) (McMaster; York)
• [ANTI-COMPETITION] OPINION: Bednar and Shaban: Canada’s Competition Act needs an overhaul (Globe and Mail)
• [AI] OPINION: Gibson, Hadfield and Bodkin: Trustworthy use of AI by governments starts with acknowledging unknowns (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York)
• [OPEN COURTS] Advocates, lawyers criticize move to virtual hearings (Hamilton Spectator) (McMaster; York)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: Taylor Owen: Canada shouldn’t turn away from the difficult task of regulating online speech (Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE/LABOUR] Uber Canada shifts operations from Netherlands to Canada (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York)

International News

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION/PRIVACY] OPINION: This Supreme Court guards the First Amendment — and neglects the Fourth (Washington Post) (McMaster; York)
• [CYBERBULLYING] Cyberbullying trial tests French tools to fight online abuse(Associated Press News) (McMaster; York)
• [SURVEILLANCE] Court finds Baltimore aerial surveillance unconstitutional(Canadian Press via ABC News) (McMaster; York)
• [COPYRIGHT] YouTube wins user copyright fight in top EU court ruling (Reuters) (McMaster; York)
• [PERSONAL INFORMATION] Dutch group launches data harvesting claim against TikTok (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York)
• [ANTITRUST] Antitrust Overhaul Passes Its First Tests. Now, the Hard Parts. (New York Times) (McMaster; York)
• [ANTITRUST] E.U. Inquiry Into Google Targets Ads (New York times) (McMaster; York)
• [TECH POLICY/ANTICOMPETITION] Break them up? 5 ways Congress is trying to rein in Big Tech (Associated Press News) (McMaster; York)
• [DEFAMATION] Biden’s Justice Dept may defend Trump in Capitol riot lawsuits(Reuters) (McMaster; York)
• [AI] Commerce Secretary Sees U.S., EU Writing ‘Rules of the Road’ on AI (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York)
• [ARCHIVAL POLICY/AI] Library of Congress Looks to AI to Help Users Sift Through Its Collection (Wall Street Journal) (McMaster; York)
• [PRIVACY] India’s digital database for farmers stirs fears about privacy, exclusion (Reuters) (McMaster; York)
• [SURVEILLANCE/US-CHINA RELATIONS] Chinese surveillance firm builds influence in Washington, with help from former members of Congress (Washington Post) (McMaster; York)
• [AD TRACKING/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Google delays plan to block tracking cookies on Chrome browser amid antitrust concerns(Washington Post) (McMaster; York)
• [CENSORSHIP/PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] YouTube takes down Xinjiang videos, forcing rights group to seek alternative (Reuters) (McMaster; York)
• [DEFAMATION] Dismissal of Fairfax’s defamation suit against CBS affirmed on appeal (Washington Post) (McMaster; York)

(June 22-28, 2021)

Supreme Court of Canada

• The Supreme Court of Canada has today deposited with the Registrar judgments in the following leave applications.

• [TELECOM REGULATION/TERMINATION CLAUSES] Télébec, société en commandite c. 9238-0831 Québec inc. faisant affaires sous le nom de Caféier-Boustifo (Qc) (Civile) (Autorisation) (39579) (Dismissed)
• [TELECOM REGULATION/TERMINATION CLAUSES] Éric Masson, et al. c. Telus Mobilité, et al. (Qc) (Civile) (Autorisation) (39562) (Dismissed)

 US Supreme Court

• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] MAHANOY AREA SCHOOL DIST. v. B. L. No. 20-255 argued date: April 28, 2021 ( June 23, 2021)
• [PRIVACY/WARRANTLESS ENTRY] LANGE v. CALIFORNIA No. 20-18 argued date: February 24, 2021 (June 23, 2021)
• [PRIVACY] TRANSUNION LLC v. RAMIREZ No. 20-297 argued date: March 30, 2021 (June 25, 2021) 

Canadian Heritage

• Continued Support for Arts, Culture, Heritage and Sport Sector Organizations
• Member of Parliament Michael McLeod to Announce Funding for Indigenous Broadcasting and Sport Organizations in the Northwest Territories

Canadian Intellectual Property Office

• CIPO releases its 2019–2020 Annual Report
• Notice – 2020 Trademark Agent Qualifying Examination

Communications security Establishment Canada

• Communications Security Establishment releases annual public report

Department of Justice Canada

• Government of Canada takes action to protect Canadians against hate speech and hate crimes
• Ministers Lametti, Guilbeault, Blair and Monsef to hold media availability
• Combatting hate speech and hate crimes: Proposed legislative changes to the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Government of Canada announces new independent regulator for patent and trademark agents
• Minister Champagne marks the launch of the Canadian Data Governance Standardization Collaborative Roadmap
• Indigenous Intellectual Property Program grants applications are now open 

Office of Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• Appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA) on the Emergency Situation Facing Canadians in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic(Advice to Parliament)
• Privacy Commissioner announces new funding recipients for independent research and awareness projects (Announcement)
• Commissioner appears before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health (HESA) (Announcement)

Twitter

• Digital Services Act: Defending the Open Internet 

CRTC

News Releases:

• Broadcasting decision 2021-211
  [2021-06-25 11:00:00]
  APPROVED – Local Radio Lab Inc. – Alliston, Milton and Orangeville, Ontario – Application to acquire the assets of the English-language commercial radio stations CIMA-FM Alliston, CJML-FM Milton and CKMO-FM Orangeville and to obtain new broadcasting licences to continue the operation of the stations
• Telecom decision 2021-210
  [2021-06-23 11:00:00]
  CISC Emergency Services Working Group – Consensus report ESRE0092 related to handset-based location implementation – Public record: 8621-C12-01/08

Senate of Canada

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: Monday, June 28^st – Tuesday, June 29^th, 2021.

          Bills on Agenda

• • [BROADCAST POLICY] C-10: An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts – First Reading in the Senate (June 22, 2021)

Canadian House of Commons

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week, with possible extension of sitting hours (June 21-23): The House is adjourned until Monday, September 20, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. (EDT).

CRTC

Open Proceedings

• CRTC Open Broadcasting Proceedings
• CRTC Open Telecom Proceedings

Anticipated releases for the week of June 28 to July 2, 2021
The CRTC is not planning on issuing any decisions, regulatory policies and reports in the coming week. This is subject to change without notice.

     Broadcasting Decisions:

Decision relating to the following application announced in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2021-114:

• Lakeside Radio Broadcasting Corp.
  Kincardine, Goderich and Port Elgin, Ontario
  CIYN-FM Kincardine and its transmitters CIYN-FM-1 Goderich and CIYN-FM-2 Port Elgin – Acquisition of assets
  Public record: 2021-0001-0

Part 1 application

• McCarthy Tétrault LLP
  Addition of Jewelry Television to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
  Public record: 2021-0108-8

 Public Hearings

• To consider the broadcasting application listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-165 and 2021-165-1
  View hearing documents (2021-165)  (July 8, 2021)

Open Public Consultations:

• Access to Information Review Public Engagement: Reviewing access to information –https://atiareview.ca (March 31, 2021-July 31, 2021)
• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommuncations Commission: Video Relay Service Review (July 5, 2021)
• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission: Call for comments – Introduction of a three-digit abbreviated dialing code for mental health crisis and suicide prevention services (June 3- Sept 1, 2021)
• Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat: Reviewing access to information (March 31 – July 31, 2021)