Newsletter: August 10, 2021

Weekly News (August 10th, 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.

(August 4-9, 2021) 

Canadian News  

• [ANTICOMPETITION] Competition Bureau to advance Rogers-Shaw deal review (BNN Bloomberg; Similar article via Toronto Star) (McMaster; York) 
• [PUBLICATION BAN] Top court turns down family’s request to seal material found in van attacker’s home (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY] B.C. privacy watchdog investigating national Liberal Party over use of facial recognition software (The Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/ MEDIA GOVERNANCE] Reconnaissance faciale: le commissaire à la vie privée de la C.-B. déclenche une enquête (Le Devoir) 
• [TELECOM/CANADA-CHINA RELATIONS] Extradition hearing of Meng Wanzhou enters its final stages as lawyers claim U.S. misled Canada (Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York) 
• [PUBLIC BROADCASTING / TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY]Québecor débouté devant le CRTC (Le Devoir) 
• [NEWS CONTENT/PLATFORM REGULATION] Canada weighing options to get Facebook, Google to pay for journalism (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York) 
• [SURVEILLANCE] OPINION: Taylor Owens: China’s dystopian digital future threatens other societies (National Post) (McMaster; York) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Hamilton to ban display of Nazi swastika, Confederate flag on city-owned lands (Hamilton Spectator) (McMaster; York) 
• [CENSORSHIP / MEDIA REGULATION] COVID-19: YouTube retire une vidéo d’Éric Duhaime; Le chef du PCQ estime avoir été censuré (Journal de Montréal) 
• [MEDIA GOVERNANCE] OPINION STÉPHANE RICOUL: Au rythme des algorithmes  (La Presse) 
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] OPINION: BRYAN MILES Entre liberté et responsabilité (Le Devoir) 
• [INTERNET REGULATION] OPINION: McNally and Joseph: Our wireless spectrum belongs to all Canadians. It’s time to reform our approach to ensure equitable, affordable, high-speed access for all (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York) 
• [CULTURAL FUNDING] Ottawa dégage une aide de 70 millions pour appuyer les musiciens et les salles de spectacle (Le Devoir) 
• [SURVEILLANCE] OPINION: Branka Marijan: A ‘global surveillance catastrophe’: Canada is not immune to a surveillance tech dystopia (Toronto Star) (McMaster; York) 

 

International News 

• [DEFAMATION] Netflix must face ex-prosecutor’s defamation lawsuit over Central Park Five case (Financial Post) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/SENSITIVE INFORMATION] Judge: Norwegian cruises can require proof of vaccination (Associated Press News) (McMaster; York) 
• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Tale of Fake Hewlett-Packard Gear Spurs Arrest in China, Lawsuit (BNN Bloomberg News) (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY] Australia’s privacy watchdog investigating Optus over 2019 breach (The Economic Times) (McMaster; York) 
• [CENSORSHIP] Bill to restrict Internet in Iran could threaten pandemic-era Instagram commerce boom (Washington Post) (McMaster; York) 
• [COPYRIGHT] Italy to help publishers obtain ‘fair payment’ (Reuters) (McMaster; York) 
• [FREEDOM OF SPEECH/CENSORSHIP] Anger and fear in Ghana as bill seeks to criminalise LGBT+ people (Reuters)  
• [DIGITAL ID] Got your number: Privacy concerns hobble Nigeria’s digital ID push (Reuters) (McMaster; York) 
• [EXPLOITATIVE CONTENT/PRIVACY] Apple to scan U.S. iPhones for images of child sexual abuse (The Guardian) (McMaster; York) 
• [CYBERSECURITY] U.S. Taps Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Others to Help Fight Ransomware, Cyber Threats (Wall Street Journal)  (McMaster; York) 
• [PRIVACY/CENSORSHIP] FTC official raps Facebook for booting political ads probe (Associated Press News) (McMaster; York) 
• [SURVEILLANCE/CENSORSHIP] Report claims U.S. tech companies continue to power China’s surveillance state (The Globe and Mail) (McMaster; York) 
• [CENSORSHIP/MISINFORMATION] YouTube yanked public meeting videos over covid misinformation. Now it’s backtracking. (Washington Post) (McMaster; York) 

(August 4-9, 2021) 

Supreme Court of Canada 

• The Supreme Court of Canada today filed with the Registrar the judgment in the following appeal 
•  [PRIVACY] Minassian Family v. Postmedia Network Inc.et al (Ont.) (Civil) (By Leave) (38866) 

Federal Court of Canada 

• [SURVEILLANCE/NATIONAL SECURITY] British Columbia Civil Liberties Association v. Canada (Attorney General) – 2021 FC 766 – 2021-07-20 

Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission 

• CRTC Broadband Fund to introduce or improve Internet access services and mobile wireless services for 46 communities in five provinces  

Competition Bureau 

• Competition Bureau obtains court orders to advance investigation of Rogers’ proposed acquisition of Shaw 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 

• Government of Canada aims to improve spectrum access for rural and remote connectivity 

Copyright Board Canada 

• Approved Tariffs – SOCAN Tariff 7 — Skating Rinks (2018-2022) by August 7, 2021 

YouTube  

• New safety and digital wellbeing options for younger people on YouTube and YouTube Kids 
• Supporting the news industry and next-generation journalists on YouTube 

CRTC 

News Releases: 

• Telecom order 2021-271 
  [2021-08-09 11:00:00] 
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Bell MTS, a division of Bell Canada TN 832 
• Broadcasting information bulletin 2021-270 
  [2021-08-06 11:00:00] 
  Guidelines for all licensees of broadcasting undertakings serving the province of Nova Scotia – Provincial election 
• Telecom order 2021-269 
  [2021-08-06 11:00:00] 
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff applications: Northwestel Inc. TN 1134 and TN 1135 
• Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom decision 2021-268 
  [2021-08-05 11:00:00] 
  CISC Network Working Group Consensus Report – Canadian traceback trial report – Public record: 8621-C12-01/08 
• Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom decision 2021-267 
  [2021-08-05 11:00:00] 
  Mitel Networks Corporation – Application requesting the Commission to instruct the Canadian Secure Token Governance Authority to allow all telecommunications service providers to receive a STIR/SHAKEN certificate – Public record: 8638-M75-202008953 
• Broadcasting decision 2021-266 
  [2021-08-05 11:00:00] 
  RENEWED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Across Canada – Broadcasting licences for the television and radio stations set out in the appendix to the decision from 1 September 2021 to 31 March 2022, subject to the terms and conditions in effect under the current licences 
• Telecom order 2021-265 
  [2021-08-04 11:00:00] 
  Streamlined order – The Commission approves the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1133 
• Broadcasting decision 2021-264 
  [2021-08-04 11:00:00] 
  APPROVED – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – Fredericton and Boiestown, New Brunswick – Application to change the authorized contours of CBZB-FM Boiestown, NewBrunswick, a rebroadcasting transmitter of the English-language radio station CBZF-FM Fredericton (Radio One) 

Senate of Canada  

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The Senate is not sitting today.  

  

Canadian House of Commons  

• Planned & Possible sitting days this week, with possible extension of sitting hours: The House of Commons is not sitting today. 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  

  

Regulatory Policies  

Broadcasting   

• 2021-215 - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Accessibility Reporting Regulations – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0124 and 1011-NOC2021-069  

Telecommunications  

• 2021-215 - The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Accessibility Reporting Regulations – Public record: 1011-NOC2020-0124 and 1011-NOC2021-069  

  

Anticipated releases for the week of August 9-13, 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.   

 

 Public Hearings  

• To consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-218 (View hearing documents (2021-218) (September 9, 2021)  

 

Open Public Consultations:  

• 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) 
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Consultation on a Modern Copyright Framework for AI and IoT (July 16-September 16, 2021)