Weekly Newsletter: June 21, 2022

Weekly News (June 21, 2022)

Compiled by Fizza Kulvi, Meaghan Wester, and Nick Gertler with 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 14 – June 20, 2022)

Canadian New

• [BROADCASTING POLICY] YouTube ‘disappointed’ by amendments to Liberals’ online-streaming bill (Globe and Mail)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Projet de loi C-11 : Les libéraux écourtent le temps de débat sur le projet de loi C-11 (La Presse)
• [TELECOM/COMPETITION] Competition Bureau doubles down on objections to Rogers deal for Shaw (National Post)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Key enterprises could face penalties under federal bill to bolster cybersecurity (CTV News)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Ottawa encadrera la cybersécurité de secteurs essentiels (Le Devoir)
• [PRIVACY] Privacy bill sets out rules on use of personal data, artificial intelligence (CBC)
• [ONLINE HARMS] Liberals drop plan to force takedowns of ‘harmful content’ after censorship accusations (National Post)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] Le PQ veut un « CRTC québécois » pour contrer « l’anglicisation du Québec » (La Presse)
• [TELECOM] CRTC imposes $7.5-million penalty on Bell for violations of Telecommunications Act (Financial Post)
• [INTERNET POLICY/ONLINE HARMS] Les «deepfakes» et faussetés en ligne dans la mire d’Ottawa(Le Devoir)
• [PRIVACY] Ottawa urged to act amid ongoing privacy leaks in military sex misconduct deal(National Post)
• [TELECOM] Ottawa seeks broad powers over telecoms, right to keep measures secret(Globe and Mail)
• [TEELCOM/COMPETITION] Rogers stands to gain nearly half a million clients as part of deal to sell Freedom Mobile (Globe and Mail)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Facebook says rejection of Toronto theatre company ads was an ‘error’ (The Star)
• [PLATFORM/CULTURAL GOVERNANCE] Netflix launches development program for diverse Canadian writers (Globe and Mail)
• [PRIVACY/DIGITAL HEALTH] ​​Telus signs $2.3 billion deal to buy digital-health provider LifeWorks (The Star)
• [COPYRIGHT] Can NFTs help stop art piracy? (Globe and Mail)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Credit unions across Canada targeted in cybersecurity incident, but no evidence data compromised: tech company (CBC)
• [CYBERSECURITY] Quebec court approves $200.9M settlement against Desjardins over data breach (CBC)
• [PRIVACY] Op-Ed: Star Editorial Board: Canada needs new powers to combat cyber threats, but we must make sure they’re not abused (The Star)
• [NEWS INDUSTRY] Op-Ed: Brin & Charlton: Canadians’ trust in the news media hits a new low (The Conversation)
• [OFFICIAL LANGUAGES] Op-Ed: Breton et. al.: Quebecers more pessimistic than ever about the future of the French language (Policy Options)

International News

• [INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY] Why a new international vaccine deal is being called a ‘devastating global failure’ (The Star)
• [PRIVACY] Senate holdouts pose hurdle to surging legislative privacy push from Congress (Washington Post)
• [PRIVACY] Regulator calls for Big Tech privacy cases to be handled by EU watchdog(Reuters)    
• [PRIVACY] Anticipated Roe reversal brings a wave of data security reforms (Washington Post)    
• [INTERNET ACCESS] Why Rural Americans Keep Waiting for Fast Internet — Flaws in government programs have left some residents behind (WSJ)
• [ELECTION SECURITY] Trump’s false election claims made it tougher to talk about election security (Washington Post)
• [CONTENT MODERATION] When Twitter suspends users, their views get more extreme  (Washington Post)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] Elon Musk tells Twitter staff harassment would drive people from service (Washington Post)    
• [CENSORSHIP] Disney’s ‘Lightyear,’ With a Same-Sex Kiss, Faces a Backlash in Some Muslim Countries (NYT)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] How TikTok is Changing Marketing in the Music Industry and Beyond (NYT)
• [PLATFORM GOVERNANCE] TikTok says its American traffic is going through Oracle servers, but it retains backups. (NYT)    
• [CENSORSHIP] Exclusive: U.S. targets Russia with tech to evade censorship of Ukraine news(Reuters)
• [ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE] Op-Ed: Gebru and Mitchell: We warned Google that people might believe AI was sentient. Now it’s happening. (Washington Post)

(June 14 – June 20, 2022)

Supreme Court of Canada

The Supreme Court of Canada announced judgment in the following leave applications on Thursday, June 16, 2022. 

• [DEFAMATION] Alain Gravel, et al. c. Lee Lalli (Qc) (Civile) (Autorisation) (39979) [DISMISSED]

Senate of Canada

Hansard

• [OFFICIAL LANGUAGES] June 14, 2022: Cost Implication of Bill C-13
• [PRIVACY COMMISSIONER] June 14, 2022: Phillippe Dufresne Received in Committee of the Whole 
• [OFFICIAL LANGUAGES] June 16, 2022: English-Speaking Linguistic Minority in Quebec
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] June 16, 2022: Impact of Bill C-11 on Artists 

House of Commons

Hansard

• [CYBERSECURITY] June 14, 2020: Bill C-26, An Act Respecting Cyber Security (First reading)
• [BROADCASTING POLICY] June 17, 2022: Bill C-11, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts 
• [ALGORITHMS] June 17, 2022: Bill C-292, An Act respecting transparency for online algorithms (Introduced)

Federal Court of Appeal

• [PATENT] Swist v. Meg Energy Corp (2022 FCA 118) [DISMISSED] 

Canadian Heritage

• Minister Rodriguez to participate in a press conference following the G7 Media Ministers’ Meeting
• Minister Rodriguez announces conclusion of expert advisory group on online safety 

Innovation, Science and Economic Development

• Minister Champagne to attend the Collision conference and speak about how Canada is adapting to emerging technologies
• Government of Canada to hold technical briefing and media availability on strengthening Canadians’ protection and trust in the digital economy
• Governments of Canada and Alberta invest nearly $500,000 to bring high-speed iInternet to 280 households in West Bragg Creek, Alberta
• Governments of Canada and Quebec have invested more than $1.1 million to bring high-speed Internet services to 1,171 rural Quebec households
• New laws to strengthen Canadians’ privacy protection and trust in the digital economy

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• OPC announces new funding recipients for independent research: Assessing and mitigating privacy risks, barriers and inequalities

CRTC

News Releases 

• CRTC imposes $7.5 million in penalties on Bell Canada for violations of Canada’s Telecommunications Act

   Broadcasting Decisions

• 2022-164 – K-Right Communications Limited – Halifax, Nova Scotia – Application to revoke the broadcasting licence issued to K-Right Communications Limited for the terrestrial broadcasting distribution undertaking serving Halifax and surrounding areas

Telecommunications 

• 2022-160 – Imposition of an administrative monetary penalty on Bell Canada in relation to the processing and granting of access permit applications for support structures in accordance with its National Services Tariff – Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0132
• 2022-150 – Bell Canada – Application to review and vary and stay Telecom Order 2021-182 regarding the routing of competitive local exchange carrier 800/888 calls – Public record: 8662-B2-202105106
• 2022-148 – Rogers Communications Canada Inc. – Application for non-discriminatory and timely access under reasonable terms and conditions to the multi-dwelling unit at 70 Yorkville Avenue, Toronto, Ontario – Public record: 8622-R28-202105304

Microsoft

• World Refugee Day: Tech companies, together, can strengthen the safety net

Meta

• New Tools and Resources for Parents and Teens in VR and on Instagram

Amazon

• Amazon and Cartier File Two Joint Lawsuits Against Counterfeiters Using Social Media to Traffic Counterfeit Luxury Good

Senate of Canada

·         Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The Senate sits from June 20 to June 23, 2022.

• OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
  • June 20, 2022, 5 PM ET: The subject matter of Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts

Canadian House of Commons

·         Planned & Possible sitting days this week: The House sits from June 20 to June 23, 2022.

• ETHICS
  • June 20, 2022, 11 AM ET: Use and Impact of Facial Recognition Technology Committee Business 
• LANGUAGES
  • June 20, 2022, 3:30 PM ET: Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts
  • June 22, 2022: 3:30 PM ET: Bill C-13, An Act to amend the Official Languages Act, to enact the Use of French in Federally Regulated Private Businesses Act and to make related amendments to other Acts

CRTC

The CRTC plans to issue the following decisions and/or regulatory policies in the week of 20 to 23 June 2022. This is subject to change without notice.

Broadcasting Decisions

•  South Asian Television Canada Limited
  ATN South Asian Television – Licence renewal
  Public record: 2019-1075-3

• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  Various audio and audiovisual services – Licence renewals
  Public records: 2019-0279-2, 2019-0280-0, 2019-0281-7 and 2019-0282-5

Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Decision:

• Development of a network-level blocking framework to limit botnet traffic and strengthen Canadians’ online safety
  Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0009

Public Consultations

• CBC/Radio-Canada engaging with Indigenous communities across Canada about better reflecting Indigenous cultures (April 26 – September 27, 2022)
• CRTC: Share your ideas and comments about telecommunications services in the Far North (June 8, 2022 – October 6, 2022)

Have suggestions? Email Sara Bannerman at banners@mcmaster.ca 

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