Weekly News (Mar. 19th – Mar. 25th)

Communications Governance in the News

Compiled by Charnjot Shokar and Sumana Naidu

Research Assistants, Communications Governance Lab

Canadian News: Mar. 12 – 18

• [ANTITRUST; PRESS FREEDOM] Competition Bureau conducts searches at media offices (The Star)
• [CULTURAL POLICY] Internet giants should support local news, culture, Melanie Joly says (The Star)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION] Notorious Russian troll farm also took swipes at Canadian targets(Ottawa Citizen/CP)
• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] Ontario says tribunals should not be as open as courts (The Star)
• [COMMUNICATIONS PRIVILEGE] Dealmakers relieved as appeal court says privileged information can be shared (Financial Post)
• [COPYRIGHT] Fee dispute spurs copyright lawsuit (Winnipeg Free Press; Quill & Quire, The Tyeefor more)
• [PRIVACY] Privacy Commissioner launches probe over Loblaw request for personal data to issue $25 cards (The Star)
• [CYBERSECURITY] ‘Cryptojacking’ hacker trend turns Canadians into cryptocurrency miners (CBC)

International News: Mar. 12 – 18

• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION; PRIVACY] The Cambridge Analytica Files: ‘I made Steve Bannon’s psychological warfare tool’: meet the data war whistleblower(Guardian)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION; PRIVACY] Revealed: 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach(Guardian)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION; PRIVACY] Democrats call on Cambridge Analytica head to testify again before Congress(Guardian)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION; PRIVACY] How trump consultants exploited the Facebook data of millions (NYT)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION] FEC considers expanding political ad disclaimers to mobile apps(Washington Post)
• [SOCIAL MEDIA REGULATION] Google Bans Bitcoin Advertisements in Policy Change(NYT)
• [BROADCAST OWNERSHIP] Why Sinclair’s latest plan to sell major TV stations has critics crying foul(Washington Post)
• [FREEDOM OF INFORMATION] US sets new record for censoring, withholding gov’t files (ABC)
• [TRADE] Newspapers Opposing Trump Begging for Relief on Duties On Newsprint From Canada(New York The Sun)
• [PRIVACY] Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights (Guardian)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] Court: South Carolina law poses risk to student rights (National Post)
• [ANTITRUST] Amazon’s Japanese headquarters raided by nation’s regulator (Guardian)
• [FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION] European court backs Spaniards who burned royal photo (Washington Post – subscriber access; link to Metro News)
• [CENSORSHIP] Sri Lankan government urged to lift block on social media (ABC)

Press Releases and Decisions: Mar. 12 – 18

Supreme Court of Canada

• [PRIVACY] Construction de Castel inc. v. Ellen Paré, ès qualités de juge de la partie XV, et al.Prerogative writs – Certiorari – Validity of search warrant – Seizure of private communications recorded on computer – Whether definition of “intercept” in  183  of Criminal Code  applies only to prospective communications or also to private communications already stored on computer. – Application for leave dismissed

Federal Court of Appeal

• [COMMUNICATIONS PRIVILEGE] Iggillis Holdings Inc. v. Canada (Minister of National Revenue)2018 FCA 51

CRTC

• Broadcasting Decisions
• 2018-91 – Sirius XM Canada Inc. – Across Canada – APPROVED – Proposal to contribute a portion of the tangible benefits to the Broadcast Participation Fund – DENIED – Proposal to contribute a portion of the tangible benefits to the proposed Sirius XM Amp’d Fund/Fond Survolté
• 2018-86 – Ethnic Channels Group Limited – Across Canada – APPROVED – Applications to add the non-Canadian programming services Mello TV, TVI FIÇCAO, TVI24, RTP Açores Internacional and RTP3 to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
• Telecom Decisions
• 2018-92 – Streamlined order – The Commission approves on an interim basis the following tariff application: Northwestel Inc. TN 1011
• 2018-90 – Streamlined order – The Commission approves on a final basis the following tariff application: IXICA Communications Inc. TNs 3 and 3A
• 2018-89 – Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in the proceeding initiated by TBayTel’s application for an extension of the implementation date for certain new requirements in the Wireless Code – File numbers: 8665-T8-201707259 and 4754-585
• 2018-88 – Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of l’Union des consommateurs in the proceeding initiated by TELUS Communications Inc.’s application for an extension of the implementation date for certain new requirements in the Wireless Code – File numbers: 8665-T66-201710708 and 4754-578
• 2018-87 – Determination of costs award with respect to the participation of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in the proceeding initiated by TELUS Communications Inc.’s application for an extension of the implementation date for certain new requirements in the Wireless Code – File numbers: 8665-T66-201710708 and 4754-577
• Newly-announced Consultations
• Broadcasting
  • Multicultural Broadcasting Corporation Inc.

Radio (ethnic)

Renewal – apparent non-compliance

Canadian Content Development Contributions Renewal of licence

Calgary, AB

CKYR-FM

2017-0696-2

• Telecommunications
  • 8662-T66-201801514

Application to Review and Vary Order 2017-424

TELUS Communications Inc.

Innovation, Science, and Economic Development

• Rural and remote communities in Alberta will benefit from faster Internet
• Rural and remote communities in British Columbia will benefit from faster Internet
• Government of Canada to make high-speed Internet funding announcement in Calgary
• Governments of Canada and British Columbia to make Internet funding announcement in Haida Gwaii

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

• OPC launches selection process for Deputy Commissioner positions

Facebook

• Suspending Cambridge Analytica and SCL Group from Facebook

Upcoming Events

Senate of Canada

• Committee meetings, fixed, and possible sitting days this week: March 19-23

Canadian House of Commons

• Sitting days this week: March 19-23
• Ethics Committee meeting regarding privacy of digital government services
• Standing Committee on International Trade meeting on progressive Canadian enterprises and SMEs through electronic commerce
• Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology meeting regarding broadband and connectivity in rural Canada

CRTC

• Anticipated releases for the week of 19 March to 23 March 2018

• Broadcasting Decisions
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  • CBTK-FM Kelowna and CBUJ-FM Winlaw – Technical changes
  • Public record for this application: 2017-1170-6
• Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
  • CBON-FM Sudbury and its transmitter CBON-FM-22 Geraldton – Technical changes
  • Public record for this application: 2017-1076-5
• THEMA Canada
  • Addition of various non-Canadian programming services to the List of non-Canadian programming services and stations authorized for distribution
  • Public record for these applications: 2017-1197-9 and 2017-1198-7
• Telecom Decisions
  • Reconsideration of Telecom Decision 2017-56 regarding final terms and conditions for wholesale mobile wireless roaming service
    • Public record: 1011-NOC2017-0259
• Upcoming Hearings
• • 27 March 2018 – Gatineau, Quebec
    • To Consider the broadcasting applications listed in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2018-16.