Articles by: Michael Geist

Konrad Von Finckenstein - CRTC Chairman @ Banff World Media Festival 2011 by Kempton (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/9Ticaw

The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 152: Konrad von Finckenstein on the Challenges That Lie Ahead for the CRTC

The start of a new year often means a fresh start and for the CRTC, it meant welcoming a new chair, as Vicky Eatrides officially took over as chair a few days into 2023. Eatrides comes to the Commission at a particularly busy time with wireless competition concerns top of mind for many Canadians and the government set to ask the Commission to play a pivotal role in implementing Bills C-11 and C-18.

Konrad von Finckenstein is someone who knows quite a bit about the challenges faced by new CRTC chairs, having served in the role from 2007 to 2012. He was recently appointed to the Order of Canada for his many contributions to public life and he joins me on the Law Bytes podcast to reflect on those experiences in the context of the CRTC. Our conversation reflects on what is involved in launching entirely new programs, ensuring public engagement, and developing policies that enjoy both public support and can withstand potential legal challenges.

Read more ›

January 16, 2023 6 comments Podcasts
Podcast App by Focal Foto https://flic.kr/p/2oaCFVD (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Listen Up: My Recent Podcast Appearances on Bills C-11, C-18 and Canadian Copyright Law

Parliament remains on break for most of the month of January, but that hasn’t cooled interest in Bills C-11 and C-18. I’ve appeared on several podcasts in recent weeks on these bills that may interest. Last week, I was pleased to appear on CBC’s Front Burner for an episode titled “Will Canada Make Web Giants Pay For News?”. The discussion with host Jayme Poisson focused on the implications of paying for links, the inclusion of the CBC in the system, and potential alternatives that would mitigate against the harms created by the bill.

Read more ›

January 9, 2023 6 comments News

Front Burner: Will Canada make web giants pay for news?

I appeared on the Front Burner podcast on January 5, 2023. In the episode, we discussed Bill C-18 and why it could harm both the internet and the media for Canadians. The link to the episode is here.

Read more ›

January 5, 2023 Comments are Disabled ExtPodcasts
10 ____ by Francis Mariani (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/2icY6zq

The Year in Review: Top Ten Law Bytes Podcast Episodes

This week’s Law Bytes podcast features a look at the year in review along with some guesses at what lies ahead. Yesterday I highlighted the top ten posts on this site and the series of looking back wraps up today with the most streamed or downloaded Law Bytes podcast episodes of the year. Bill C-11 once again leads the way, though there are episodes on privacy, security, Bill C-18, the invocation of the Emergencies Act, and copyright. It is notable that the top episode of the year featured clips from the disastrous Bill C-11 clause-by-clause review in which MPs voted on over 100 amendments without public disclosure of their content, explanations, or debate.

Read more ›

December 22, 2022 4 comments Podcasts
Top 10 by Theen Moy (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/qc4kGL

The Year in Review: Top Ten Posts

This week’s Law Bytes podcast features a look at the year in review along with some guesses at what lies ahead. Before wrapping up for the year, the next two posts will highlight the most popular posts and podcast episodes of the past year. Today’s post starts with the top posts, which have a strong Bill C-11 emphasis alongside posts on Bill C-18, online harms, and the Rogers outage during the summer.

Read more ›

December 21, 2022 3 comments News