EU Commissioner Karel de Gucht says that there should be “no illusions” about the remaining difficult issues in the Canada – EU Trade Agreement, suggesting that completion by the end of the year remains uncertain. De Gucht indicated that CETA once included ACTA language, but says that has now been […]
Latest Posts
Government Announces Plan To Open “White Spaces” Spectrum
Industry Minister Christian Paradis announced yesterday that the government is “opening up unused spectrum between TV channels – the so-called “white space” – for licence-exempt applications.” The government consulted on the issue last year. I wrote about white spaces in 2009.
The CRTC in 2017: “They Trust us to Defend their Interests as Citizens, as Creators & as Consumers”
Blais provided a vision that hits on many issues that should form part of Canada’s long missing digital economy strategy. CRTC activity includes:
- the creation of a Chief Consumer Officer to ensure the CRTC “examine all the issues before us through a consumer-focused lens.”
- the creation of wireless code of conduct
- ensuring Canadians have maximum choice of providers and platforms
- transparency in costing data of wholesale services
- accessibility for all Canadians
- broadband availability of downloads of 5 Mbps and uploads for 1 Mbps for all Canadians by 2015
- enforcing do-not-call and anti-spam legislation
- a broad definition of creators to include anyone that creates, distributes or promotes content
- protection against cellphone theft
Canadian Conference for the Arts Shutting Down
The Globe reports that the Canadian Conference for the Arts is shutting down, ending a 67-year record as a major arts advocacy group.
Law Enforcement Renews Demand for Internet Surveillance Legislation
To put it very simply, if the police cannot convince a judge that the connection should be made, they should not be able to obtain it. If you can’t convince a judge that it will lead to evidence of a crime, the cops should go back to the drawing board.
While the CACP insists that “Canadians need to understand what lawful access is truly about”, it unfortunately resorts to headline grabbing claims that have little to do with the bill. Much like the government’s initial focus on child pornography, the CACP jumps on the recent focus on cyber-bullying, stating:
Recent Posts
Ignoring the Warning Signs: Why Did the Canadian Government Dismiss the Trade Risks of a Digital Services Tax? 
Why Bill C-2 Faces a Likely Constitutional Challenge By Placing Solicitor-Client Privilege at Risk 
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 237: A Conversation with Jason Woywada of BCFIPA on Political Party Privacy and Bill C-4 
Lawful Access on Steroids: Why Bill C-2’s Big Brother Tactics Combine Expansive Warrantless Disclosure with Unprecedented Secrecy 
Government Reverses on Privacy and the Charter: Department of Justice Analysis Concludes Political Party Privacy Bill Raises No Charter of Rights Effects
