Podcasts

Telus & Rogers Setup Underground on Canada Line by Rebecca Bollwitt https://flic.kr/p/6HASwT (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 153: Jennifer Quaid on the Competition Bureau’s Appeal of the Rogers-Shaw Merger Decision

The battle over the Rogers – Shaw merger has continued to escalate in recent days with TekSavvy filing an application with the CRTC on the wholesale access implications of the deal, a campaign to urge ISED Minister François-Philippe Champagne to reject the transaction, and a forthcoming Industry committee hearing on the situation. The merger heads for what may be its final legal showdown this week as the Federal Court of Appeal conducts its hearing on the Competition Bureau’s appeal of a recent decision from the Competition Tribunal that rejected its opposition to the proposed merger. 

Jennifer Quaid is an Associate Professor and Vice-Dean Research in the Civil Law Section at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. She is an expert on competition law and has been vocal throughout the Rogers-Shaw merger drama. She joins me on the Law Bytes podcast to unpack the legal arguments in the case, provides her prognostication on a potential outcome at the Court of Appeal, and offers insights into potential future competition law reforms in Canada in light of a national consultation on the issue.

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January 23, 2023 4 comments Podcasts
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.

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January 16, 2023 6 comments Podcasts
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.

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December 22, 2022 4 comments Podcasts
Handwriting Text 2023 Loading. Concept meaning Forecasting the future event by Jernej Furman (CC BY 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/2iMaREk

The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 151: The Year in Canadian Digital Law and Policy and What Lies Ahead in 2023

Canadian digital law and policy in 2022 was marked by legislative battles over Bills C-11 and C-18, the Rogers outage, stalled privacy and AI reform, copyright term extension, and a growing trade battle with the U.S. over Canadian policies. For this final Law Bytes podcast of 2022, I go solo without a guest to talk about the most significant trends and developments in Canadian digital policy from the past year and to think a bit about what may lie ahead in 2023.

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December 19, 2022 3 comments Podcasts
TVO, The Agenda screenshot, https://www.tvo.org/video/how-will-canada-regulate-news-and-streaming

The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 150: How Will Canada Regulate News and Streaming – My Appearance on TVO’s The Agenda

The government’s two big Internet bills – Bill C-11 and Bill C-18, both made significant advances late last week. The Senate Transport and Communications committee concluded months of hearings on Bill C-11 by agreeing to about 25 amendments, notably including a change to the scope of user content regulation that is designed to limit the application to sound recordings as well as the removal of a provision that critics feared would limit CRTC independence. Meanwhile in the House, Bill C-18 cleared the Canadian Heritage committee with changes that invite legal challenges and make a showdown over blocking news content increasingly likely. 

Just prior to these committee meetings, I appeared on TVO’s the Agenda with Steve Paikin to discuss the bills and why they matter. The interview elicited very positive feedback and with the kind permission of TVO and the Agenda, I’m pleased to provide the audio version of that interview as this week’s Law Bytes podcast. 

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December 12, 2022 4 comments Podcasts