Gov’t shouldn’t allow FairPlay regime: House committee

The House ethics committee said that if the CRTC rules in favour of a proposal to implement a website-blocking system to fight piracy, the federal government should consider overturning it. The committee made the recommendation in a new report, released Wednesday, that follows a short study on the issue of net neutrality, during which representatives from telecoms belonging to the coalition behind the proposal argued for flexibility in Canada’s net neutrality framework. While the telecoms maintained the FairPlay proposal, currently in front of the CRTC, doesn’t bring up any net neutrality issues because net neutrality only applies to legal content, the committee disagreed in its report. It recommended that “in the event that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission supports FairPlay Canada’s application, the federal government consider using the authority provided under section 12 of the Telecommunications Act to ask the CRTC to reconsider its decision.” The committee said that it is concerned that approving the proposal could lead to an erosion of net neutrality, which is at odds with “Internet content blocking and censorship.” The report also recommended the government should consider enshrining the principle of net neutrality in the Telecom Act, as has been proposed in a motion by Liberal MP John Oliver. Another issue the committee expressed concern about was the U.S. Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) overturning of its net neutrality rules, though it noted that many of the witnesses said those changes aren’t expected to affect Canada. The committee said the federal government should “seek assurances from the Government of the United States that Canadians’ communications with people located in the United States or passing through the U.S. networks to reach another destination, will not be undermined by U.S. Internet service providers, highlighting current North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) obligations to ensure fair access to Canadian businesses and consumers and stressing its importance during NAFTA renegotiation efforts.” The report also noted that the CRTC’s currently deals with net neutrality issues only if a complaint is filed, and said the government should encourage the CRTC to “proactively use its power to inquire, which is provided for in the Telecommunications Act, to ensure that the Internet service providers’ practices are consistent with Canadian law.” — With reporting by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca and editing by Bryson Masse at bmasse@thewirereport.ca

Gov’t shouldn’t allow FairPlay regime: House committee

News | May 9, 2018

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Gov’t shouldn’t allow FairPlay regime: House committee

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