Canada: Privacy Commissioner Creates a Buzz

Last week, Canadian Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart, along with nine other privacy commissioners, released a public letter to Google CEO Eric Schmidt, expressing concern that the Internet giant was forgetting its privacy responsibilities arising, primarily, in relation to…

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Canada – Foreign Control of Communications Sector

Today during parliamentary hearings, Konrad von Finckenstein, chairman of the CRTC, said “The control of the communications sector should stay in Canadian hands. No foreign entity should own more than 49 per cent”. Relying on committee discussion of…

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Canada – UK Tax Treaty – Rates of Withholding Tax

Set out at the bottom of the first page of the linked document, “Countries with Double Taxation Agreements with the UK – rates of withholding tax for the year ended 5 April 2010”, are the operative withholding tax…

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Canada – Amendments to the Competition Act

On March 12, 2009, the Budget Implementation Act received Royal Assent. The Act contains amendments that modernizes the Competition Act to better protect Canadians from the harm caused by anti-competitive conduct. Two amended provisions of the Competition Act…

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British Columbia – Environmental Protection and Landowner Rights

On March 29, 2010, the Government of British Columbia announced that it intended to introduce into the British Columbia legislature, a bill to amend the Oil and Gas Activities Act and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act. Amendments…

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Canada – EU Free Trade

Although the EU is Canada’s second most important goods trading partner, and Canada’s second most important investment partner, there has been little interest in discussions relating to the proposed Canada – EU Free Trade Agreement (“FTA”). Going the…

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Chile: Full OECD Membership

As a follow up to our December 27th, 2009 posting regarding proposed admission of Chile into the OECD, Chile’s admission to the OECD is now complete. Chile’s economic future has brightened considerably merely by being admitted to OCED.…

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UK: Greater Certainty on Tax Policy

The Government today published a draft Tax Framework for business. Developed in discussion with the Business-Government Forum on Tax and Globalisation, the document is intended to provide greater certainty for large businesses about the Government’s approach to the…

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EU: Macedonia Accession Talks Urged By EU

In more news on the future expansion of the European Union, the EU Parliament yesterday urged the EU to open membership negotiations with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.  The new EU Enlargement Commissioner, Stefan Fuele, also is…

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South Africa: Companies Act – Draft Regulations 2010

In April 2009 the President signed into law the Companies Act (2008). The Act is due to come into force later this year. Meanwhile, draft Regulations have been published supplementing the framework established by the Act. Included in…

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