Delivering on a promise they made in Budget 2005, the feds created a panel to review Canada’s telecommunications policy and regulatory framework.
Yesterday, Minister of Industry David Emerson appointed Dr. Gerri Sinclair, Hank Intven and André Tremblay as members of the newly formed Telecommunications Policy Review Panel.
The Panel aims to conduct a review of Canada’s telecommunications policy and regulatory framework, and make recommendations to make it a model of 21st century regulation, according to an Industry Canada press release.
The government is currently addressing a number of telecommunications policy issues that can be fixed in the shorter term, such as unwanted telemarketing, wireless number portability and empowering the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) with direct fining authority, according the release.
But in a teleconference with reporters after the appointments were announced, Emerson was grilled specifically on foreign ownership restrictions.
Emerson said the approach he has taken does not preclude foreign ownership from being considered by the panel.
“We did not want to drive this as a foreign ownership review, as opposed to a telecommunications review geared to competitiveness and consumer choice,” Emerson said. “If it turns out areas relating to regulation acts or ICT require consideration of foreign ownership restrictions, we would be responsive to the advice of the panel.”
The key to that process could be fence mending between Industry Canada, which governs phone companies under the Telecommunications Act, and Heritage Canada, which polices cable companies under the Broadcasting Act.
“There has traditionally been differences on about a zillion issues between Industry Canada and Heritage Canada,” Emerson said. “In the last 12 months we have worked very closely and come together on many traditional areas of separation.”
At the moment, the government’s policy on foreign ownership hasn’t changed, reported Emerson.
Emerson said he is not actively advocating change. The Minister is taking the position that if there are compelling reasons why foreign ownership restrictions are an impediment to the competitiveness of the Canadian economy and consumer choice, it has to be reviewed and considered.
“I am not a big corporate advocate for opening up the Canadian market without understanding why we are doing it and what the consequences are going to be,” said Emerson.
Of the panel members, Dr. Sinclair has extensive knowledge of Internet technology and experience as a high-tech entrepreneur. Mr. Intven has a long history of addressing legal and regulatory issues in telecommunications in Canada and 20 other countries. Mr. Tremblay spent more than 20 years in management positions at telecommunications companies. In addition to that expertise, the panel will be relying on consultations with interested stakeholders, according to the release.
The panel has been asked to deliver a final report by the end of 2005.