In December, I wrote about the desire by Minister Bernier to move forward on Telecom Act amendments in order to implement more the of the recommendations of the report of the Telecom Policy Review panel.
Some of the interventions on the Local Forbearance direction call for a legislative approach, such as the intervention by Cogeco-Eastlink-Rogers:
What is needed to address these issues is legislative reform – not piece-meal ad hoc interventions by the Governor in Council.
Despite these calls, as well as from others such as MCI, for a legislative approach changing the Telecom Act, we need to be somewhat realistic, given that this is a minority government.
Telecom policy reform was a process launched by the last Liberal government. Will the Dion Liberals, with new Industry critic Scott Brison, demonstrate a willingness to adopt the complete portfolio of legislative reforms called for in the report of the Telecom Policy Review panel?