The government was clearing out files in the past couple weeks. Cabinet rejected a couple appeals of CRTC decisions, allowing the decisions to stand.
In one, the Cabinet rejected an appeal by Imagine Canada and the Association of Fundraising Professionals, who wanted to overturn the CRTC’s Decision 2008-6 requirement for charities to register and pay fees in respect of violations of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.
In the other, Cabinet denied two concurrent appeals of the Deferral Account decision (2008-1). TELUS wanted an additional process to file further broadband proposals to avoid rebating remaining funds in the deferral accounts to residential subscribers; Axia SuperNet wanted to preclude TELUS from using deferral account funds to subsidize construction of competing transport facilities.
Therefore, Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Industry, pursuant to subsection 12(1) of the Telecommunications Act, hereby declines to vary or rescind Telecom Decision CRTC 2008-1 or to refer it back to the Commission for reconsideration.
The Deferral Account proceeding is still the subject of a case before the Supreme Court.
Both decisions by Cabinet demonstrate an endorsement by this government for the current Commission and its chair.
Update [December 23, 3:30 pm]
More background on the Deferral Account appeals process and history can be found here.