The Federal Cabinet has launched what I will call a C-5 body: the Canadian Communications Consumer Complaints Commission.
The CRTC currently receives complaints and inquiries from consumers. The Cabinet considers that an effective consumer agency should develop an industry code of conduct; publish an annual report for each telecommunications service provider; and, identify issues or trends that may warrant further attention by the CRTC or the government;
The cabinet wants to ensure independence of the C-5 agency from the industry through: a majority of governors who are unaffiliated with telecommunications service provider; a CEO also unaffiliated; and a budget funded provided by the industry.
The CRTC will need to report annually, beginning April 2008:
- each report shall outline complaints received from individuals and small business retail customers regarding services provided by telecommunications service providers and shall include:
- statistical information, for each telecommunications service provider and in total, on the nature and number of complaints received and the standing of these complaints when the report was compiled,
- an identification of issues or trends that may warrant further attention by the Commission or by the government, such as the availability of consumer choice, the impact of marketing strategies and practices, consumer billing and contracts, and
- a report on progress made toward the establishment of a Consumer Agency; and
- the Commission shall continue to make reports until such time as a Consumer Agency has been established by industry and approved by the Commission.
This is the implementation of another recommendation (6-2) of the TPR, which spoke of the need of a new Consumer Agency.
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