Hunt still on for permanent head of CRTC

When CRTC ex-chair Charles Dalfen announced his retirement in October last year, speculation abounded as to who might fill his rather large shoes. Given that the Conservative government appears to still be making its mind up about the commission, there was little surprise when broadcasting vice-chair Michel Arpin was named to the chairperson’s position on an interim basis on January 10. "He’s just a walking encyclopedia of precedent and detail and nuance when it comes to the broadcasting side of the ledger, and he’s pretty well-informed on the telecom side as well," says Bill Roberts, president and CEO of S-Vox. "So, it’s a responsible decision." Luc Lavoie, executive VP of corporate affairs at Québecor Inc., says his company backed Arpin’s initial appointment as vice-chair of broadcasting in August 2005, and that support hasn’t wavered. "He understands the French-speaking market, which is very different from the English-speaking market, so we’ve got full confidence in the guy," he says. But as satisfied as Canadian broadcasters are with the choice of interim chair, there are important reviews of pay and specialty television services scheduled for this spring as well as a review of the BDU business looming further down the road. As a result, many say it’s imperative to get someone with a wealth of experience in these segments of broadcasting into the position on a full-time basis as soon as possible. "One has to be aware of the fact that it’s an interim chairman, and an interim chairman is not someone who will revolutionize anything: you never know for how long you’re going to be around," Lavoie says. "I’m not trying to be disrespectful to Michel – quite the opposite – how long is it going to last? Only the government knows." "I think it would be important to get a full-time and formal chair appointment and announcement out fairly soon; indeed, there are strategic direction decisions that need to be made," Roberts echoes. After Dalfen’s announcement, several names were put forward by the rumour mill, including Fernand Bélisle and George Addy, both men who have been linked with federal regulatory bodies in the past. However, the Office of the Prime Minister is reportedly casting its net beyond the media and telecom industries in a search for candidates with exposure to those industries without ties to the regulatory bureaucracy governing them. S-Vox’s Roberts says one such outsider is Carol Stephenson, dean of the University of Western Ontario’s Richard Ivey School of Business. "I don’t think she’s been mentioned in the press before, but I think she is a strong if not leading candidate," he says. As head of Lucent Technologies Canada (now Alcatel-Lucent) from 1999 to 2003 and, before that, president and CEO of the Stentor Resource Centre Inc., she melds a familiarity with telecommunications industry with business-school savvy. However, Cal Millar, VP and GM of Channel Zero Inc., says bringing in someone without recent full-time experience in the industry could be a mistake. "Fresh blood is a great idea, but inexperienced blood isn’t necessarily the solution," he says. "How often does a sports team go to somebody who’s never in the sport for a coach?" Another issue could prove material to the search for a new commissioner: the Conservatives’ Accountability Act, which was granted Royal Assent last month. The act prohibits elected officials, their aides, and senior civil servants from working as registered lobbyists for at least five years after they leave public office. Although there are exemptions from the five-year rule under certain circumstances, having the restriction hanging over the chairperson’s position could make it tough to find a replacement, Millar says. "I respect the aim of it… with a five-year hiatus, how is that person then expected to earn a living thereafter?" he asks.

Hunt still on for permanent head of CRTC

Broadcast | January 16, 2007

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