CRTC appointee Pentefountas chalks up controversy to political climate

OTTAWA—The CRTC's new vice-chair of broadcasting, Athanasios (Tom) Pentefountas, says the controversy swirling around his appointment to the commission is the result of political tensions. “I think there's a overheated, political, highly partisan period right now. I can't imagine why that's the case, but I'd say that seems to be the case. But that's politics, and that's not what I'm interested in,” Pentefountas told reporters following an appearance before the House of Commons heritage committee Wednesday. “I'm interested in serving and trying to find solutions for broadcasting in Canada.” The heritage committee is studying the appointment of Pentefountas to the position of vice-chair of broadcasting at the CRTC. Heritage Minister James Moore announced the appointment Feb. 4. Opposition MPs and industry observers immediately took issue with Pentefountas, pointing to his lack of work experience in the broadcasting industry and apparent connections to the Conservative government. Pentefountas' resume includes a position as partner with Montreal law firm Silver Sandiford, work at the Montreal Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association, but he has played no direct roles in the broadcasting or telecom sectors. Pentefountas was also elected president of provincial party the Action Démocratique du Québec in 2007. Under fire at the committee to justify his credentials, Pentefountas said his training as a lawyer has taught him to be thorough in his analysis of evidence and how to follow due process. “We have to be able to motivate our decisions within the CRTC,” he said. “Even if people might be disappointed if we do not accept their viewpoint, at least they can understand the logic behind the decision.” Pentefountas added that his political experience has taught him to help reach a consensus between disagreeing parties. But Liberal MP and heritage critic Pablo Rodriguez questioned Pentefountas's credentials, arguing that his professional background did not match the 25 requirements listed as part of the advertised position. “The job notice calls for specific experience which is not related to your own,” Rodriguez said. Committee member and Bloc Québécois MP Carole Lavallée also questioned Pentefountas' qualifications. “The reason why your appointment has raised such an outcry is because you do not meet the criteria for the position in any way,” she said. “The skills that you claim to have ... thousands of people in Quebec may have the same skill set. Your only advantage was knowing Mr. Housakos.” On June 12, the Canada Gazette ran a notice of vacancy advertising the position. The notice listed a salary range of $190,400 to $224,000 and specified that the candidate should “possess extensive knowledge of the CRTC.” News reports have indicated that Pentefountas may have obtained the job through his political connections, and that the appointment process had not followed standard procedure. Pentefountas told the committee he “offered his services” to work at the CRTC on a general basis. He said that that in the spring of 2010, Housakos, his friend of 15 years, contacted him and told him that the position of vice-chair had become vacant, at which point he expressed his interest in participating in the job competition. “I don't know when the application was put in specifically,” he said. “Mr. Housakos deposited the application for me.” Pentefountas said he was then contacted in mid-August and informed that an interview for the position was set for around Aug. 21. Pentefountas said he was interviewed for about an hour-and-a-half by four or five people from government offices at 80 Wellington St., also known as Langevin Block, which houses the Prime Minister's Office. Lavallée questioned Pentefountas about the potential for government interference in the commission's affairs. He said he would not share information with cabinet ministers during CRTC hearings. Lavallée also alluded to news reports that said Pentefountas had not been aware of his appointment. But Pentefountas said the reports, which he said he had not read, were based on a misunderstanding. He said he was told of his appointment on Feb. 4, the same day the announcement was made to the public. NDP MP and digital affairs critic Charlie Angus asked Pentefountas whether he equated his appointment to “political cronyism.” “Are you concerned that because of your very close relationship to Mr. Housakos, who gave you the nod for this job, and your close relationship with Dimitri Soudas, who's the director of communications right in the Prime Minister's Office? It looks a little odd that they were looking around for a job for you. And now you're vice-chair of broadcast. Don't you think that looks like political cronyism at the highest level?” he said. Pentefountas said he met Soudas 10 years ago and has since only met him on two or three occasions during reception hall-type events. “We are not close friends. We have not had lunch together. We have not had a drink together. He's never been to my house. I've never been to his house,” he said. Pentefountas added that he is not aware of what happened behind the scenes of the appointment, and does not know who were the other candidates for the position. Liberal MP Bonnie Crombie asked whether Pentefountas had made contributions in the past to the Conservative Party. Pentefountas said he “may have at some point,” but has also made donations to the Liberal Party. Crombie also asked where Pentefountas stood on the issue of usage-based billing, on which the government and the CRTC have disagreed. “I think it would be unwise for anybody from the CRTC to pronounce themselves and to give their own personal opinion before we have a chance to hear arguments and presentations. Our job is to listen and to think clearly as to what would be in the best interest of Canadians and the providers of service,” he said. Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro said Pentefountas had demonstrated “great hard work and determination” and was well educated. He said he found it “strange” that the opposition members on the committee wanted to hear from Pentefountas but did not want to hear from Pierre Gingras, who the government appointed to the CBC's board of directors around the same time. At the end of the meeting, Lavallée introduced a motion calling on Heritage Minister James Moore to relieve Pentefountas of his duties at the CRTC given that he does not meet the qualifications for the position. The motion will be debated at the next meeting. Pentefountas will officially assume his new position at the CRTC on April 4. kfournier@thewirereport.ca

CRTC appointee Pentefountas chalks up controversy to political climate

Broadcast | March 23, 2011

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