Scheer mum on net neutrality as CPC MPs take opposing sides

Opposition leader Andrew Scheer isn’t going public with his position on the issue of net neutrality, even as two members of his caucus — both former Industry ministers — are publicly disagreeing on the question. On Saturday, Innovation critic Maxime Bernier tweeted a link praising an editorial by his former telecom advisors, the Montreal Economic Institute’s (MEI) Martin Masse and Paul Beaudry. He wrote that net neutrality “means more government control over telecom - we need less of it and more free competition.” Then, Tony Clement, who also served as Industry minister while Stephen Harper was prime minister, chimed in on the social media platform to say: “I’m afraid I must disagree with my colleague… Yes, more competition, but until then don’t let the oligopoly telcos throttle the internet!” Scheer was asked about that exchange in question period Tuesday. Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains reiterated his government’s support for net neutrality and the CRTC’s net neutrality rules. He asked whether “the leader of the official opposition could provide clarification on what its position is.” Scheer didn’t respond to the question, which was instead fielded by Clement, who said only that “we do not have lap dogs on this side. We have people who think,” before changing the subject to the government’s purchase of fighter jets. Scheer’s office also didn’t respond to Wire Report questions about where Scheer or the Conservative Party stand on the issue. He hadn’t provided much in the way of policy details regarding media and telecom issues when he was chosen party leader in May. The questions come as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States is set to vote Thursday on chairman Ajit Pai’s plan to end net neutrality rules established during the previous U.S. administration. Those rules reclassified American internet service providers (ISPs) as Title II common carriers and stopped them from blocking or slowing down internet traffic, and from paid prioritization on their networks. Though some say those changes have the potential to affect Canada, the net neutrality debate appeared to be largely put to bed here a year ago, when the CRTC effectively banned most zero-rating. That followed a 2009 decision that set out rules to keep Internet service providers (ISPs) from blocking or slowing traffic on their networks, and a 2015 decision that said telecoms couldn’t exempt their own mobile-TV services from data caps. However, the debate around blocking of specific websites has been heating up recently, following proposals by BCE Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. to use blocking in order to fight piracy. — With reporting by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca and editing by Ahmad Hathout atahathout@thewirereport.ca

Scheer mum on net neutrality as CPC MPs take opposing sides

Broadcast | December 13, 2017

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Scheer mum on net neutrality as CPC MPs take opposing sides

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