Broadcasters’ association, Corus, add new lobby registrations

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters registered to lobby the federal government on its review of the Copyright Act in July, which was otherwise a sleepy month in telecom and media government relations. Graham McLaughlin and Mark Resnick of McMillan Vantage registered to communicate with “public office holders with respect to the potential impact on the broadcasting sector as a result of changes of the framework for copyright in Canada.” The Copyright Act review kicked off in December, with the House industry committee holding meetings to hear from various groups this spring. The association was previously registered to lobby on the repurposing of the 600 MHz spectrum band. Corus Entertainment Inc. also added a new registration to its roster, with Greg Kane of Dentons signing up to communicate with the CRTC on broadcasting policies “related to the CRTC Discretionary Services Regulations.” Corus is also registered under its president and CEO Doug Murphy. Overall in July, there were only eight communication reports involving broadcasting, down from 22 last month and half of the number of communications registered in July 2017. The Association of Canadian Advertisers accounted for three registrations, reporting two communications with Jean-Guy Forgeron, assistant secretary of regulatory affairs at the Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat, and one with Travis Gordon, a policy advisor in the health minister’s office. The organization has been vocal in recent months about a bill that looks to reduce junk food advertising to children. Quebecor Inc. had two registrations on broadcasting, both with Faizel Gulamhussein, senior policy advisor at Canadian Heritage. The Canadian Media Producers’ Association (CMPA) communicated with Jean-Stéphen Piché, assistant deputy minister of cultural affairs at Canadian Heritage, and its Quebec counterpart, the Association québécoise de la production médiatique (AQPM), with CRTC vice-chairwoman of broadcasting Caroline Simard. Things were a bit livelier on the telecom lobbying side, where there were 31 communications, about par with last July and down significantly from the 72 communications reported in June. Shaw Communications Inc. reached out to CRTC chairman Ian Scott, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada deputy minister John Knubley and assistant deputy minister Fiona Gilfillan, the innovation minister’s chief of staff Gianluca Cairo and policy advisor Parvinder Sachdeva. Shaw also met with Matthew Boswell, senior deputy commissioner of mergers and monopolistic practices at the Competition Bureau. BCE Inc. also contacted Cairo and Sachdeva, as well as David McFarlane, Innovation Canada’s director of policy. Telus Corp. communicated with Gilfillan and Cairo, in addition to staff at the office of Minister of National Revenue Diane Lebouthillier. Rogers Communications Inc. had two communications, with Liberal MP John Oliver and Sachdeva. Companies focusing on rural and satellite internet service also reported activity in July. TerreStar Solutions Inc.’s contact with Gilfillan came a few months after her department declined the company’s request for additional unlicenced spectrum. Telesat Holdings Inc., which is deploying traditional and low-earth orbit satellites that it says will improve internet access in the North, met with Innovation’s Knubley. The only communication with a cabinet minister in July came from Xplornet Communications Inc., who contacted Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains, as well as Liberal MPs Mike Bossio and Marc Serré, in addition to Sachdeva. — With reporting by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca and editing by Ahmad Hathout at ahathout@thewirereport.ca

Broadcasters’ association, Corus, add new lobby registrations

Broadcast | August 24, 2018

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Broadcasters’ association, Corus, add new lobby registrations

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