Focus on competition at ‘day of action’ following Rogers-Shaw deal

As news of Roger’s Communications Inc.’s deal to acquire Shaw Communications Inc. sparks discussions on what it may mean for the wireless market in Canada, advocates say competition and other considerations will be important for the public’s best interests in the future. During an “Affordable Internet Day of Action” panel discussions hosted by multiple groups Tuesday, the day’s conversations centred around affordable Internet access for all and the state of the national market, with some critiquing the Rogers/Shaw deal announced Monday. Canada research chair in internet and e-commerce law and University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist said the $26.2 billion deal between Rogers and Shaw could “quite clearly” result in reduced competition and higher prices. “The fact that they’re able to put that forward, I suppose with the expectation that it will get approved by the various levels that have to approve it -- whether it’s the government, the competition bureau, the CRTC -- tells us a lot about where we are right now when it comes to some of these issues from a policy perspective,” he said. Cory Doctorow, activist and author, said that telecoms have acted as though the public should be grateful for what they’re given when people should actually be demanding more as broadband internet access could now be considered a human right -- a sentiment echoed throughout the day. “Our policy-makers continue to treat our broadband connections as though they were luxury goods, as though broadband policy was about delivering a nice-to-have, not a must-have, and as though the companies that deliver this broadband to us owe us nothing beyond what the market can extract from us and what the market demands they give us in exchange for that extraction,” said Doctorow. “This is not only bad policy, it’s bad economics. There is no such thing as a broadband company that is a creature of the market. If it’s a wireless company, it’s using the public’s airwaves. If it’s a wired company, it’s using the public’s rights of way.” When it comes to the CRTC’s role in how the market may shift, John Lawford, executive director and general counsel with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre in Ottawa, said he thinks “it’s fair to say that we have a CRTC that feels itself stuck, whether it actually is stuck or not.” “They seem paralyzed… They don’t have the right law tools in their toolkit to do what they need so I need parliament to step up and get a universal service obligation into the act and go forth from there,” said Lawford. The Affordable Internet Day of Action was announced on February 25, the same day the Supreme Court of Canada announced that it would not take up the incumbent challenge to the wholesale rates decision. The event was co-sponsored by TekSavvy Solutions Inc., Public Interest Advocacy Centre, OpenMedia, and the Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa — Reporting by Hannah Daley at hdaley@thewirereport.ca and editing by Michael Lee-Murphy at mleemurphy@thewirereport.ca

Focus on competition at ‘day of action’ following Rogers-Shaw deal

Broadcast | March 16, 2021

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Focus on competition at ‘day of action’ following Rogers-Shaw deal

Broadcast | March 16, 2021

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