Champagne plays coy on Rogers-Shaw announcement, vows lower prices

Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says he will not be forced into a decision on the takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. by Rogers Communications Inc. The companies have set a goal of this Friday to resolve the matter. “I’m not bound by any artificial deadline; I’m the regulator,” he told the House of Commons Industry Committee Monday. “I will make my decision whenever I come to the conclusion that we have looked at every aspect and in particular the decision of the Federal Court of Appeals.” The appeal court rejected the Competition Bureau’s application to overturn the tribunal’s findings. The minister, who is now the last hurdle in the merger saga, must decide whether to approve the spectrum transfer between Shaw’s Freedom Mobile and Quebecor Inc. Conservative industry critic Rick Perkins pointed out that Quebecor, which is slated to purchase Freedom Mobile from Shaw, has had spectrum in the past and sold it at a profit. He questioned whether Quebecor’s Videotron unit will actually be a robust fourth competitor. Champagne reminded him that he had set out conditions on the transfer of spectrum to Videotron, including a provision that there be no flipping of the licences for 10 years and that the lower wireless prices enjoyed by Quebecers must be seen in other provinces that Freedom will operate in. Another Tory on the committee, Ryan Williams, engaged in a lively debate with the minister over the sale of Freedom. He said Globalive and Distributel Communications Ltd. were shut out of the bidding because Rogers preferred Videotron. Rogers met several times with departmental officials while Globalive and Distributel could not get a meeting with anyone. Champagne maintained he had never met with representatives of Rogers. “I don’t choose the parties who come in front of me,” the minister stated. He said he was in charge of the spectrum aspect of the deal, not the pricing. New Democrat industry critic Brian Masse replied that the minister did have the authority to regulate prices and wondered why he had not done so. Champagne pointed to the revised policy directives to the CRTC issued minutes before his appearance at the committee. They have specific sections dealing with affordability. Earlier in the day, New Democrats Peter Julian and Daniel Blaikie took the minister to task in Question Period. The NDP is calling on the government to reject the Rogers-Shaw deal. “With all due respect, I will not take lessons from colleagues when it comes to fighting for Canadians. We do that every day on this side of the house,” Champagne told the Commons. “We understand that the best way we can do that is by making sure that we lower the price of cellphone bills in Canada, that we have more competition and that we have a fourth national player.” –Reporting by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca and editing by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca.

Champagne plays coy on Rogers-Shaw announcement, vows lower prices

Broadcast | February 14, 2023

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Champagne plays coy on Rogers-Shaw announcement, vows lower prices

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