INDU debates study of mobile plan price hikes

After almost two hours of deliberation last Thursday, the House industry and technology committee failed to decide on a motion put forward by Conservative MP Rick Perkins to conduct a study into Rogers Communications Inc. and BCE Inc.’s recently announced price hikes. As part of the study, the motion called for appearances from witnesses including Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri, Bell CEO Mirko Bibic, Telus Corp. CEO Darren Entwistle, Quebecor Inc. CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Deputy Industry Minister Simon Kennedy, Rogers Chief Corporate Affairs Officer and former Industry Minister Navdeep Bains, and Competition Commissioner Matthew Boswell. MPs were particularly critical of the price increases considering they are coming off the heels of Rogers’ recent acquisition of Shaw Communications, during which the company assured policymakers that prices would not increase. “We have cell phone companies saying one thing to parliamentarians so that they can get their deal passed, and we have another actual action by them – not even when the ink was dry – saying they’re putting up cell phone prices…,” said Perkins. “The minister of industry must answer for this latest price increase,” said Conservative MP Michelle Ferreri. She pointed to the minister’s Jan. 5 statement that he is “prepared to use any other tools” at his disposal to “fight for Canadian consumers,” arguing that this committee is that tool. Despite a general emphasis on the motion’s urgency, MPs could not come to an agreement on the study’s scope and the meeting was suspended. While many agreed on its importance, certain MPs pointed to a different motion from Bloc Quebecois MP Sébastien Lemire that also called for a study into the accessibility and affordability of Canada’s telecom industry. Although the older motion has a broader focus, several MPs said they should just get moving on that one and disregard Perkins’ current motion, considering it had passed back in September. “It's a Hail Mary pass motion during a time period right now, where we have very little time to even notify the witnesses to come,” said NDP MP Brian Masse of Perkins’ motion. “Mr. Lemire’s motion has been on the books since September and we have not acted on it,” he continued, criticizing the committee for allowing its study of Bill C-27, the Digital Charter Implementation Act, to suck up all of its time and take away from the other important work it should be doing. In the last ten minutes of the meeting, Ferreri proposed amending the motion to only request appearances from the industry minister and Rogers. However, there was not enough time left to consider the new changes. Conservative MPs were critical of the meeting’s outcome, accusing the Liberals of filibustering the meeting and blocking the vote. “Liberal committee tricks will allow Rogers to increase cell phone prices next week, less than one year after the Trudeau Government stifled competition by allowing Rogers to take over Shaw,” said MPs Ryan Williams and Rick Perkins, in a statement. The industry subcommittee on agenda and procedure will be picking up the discussion where it left off on Jan. 18. – Reporting by Phalen Tynes-MacDonald at pcreed@thewirereport.ca and editing by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca.

INDU debates study of mobile plan price hikes

News | January 15, 2024

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INDU debates study of mobile plan price hikes

News | January 15, 2024

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