Consumer Groups given leave to appeal CRTC $650 million Deferral Account Decision
For immediate release:
Attention: New/Business editors
Consumer Groups given leave to appeal CRTC $650 million Deferral Account Decision
OTTAWA—Consumer groups learned this week that the Federal Court of Appeal has granted them leave to appeal a February 16 CRTC Decision allowing major telephone companies to use money, raised by overcharging for local phone service, to build broadband capacity instead of rebating customers.
On March 20 consumer groups, composed of the National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) and the Consumers Association of Canada (CAC), sought leave to appeal the CRTC Decision.
“We are pleased to have a chance to convince the court the money should be returned to consumers,” said Michael Janigan, General Counsel for the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) which represents the Consumer groups in this proceeding.
The Consumer Groups will now file the appeal documents with the Federal Court of Appeal with a hearing and decision expected in 2007.
Michael Janigan
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
613 562-4002×26
PIAC: POLLARA Survey Shows Phone Company Deregulation Plans Unpopular with Canadians
September 7, 2006
For immediate release
Attn: News/Business editors
PIAC: POLLARA Survey Shows Phone Company Deregulation Plans Unpopular with Canadians
(OTTAWA)—Results of a Pollara survey released today by the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) shows Canada’s big telephone companies have a long way to go in convincing Canadians that they should be able to set their own prices for local service. PIAC commissioned the study to assist in its representation of consumers before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in proceedings now underway to determine how local phone service should be regulated. Michael Janigan, Executive Director and General Counsel with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, stated: “The big telephone companies, like Bell and Telus have lately been extremely aggressive in lobbying the government to do away with consumer protection for local telephone service. The telephone companies say because there is already enough competition consumers don’t need the CRTC to protect them. Most Canadians do not agree”. The CRTC has also been under pressure from the new federal government to deregulate faster. The survey found that over 70 per cent of Canadians reject the idea that telephone companies should set their prices without CRTC approval. “A majority even disagreed with the idea that the cable company can provide enough competition to allow deregulation, an idea currently accepted by the CRTC,” Janigan noted. The POLLARA survey was fielded from August 29, 2006 to September with 1206 Canadians interviewed. The results should be considered accurate within (plus or minus) 2.9 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
Executive summary of the survey
Download File: pollara_telecom_survey_2006_unweighted.pdf [size: 0.05 mb]
Michael Janigan
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
(613) 562-4002×26
John Lawford
Counsel, PIAC
(613) 562-4002×25
Ric Hobbs
Associate Vice President
POLLARA
(613) 237-4117