Political finance rules embolden Tories to stand up to big telcos: Moore

OTTAWA—Canada's largest companies can't use big political donations to influence policy like they used to, a factor that's made Ottawa less timid on files like telecom, Industry Minister James Moore said. “Since I was appointed minister of industry back in July, it has become painfully, very clearly apparent to me, the virtue of the government's decision to ban corporate donations to political parties,” Moore said in a speech Wednesday at an event hosted by the Canadian Club of Ottawa. “We can now make policy decisions that are in the best interests of all Canadians, and we're not beholden to the pressures of political friends,” he said. Following limits on campaign financing brought in by the former Liberal government, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government introduced the Federal Accountability Act in 2006, which banned corporate and union donations and lowered the annual contribution limits for individuals to $1,000. (They are now $1,200 due to inflation). “It was a wise decision that we made, and it was our first bill in government,” Moore said. He said the pressures related to political donations that exist in other jurisdictions don't exist in Canada. Following the speech, when one reporter asked whether it's correct to say that, with the corporate donations ban, Canada's big three telcos cannot pull any strings on the government, Moore responded: “As you can see.” Moore said previous governments have been too “timid” to take actions not in the corporate interest. The Conservative government's wireless policy, which is intended to increase competition in the wireless sector, as well as measures in its copyright bill and anti-spam legislation, include consumer interest policies that may not be in the best interests of corporations, he said. “In the months ahead, we will continue to move forward on a path that ensures that consumer interests are at the core, not only of our telecommunications policy, but also other government decisions,” Moore said. The Conservative government's throne speech on Oct. 16 will lay out the government's agenda for the next parliamentary session, which may include further moves on wireless policy. Following the speech, in response to questions from reporters, Moore said it's a worthwhile exercise for the CRTC to request information about telecom companies' roaming pricing, an area where further regulation could emerge. “I think it's a worthwhile inquiry. I think this is a concern that Canadians have had for some time, and we'll see what the examination uncovers and maybe recommends,” Moore said, adding that he did not encourage CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais to make the requests for information this summer. “Certainly, our roaming rates are a source of debate and frustration by a lot of consumers, and that's why I think Jean-Pierre Blais should do his study,” the minister said. Moore said the government is “just getting started” on its wireless policy as it looks ahead to an auction of 700 MHz spectrum licences in January. The auction period started Tuesday as the deadline passed for initial deposits and registrations. Moore would not say whether any large, foreign telcos have registered to participate, adding that the list of applicants will be available Monday. Moore said he has a “healthy relationship” with Canada's three biggest telecom companies, BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp., which over the summer ran a public campaign for changes to the government's wireless policy, saying it creates unfair advantages for large, foreign entrants. “I've had dinner with Nadir Mohamed and I'm having lunch with Darren Entwistle shortly in Vancouver, so the relationship is fine. There are areas of disagreement but there are also plenty areas of agreement,” Moore said. “They have an obligation to their shareholders but we have an obligation to all Canadians.” The incumbents' campaign was focused on the possibility of American giant Verizon Communications Inc. entering Canada, and now that the company has said it's not planning a Canadian expansion, the country's largest three telcos are winding down their campaign, he said. “For them, it was not about being fair for Canada, it was trying to stir up concern about Verizon possibly coming into the Canadian marketplace. I have been and will continue to defend the government's policy, which is designed to create more choice and competition in the Canadian marketplace,” he said. —With reporting by Simon Doyle at sdoyle@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Political finance rules embolden Tories to stand up to big telcos: Moore

News | 09/18/2013 8:23 pm EDT

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