‘Narrow window’ to make new comms laws with USMCA: Nordicity

OTTAWA -- There is an “urgent need” for Canadian lawmakers to set out a new communications framework now that Canada has hammered out a new trilateral agreement on trade to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) so that Canadian industry isn’t put at a disadvantage, according to a Canadian telecom consultant. Nordicity’s Stuart Jack told a Senate committee reviewing Canada’s communications industry laws that Canada is three decades “out of date” with other OECD countries in adopting a “unified” communications act. He said there’s a “narrow window” for Canada to adopt a new framework now that a trade agreement has been reached. “The window of opportunity is probably 12 to 24 months to actually get this up and running, otherwise it will be subsumed under the new to the detriment of Canada, I believe,” he told the Senate’s transportation and communications committee Tuesday. He said new law would need to level the playing field for Canadian companies at a “competitive disadvantage” with global content and streaming providers, like Netflix Inc. – although he didn’t name them specifically – and address public infrastructure, which will become key to next generation networks. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) announced Sunday, which will replace NAFTA if cleared by Congress, would establish a new trilateral committee overseeing adherence to its telecommunications chapter, which sets out principles to ensure countries will share access to their public network infrastructure with each other – including things such as hydro poles, ducts and conduits. He said their review should pay close attention to future next generation network infrastructure players like municipalities and hydro companies given the “impending opening up of our market to U.S. telecom service providers.” For example, Hydro Ottawa’s facilities would be opened up to U.S. service providers such as Verizon Communications Inc., Jack said. “Currently, those owners are not actively involved in running telecommunications networks, but they will be,” he said. "It's very urgent that the new legislation consider who is actually providing services or infrastructure under a new communications act, and make sure you’re comprehensive in capturing all the significant players and treating them on an equitable basis." Previous witnesses have meanwhile cautioned senators against merging the broadcasting and telecommunications acts, raising concerns it could lead to treating one system like the other.

‘Narrow window’ to make new comms laws with USMCA: Nordicity

Brief | October 2, 2018

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‘Narrow window’ to make new comms laws with USMCA: Nordicity

Brief | October 2, 2018

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