Blair says ‘no timeline’ on Huawei ban; Bains promises ‘more’ on prices

OTTAWA — New Public Safety Minister Bill Blair indicated Wednesday he is open to talking to telecoms about whether to ban Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd equipment from 5G networks, while returning Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains promised “additional measures” to lower wireless prices. The ministers addressed media following the swearing-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa for members of the new Liberal minority government cabinet. During this fall’s election, one of the Liberal promises was to lower wireless prices 25 per cent, though the party didn’t specify when that 25-per-cent drop would start. That’s a key question given arguments by industry and some analysts that falling wireless prices mean that target is already being reached. The figures cited during the campaign were from 2018. Bains declined to directly answer a question from The Wire Report about whether the government wants prices to fall another 25 per cent from today, though he said he expects further improvement. “We made a commitment to reduce by 25 per cent. I’m confident that we can work with the telecommunications sector and the companies to achieve that target,” he said. “Prices have gone down, 16 per cent last year, so clearly that’s a step in the right direction. More can and will be done.” Bains added: “we’ll be coming forward with additional measures to demonstrate how we achieve that 25 per cent target that we articulated during the campaign.” Bains keeps the same ministry he has held since 2015, but his portfolio will see some changes. The innovation, science and economic development ministry is now innovation, science and industry, with the economic development portion being moved to former heritage minister Mélanie Joly’s portfolio. He’s the only minister with a media and telecom-related portfolio to stay in same role. Following the defeat of former Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale in the 2019 election, Bill Blair has taken over the ministry, a post which includes heading up the security review of whether or not to allow Huawei equipment on Canada’s 5G networks. That's a decision which will have costly implications for some of Canada’s largest telecom companies. Under Goodale, the security review of Huawei was pushed back to after the election. Blair told reporters following the swearing-in ceremony that there is no timeline for the decision. “I think there are some very complex economic and security issues that need to be addressed, and it will be a priority when we come back to government and when cabinet meets to examine those issues and to make that decision. I don’t have a specific timetable at this time,” he said. In response to a question from The Wire Report about whether that means he is open to meeting with telecoms to consider their arguments, Blair said “I’m not going to limit that consultation. We also have international partners that we are in discussion with as well, so there are a number of very significant considerations that will be given the full attention of the new government.” The former chief of Toronto Police comes to public safety after a stint as minister of border security and organized crime reduction. Blair also headed up the taskforce planning for the legalization of marijuana. Another change in the new government will be with the departure of Bernadette Jordan to the fisheries ministry. She was given the brand-new rural economic development ministry less than a year ago, a file Maryam Monsef will now take on in addition to serving as minister for women and gender equality and rural economic development. Previously, Monsef was democratic institutions minister and was tasked with looking into whether Canada should change its first-past-the-post electoral system. Now Monsef will will oversee the issue of rural broadband and government’s connectivity strategy, which aims to bring basic service speeds to all Canadians by 2030. That includes the development of the $1.7-billion Universal Broadband Fund, alongside Innovation Canada. The rural economic development portfolio was created in January, and assumed responsibility over the Connect-to-Innovate program, which has been beset by delays. When asked during the press conference how she will ensure the rural broadband portfolio doesn’t fall through the cracks given the responsibilities of the dual mandate, Monsef said that connectivity is a “significant priority” for the government. “Ensuring that rural Canadians’ needs, their economic opportunities as well as their social needs are taken into account is going to be a priority for me,” she said. Another new face will be in heritage, where Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has switched one Montreal MP for another, as Pablo Rodriguez becomes House leader and Steven Guilbeault steps into his shoes heading up heritage. The rookie MP was formerly the director of Équiterre, the Montreal-based sustainability NGO Guilbeault helped to found in the early 1990s. Amongst the most immediate issues for Guilbeault will be fulfilling his predecessor’s promises about regulating and placing Canadian content requirements on foreign digital players like streaming giant Netflix Inc. Wednesday afternoon the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) lent its support to Guilbeault in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with Minister Guilbeault, as the government continues the important work of updating federal legislation to support a modernized broadcasting and production ecosystem,” president Reynolds Mastin said in the statement. ACTRA national president David Sparrow also called for the new rules to be put in place Wednesday afternoon. “We eagerly await the introduction of new legislation to ensure all content providers contribute to the creation and promotion of Canadian content,” he said in a release. — With reporting by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca and Michael Lee-Murphy at mleemurphy@thewirereport.ca

Blair says ‘no timeline’ on Huawei ban; Bains promises ‘more’ on prices

News | 11/20/2019 1:51 pm EST

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