CRTC commissioner references ‘Bud the Spud’ in Telus funding dissent

I could give you a million guesses at who Ontario CRTC commissioner Bram Abramson invoked to explain his disagreement with the majority decision in a recent funding case before the commission. First, let’s set the scene: In 2024, the CRTC awarded $7.48 million to Telus Corp. under the Broadband Fund to help finance the construction of cell towers along a 27-kilometre stretch of highways in Quebec. As part of this funding agreement, Telus was required to provide a statement of work for the regulator’s approval. In its submission, the western Canadian telco noted it had made multiple tweaks to its initial proposal, including “minor” coverage changes and modifications to the project’s road coverage, prompting a reduction in costs and, in turn, less funding sought from the CRTC. On May 5, the CRTC approved Telus’s statement, but a dissenting opinion revealed Abramson’s frustration with the commission’s failure to assess whether Telus worked to ensure coverage for other companies’ subscribers. To frame his case, Abramson naturally turned to the late folk hero and Canada’s preeminent bard, Stompin’ Tom Connors. “Canadian icon Stompin’ Tom Connors famously sang about a potato truck driver ‘rolling down the highway smiling,’” wrote Abramson, referencing the 1969 classic ‘Bud the Spud.’ “Today Bud’s smile and peace of mind likely depend on something Stompin’ Tom never had to consider: whether the mobile phone in his rig can actually find a signal.” Abramson, who has regularly dissented on commission decisions in recent months, insisted project funding should be contingent on how many people can access a cell signal, as opposed to whether the signal exists. “Mobile service is nomadic,” he continued. “Some drivers, like Bud, know their routes well and plan coverage accordingly. Most do not.” “A driver in a dead zone cannot pull over and switch carriers to make a call: they are captive to whatever coverage exists then and there.” The CRTC did not immediately respond to The Wire Report’s request to interview Abramson. Stompin’ Tom’s hit regales listeners with the tale of a P.E.I. truck driver who takes his truck aboard the ferry to New Brunswick and travels through Atlantic Canada, Quebec, and Ontario to deliver a load of the “best dog gone potatoes that’s ever been growed” to Toronto. Connors passed away in 2013 at the age of 77. dlegree@thewirereport.ca

CRTC commissioner references ‘Bud the Spud’ in Telus funding dissent

Regulatory |
By Davis Legree
|May 5, 2026

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CRTC commissioner references ‘Bud the Spud’ in Telus funding dissent

Regulatory | By Davis Legree |May 5, 2026

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Regulatory |
By Davis Legree
|May 5, 2026