CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais' differences with his government bosses came to the fore during two recent hearings on key telecommunications policy matters. In the two hearings, one on the future of the TV industry and another on the wholesale wireless market, Blais has had to chart a challenging course between incumbent companies and upstart challengers while asserting his agency’s independence in the face of what some labeled government interference. On Sept 8., the first day of the CRTC’s two-week Let’s Talk TV hearing, Heritage Minister Shelly Glover said the government would not allow for the imposition of a “Netflix and YouTube tax,” and followed up with a statement on the last day of the hearing that said the government “will not...
