MONTREAL – The SayNoToBell.ca campaigners claim that nearly 50,000 Canadians, both consumers and industry leaders, have signed their petition urging the CRTC and government to deny the Bell/Astral merger. CRTC hearings into the proposed deal are poised to begin next week.
SayNoToBell.ca says 42 of the 60 interveners to be heard have already publicly opposed the deal or questioned the transaction. Notable industry presentations include:
• Québécor – Monday, September 10
• Eastlink – Tuesday, September 11
• Cogeco Cable – Wednesday, September 12
• Rogers Communications – Wednesday, September 12
• Telus – Wednesday, September 12
• Canadian Cable Systems Alliance – Friday, September 14
Notable consumer presentations include:
• Option consommateurs – Tuesday, September 11
• Union des consommateurs – Wednesday, September 12
• The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) – Wednesday, September 12
Other organizations that have made their opposition clear include: OpenMedia.ca, the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC), Canada Without Poverty, the CWP Advocacy Network, the Canadian Media Guild, the Consumers' Association of Canada, the Council of Canadians, and the Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of British Columbia.
SayNoToBell.ca says opposition to the deal “has galvanized debate across Canada in recent weeks as consumers realize that their freedom of choice could be jeopardized.” The group is urging Canadians to voice their opposition by visiting its website to submit a letter to Canada's Ministers of Heritage and Industry, the Competition Bureau, and the CRTC.
