Consumer groups oppose telecom dereg plan

OTTAWA - Industry Minister Maxime Bernier’s efforts to hasten deregulation of local telephone service have come under fire from Canadian consumer groups. At a press conference Monday, the organizations charged that the minister’s proposals and policy direction to the CRTC ignore the Commission’s roadmap to competition that took into account the largely dominant position of the established local phone companies and was aimed at permitting the creation of viable competition. Some in rural communities say the directive will stifle competition in smaller markets.The Canadian Consumer Initiative, a coalition of six consumer organizations, accused the minister of trying to minimize the...