GATINEAU – The CRTC has signed a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that will see the two regulators work more collaboratively on the growing threat that unwanted robocalls pose to citizens in Canada and the United States.
This agreement will enable the CRTC and the FCC to facilitate research and education related to robocalls and illegitimate caller ID spoofing, says Thursday's press release. “The organizations have also committed to sharing knowledge and expertise through training programs and staff exchanges, as well as inform each other of legal developments in their respective jurisdictions,” it reads.
The agreement, signed by Steven Harroun, the CRTC’s chief compliance and enforcement officer, and Travis LeBlanc, chief of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, “further solidifies the CRTC and FCC’s commitment to mutual cooperation and assistance for the purpose of enforcing Canadian and American unsolicited telecommunications laws.”
It also follows a similar March 2016 agreement between the CRTC and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to fight spam emails and other electronic threats.
Also, in June 2016, the CRTC signed a memorandum of understanding with 10 international enforcement agencies to fight unlawful spam and unsolicited telecommunications. The FCC and CRTC are also active participants of UCENet, a network of international spam and unsolicited communications enforcement agencies dedicated to facilitating and supporting cross border investigations.
“This agreement reiterates the long-standing cooperation between the FCC and CRTC, and strengthens our efforts to protect Canadians. Working in close partnership with the FCC, we will enhance our expertise to investigate those who disregard our rules, while increasing our effectiveness in reducing unlawful and illegitimate telecommunications,” said Harroun, in the release.
