OTTAWA – The CRTC is asking for input on whether it may conduct Canadian ownership and control reviews on a public basis, as opposed to a confidential basis, in certain instances.
Telus sent a letter to the Commission on April 20, 2009 asking it to conduct “an open and transparent process” to review whether wireless newcomer Globalive Wireless Management is under Canadian ownership and control, as required by section 16 of the Telecommunications Act. Shaw sent a letter two days later in support of Telus’ request.
But Globealive opposed the move, saying the Commission has a “longstanding practice” of conducting Canadian ownership and control reviews “on a confidential and bilateral basis with a given carrier”, as opposed to the multi-party public process proposed by Telus and Shaw.
Globalive also said that as such a decision would “constitute a significant change in longstanding Commission policy”, and that all interested parties should have an opportunity to provide comments on such a change before the process gets underway.
Parties interested in participating in the proceeding must notify the CRTC by May 29.
