Dear Editor,
THE SIMMERING FEUD in correspondence to Prime Minister Harper seems a little juvenile and very disrespectful of due public process.
Messrs. Shaw, Asper and Fecan should know better. And now apparently, Bell has gotten the scribing urge! But at least Bell asks for some integrity re: the public hearing process – which is a very good thing.
Perhaps it is a tit-for-tat balancing act; but it is not consistent with the Broadcasting Act — and the latter trumps offside rhetorical flourish, we should hope.
Indeed, it is regrettable for all Canadians, and I believe ill-advised, for both Shaw and CTV or CanWest to be firing political missives to the Prime Minister.
While it appears that the PMO has now transferred this fireworks correspondence to the (Canadian Heritage) Minister, Madame (Josee) Verner, maybe she should just return the darn things to sender.
Observers of the broadcasting and regulatory systems are well aware that if the CRTC does not do what the government can live with, our Federal Cabinet has the power under Section 7 of the Broadcasting Act to issue directions of general application on broad policy matters; not, of course, in respect of a particular license.
This is a much better, transparent, tried and true process, than incendiary pen pal notes to Mr. Harper.
Such letters put the CRTC in a very awkward position, and whittle away at the Commission’s firm commitment to a fair and equitable hearing for all interveners. Cable giants, big networks, and politicians should not welcome government getting actively involved while a matter is before our quasi-judicial CRTC.
That is unless someone wishes to encourage a parallel regulatory system – a very dumb thing.
And governments should not want to get involved in detailed matters beyond their immediate policy expertise, especially if they don’t want to get haunted by unintended consequences at every turn.
Who in their right mind would want either heart-burn?
Sincerely,
Bill Roberts
President and CEO
S-VOX/VisionTV
