OTTAWA-GATINEAU – Newly minted CRTC chairperson and CEO Ian Scott offered a glimpse into some of his first orders of business after less than two months on the job.
In a brief statement Friday, Scott (pictured) outlined what the Commission sees as priorities for Canadians, including fast, affordable and reliable Internet access; high-quality and diverse content; the option to use applications and services on the devices of their choice; protection from spam and unwanted calls; and affordable prices and greater choice.
He also alluded to the tightrope that the CRTC must walk as it seeks to balance the priorities of consumers with those of Canadian communications industry.
“By definition, our role is to balance many competing interests, ideas and approaches while consistently fulfilling our statutory mandates”, Scott said in the statement. “Put simply, our role is to regulate in the public interest.”
As Cartt.ca reported, Scott was named CRTC chair on July 17, just over a month after Judith LaRocque was appointed acting chair following the departure of Jean-Pierre Blais.
Scott’s full statement is below:
It is an honour and a privilege to rejoin the CRTC as Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer. Much has changed since I was last here about nine years ago, and even more since I was a staff member in the early 1990s. The communications industry is in a state of constant transformation and so too is the important work of the CRTC.
We know that Canadians want fast, affordable and reliable Internet access. We know they want to have access to and be able to create high-quality and diverse content. We know they want to use applications and services on the devices of their choice. We know they desire the benefits that derive from competition, such as affordable prices and greater choice. We also know they want to be protected against spam and unwanted calls. Finally, we know that the Canadian communications industry is prepared to satisfy Canadians’ demand, but also want to earn a reasonable return on their investments.
The ongoing challenge for the CRTC is to identify and implement the regulatory rules and policies that will provide Canadians with the technology, content and services they need and protect them against unwanted communications.
By definition, our role is to balance many competing interests, ideas and approaches while consistently fulfilling our statutory mandates. Put simply, our role is to regulate in the public interest. I look forward to this new challenge of ensuring that Canadians have access to a world-class communications system.
Ian Scott, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC
