BURNABY, B.C. – A telecom union which represents Telus and Shaw employees added its voice to the ongoing opposition to U.S. telecom Verizon's potential entry into the Canadian market, saying today that Canadians are being misled by the "mirage" that having a foreign carrier will mean increased competition and cheaper phone rates.
“Tempting voters with the lure of cheaper cell phone bills seems to be Mr. Harper’s plan, but it's a mirage. There is no guarantee of lower prices. It is a complete manipulation of the Canadian public,” said Lee Riggs, national president of the Telecommunications Workers Union, in a release.
The union said it opposes the federal government’s “preferential treatment” for Verizon, and that Canadian consumers would be no further ahead, as Verizon would likely operate in lucrative urban markets and ignore rural communities.
“To have a government policy that gives Verizon preferential terms to enter the Canadian wireless market and lets it piggyback on the networks that our members have built just doesn't make sense,” said Riggs.
Telus, along with Rogers and Bell, have waged a full-on public relations campaign for the last several weeks criticizing the federal government for refusing to offer a “level playing field” with regards to potential U.S. competitor Verizon in the competition for prized spectrum in the upcoming 700 MHz auction.
The latest statement today from Industry Minister James Moore reiterated that the government is sticking to its guns and will not change wireless policy. Moore also took the Big Three to task for “attempting to skew debates via misleading campaigns.”
