OUTSPOKEN CONSUMER GROUP OpenMedia.ca is miffed that it has yet to be invited to meet with new Industry Minister Christian Paradis.
After a report on Bloomberg noted that Minister Paradis held meetings earlier this month with 13 of Canada’s largest telcos – including Bell, Rogers, Telus, and Shaw – the organization issued a statement claiming that “positions the Industry Minister to create key digital policies in the Big Telecom lobby’s narrow commercial interests rather than those of Canadians”.
“Time and again the Big Telecom lobby has shown its neglect, and even disdain, for the Canadian public’s communications interests”, said OpenMedia.ca executive director Steve Anderson, in the statement. “By meeting only with industry giants, and by failing to disclose the results of those meetings, Paradis is shutting Canadians out of decisions that will directly affect personal lives and family budgets.”
OpenMedia.ca said that it has “attempted” to meet with Minister Paradis, and expressed concern that there appears to be “no evidence that the Minister has sought input from citizens or consumer groups” on issues such as the pending 700 MHz spectrum auction.
