Archive for February 2nd, 2011

Clement Confirms Plans to Overturn UBB Decision

Industry Minister Tony Clement has confirmed that the government intends to overturn the CRTC’s usage based billing decision.  In a twitter exchange with CBC reporter Rosemary Barton, Clement was asked “is it true you will overturn internet decision if CRTC does not back down?”.  Clement responded “True. CRTC must go […]

Read more ›

February 2, 2011 34 comments News

The Government’s Review of Usage Based Billing: What Should Come Next

Yesterday was a remarkable day for those following the usage based billing and bandwidth cap issue. In the span of 24 hours, an unlikely political consensus emerged that left little doubt that – at a minimum – the CRTC’s UBB decision will be reconsidered.  Prime Minister Harper expressed his concern with the decision, Industry Minister Tony Clement hinted at overturning the decision, and both the Liberals and NDP expressed strong support for overturning the decision. Groups like the Canadian Network Operators Consortium, which represent dozens of independent ISPs, wrote to Clement to call for cabinet to reconsider all the CRTC’s UBB decisions and even the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses wrote to express its concern about the impact on Canadian small businesses.  An Industry Committee hearing on UBB will apparently begin on Thursday.

With Clement indicating that a decision will be forthcoming by March 1st, there is just one month for cabinet to address the issue.  So what comes next?

 

Read more ›

February 2, 2011 34 comments News

Angus Calls for Hearings on CRTC Broadcasting False News Change

NDP MP Charlie Angus has put forward a motion at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage calling for hearings on the CRTC’s proposed change to the broadcasting false news prohibition.

Read more ›

February 2, 2011 13 comments News

Canadian Federation of Students Releases C-32 Position Paper

The Canadian Federation of Students has issued a comprehensive position paper on Bill C-32.  It calls for the adoption of a flexible fair dealing provision and raises questions about the inclusion of the digital lock rules.  At a minimum, it calls for a link between circumvention and an infringing purpose […]

Read more ›

February 2, 2011 Comments are Disabled News