Re: Prime Minister giving away Canadian assets, Letters (Aug. 29)
I understand that a public relations campaign by Bell, Rogers and Telus to maintain the status quo and prevent new competition and choice has left Canadians with questions.
I would like to address some of those concerns as raised in the above noted letter to the editor.
What the Big Three haven’t told Canadians is that in the 1980s and ‘90 many of the incumbents received substantial start-up advantages including the granting of spectrum through a non-competitive process. They won’t tell you that as a result they already own 85 per cent of the wireless spectrum available in Canada.
Nor will they tell you that in the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction a foreign new entrant would be limited to acquiring five per cent of the total spectrum available in Canada.
Canadian companies dominant the wireless industry in Canada and despite the fear mongering of the Big Three will continue to do so regardless of the entry of new foreign competitors.
Since 2008 our Conservative government has been consulting with the wireless industry to develop policies that will benefit Canadians most. These policies are designed to provide Canadian families with greater choice and lower prices.
These policies are working. In fact, since 2008 our actions have driven down the average cost of wireless services in Canada by nearly 20 per cent, all the while increasing the number of jobs in our wireless sector by nearly 25 per cent.
The Big Three have a responsibility to their shareholders so it doesn’t surprise me that they want policies that serve their interests best.
But the Conservative government’s responsibility lies with Canadian consumers and developing policies that serve them and the wider economy best.
Moving forward we will continue to pursue policies that increase competition to ensure Canadians have access to the best technology at the lowest cost.
Mark Strahl,
Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon MP