Evidence of meeting #46 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rural.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
Are you talking about consultation with our members, for example? What do you mean by consultation?
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Are your arguments based on your own expertise or did you consult people before coming to the committee?
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
The ideas were developed by us and on the basis of consultation with our members—especially the ACEFs—which are in contact with people who are dealing with problems in the telephone industry.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
When you say "developed by us," who are you talking about?
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
Our team at the Union des consommateurs.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Who are these people who are living off subsidies from the Department of Industry?
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
What do you want? A list...?
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
Employees in our organization.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Do you have a panel of experts? Do you give out research contracts? How do you go about preparing the arguments that you have just presented to us?
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
We work. We arrive at the office at 9 o'clock in the morning. We work until 5 o'clock in the afternoon and we try to strategically monitor what is going on in the political arena and analyze what the various ministers are doing.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Did you meet with a lot of different groups, or did you get together with the people that you mentioned in your office at 9 o'clock in the morning?
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
As I mentioned, we had meetings with our various ACEFs.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Fine.
The family economy cooperative associations are also groups without any membership lists, if I understand correctly.
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
No. They certainly each have a small number of members.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
They each have a small number of members.
Do you need a large room to hold the annual meeting of the Union des consommateurs?
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
I do not see the relevance of these questions, honestly.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
That is up to me to decide. I am asking the questions. If the chairman wants me to stop, he will say so.
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
Fine.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I am asking you a question but if you want to refuse to answer, that is your right.
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
I am not a member of the board of directors, and I have never attended a general meeting. I would not even be able to give you an answer.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
So you were not told at a general meeting to represent your organization in this debate by making specific arguments. You decided that in your office with your friends.
5:25 p.m.
Analyst, Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Privacy Policy and Regulations, Union des consommateurs
It was not with my friends or our friends. I find those remarks somewhat arrogant. It is if you were saying that we were not qualified. I think that that is a bit arrogant.
I believe that we have enough knowledge to make comments.
5:25 p.m.
Independent
André Arthur Independent Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
I did see that you were knowledgeable. Where did you gain that knowledge? What is your...
5:25 p.m.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Excuse me, Mr. Chairman.
Is there a question? Is the point here to find out what Ms. Rancourt's qualifications are? She came here to give her views.
When he communicates with his party, I do not ask him who he is talking to and what people are like in his party. Those are not the issues, in my opinion. If he has relevant questions to ask the witness about deregulation, which it is what we are talking about, he should ask them. If he has no relevant questions and is simply trying to make the witness uncomfortable so that she says something or other, that is unacceptable in this committee. We are here to find out more about deregulation. So if he has questions to ask about deregulation and consumers, he should do so.
The witness is a consumer, like us, and she can comment on these issues without being subjected to a raft of random questions such as those being put to her right now.