Industry Committee on March 21st, 2007

Evidence of meeting #50 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 deregulation.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Deregulation of telecommunications

Committee Business

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Robert Proulx President, Xittel Telecommunications Inc.

Patricia MacDonald Staff Lawyer, British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre

Phyllis Gordon Executive Director, ARCH Disability Law Centre

Sophie Léger Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Claude Beaudoin Laboratory Director, Certification and Engineering Bureau, Department of Industry, Terminal Attachment Program Advisory Committee

5:10 p.m.

Staff Lawyer, British Columbia Public Interest Advocacy Centre

Patricia MacDonald

I have nothing to add to Ms. Léger's comments.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay.

Mr. Carrie, you had a brief question.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

I have a quick question for Madame Léger.

Which companies do your members usually deal with in terms of getting access to the Internet networks? I know Monsieur Arthur started on this a bit, but who do they usually use?

5:10 p.m.

Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Sophie Léger

Do you mean the infrastructure owner?

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

Yes.

5:10 p.m.

Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Sophie Léger

We use Bell and Vidéotron for the high-speed services.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

So you use both, like an ILEC and a cable company?

5:10 p.m.

Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Sophie Léger

Yes.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

In what percentage, would you say?

5:10 p.m.

Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Sophie Léger

It varies by member. Some of the members still have a lot of dial-up that is their own infrastructure. For high-speed services, the majority of our current users are on Bell because Bell has been offering on a wholesale basis for the past five years now, while Vidéotron just finally decided to offer and to roll out the PIA a couple of months ago.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

So it's mostly the ILEC that you say?

5:10 p.m.

Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Sophie Léger

Yes.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

And it's because Vidéotron and Rogers—

5:10 p.m.

Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Sophie Léger

And Cogeco, obviously in some regions—

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

And the cable companies are usually more expensive for you, are they?

5:10 p.m.

Spokeswoman, Quebec Coalition of Internet Service Providers

Sophie Léger

The prices are comparable, very similar, as I answered to Mr. Arthur.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

Okay, thanks.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay, thank you very much, members.

Thank you to all the witnesses for being with us here today and for presenting their thoughts.

If there's anything further that you want the committee to consider, please feel free to submit it to me or the clerk.

I will declare this meeting adjourned.