Thank you for that.
We think it is critical, because, frankly, the situation we have just experienced over the past number of weeks shows how volatile and how fragile the system is. Having said that, I don't think we can sit back and just assume that all will unfold, as you've indicated, in the most stable of circumstances.
The reason why we suggest that the regulation should be amended is to provide that stability initially. I believe the new chairman has indicated a willingness to do that. A recommendation from this committee would be helpful in taking that further.
The next point, though, and one that is more perhaps critical on one level but equally critical on another, is where we go from here. We stabilize these regulations or we make the payment schedule more clear, but where are we going from here? We think the government has the opportunity, under section 15—it has been done in the past—to ask the commission to consider some questions of implementation of policy or questions regarding the development of policy and to report back.
Most recently, the commission was asked by Minister Oda and government, under the recent order in council, to do a fact-finding mission on the changing realities in the broadcast landscape. Equally important is a precedent that is perhaps more germane to this issue, and that is one that goes back to 1994, when Order in Council P.C. 1994-1689 was issued by the then government. It asked that the commission look at the question of telecom interoperability and the interconnection between telecom networks and cable networks, with a view to implementing more interoperability between the two in order to offer consumers more choice. The commission issued a report, conducted a process, and reported back to government, and government acted on implementing changes.
We think it's all about where we go from here, fixing the short term by way of the regs, but then, from there, bringing a process together quickly to look at all of these proposals and some of the questions. We need a tangible vehicle, which is why we've made this suggestion.