Thank you very much for being here and welcome. I apologize for the delay, but there was no way around it. I am terribly sorry.
I heard what you said earlier about what you have done so far. However, we have been conducting a study over the last few months, and various witnesses have suggested some solutions. For all sorts of good reasons, we could consider some of those solutions. I will list seven or eight of them. Maybe you would categorize them differently. Let's say that I have seven suggestions. I would like you to first tell me whether any of those seven solutions are currently being considered.
Basically—and I will allow each one of you to speak if there is time—I would like to know which of those solutions we can prioritize and which are not feasible.
First, it was suggested that the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act be merged. I could not agree more with that idea. It was also suggested that we not open our market to foreign companies. Globalive has been in Canada for a year and, despite that fact, the price of cellular phones has not gone down, which was why the market was opened up in the first place.
Second, it was recommended that wireless telecommunications companies be considered as broadcasting companies.
Third, it was suggested that convergence be regulated by requiring converging companies to divide their business.
I am not necessarily promoting these suggestions, but this is what we have heard here.
Fourth, it was recommended that convergence also be regulated by asking converging companies not to give priority to their own business.
Five, it was suggested that the Internet be regulated in a number of ways. Among other things, you talked about streaming, about streaming music. However, we know that this has more to do with the right of public communication. We could perhaps make those who stream music pay royalties, like broadcasters do.
Six, it was recommended to increase funding to the Canada Media Fund and to already existing programs, assistance programs for digitalizing several elements that are currently in the process of digitalization, such as Canadian and Quebec literature.
Are some of these solutions already being studied? Which of them would you prioritize? Do you believe that some of the solutions are unworkable?