Canadian Heritage Committee on Oct. 4th, 2012

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

The CRTC can use two main approaches to monitor and regulate the industry; it can either choose to take action and make regulations or it can let market forces decide. In my view, although we have relied on deregulation in a number of ways and we have let the market forces do the work, we have to keep our eyes open to see if the market is healthy.

A little earlier, I talked about the three-year plan. The plan also contains outcome measures. Like every year, we are going to continue to review the affordability of communication services in our report. In addition, we want to give Canadians tools to help them manage their accounts better.

Let me give you an example. Many Canadians subscribe to a voicemail service with their phone company. Perhaps it is useful to some, but some Canadians spend almost $10 a month for that service whereas, as you know, you can buy a phone that comes with an answering machine, which is a lot cheaper. So one of the things we want to do is to provide Canadians with that type of information to make the marketplace healthier.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

I understand. I am doing the same thing too.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Thank you, Mr. Nantel. I gave you an extra minute.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Coderre is next.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

You had one minute. That's good.

Good afternoon, Mr. Blais.

Let me be blunt. Have you been appointed at the CRTC to use “strong-arm tactics”?

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

I am not sure what you mean by “strong-arm tactics”.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

I increasingly get the impression that the government tells commissioners what to do. Has the minister met with you to tell you what he thinks? For instance, he might have said that he would like to get rid of CBC. Is that part of your mandate?

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

Not at all. In fact, when I had the privilege of being assistant deputy minister for Mr. Moore at the department, I had a number of opportunities to tell him that the department and the minister must have an arm's length relationship with the CRTC. The legislation specifies how the government has to communicate with the CRTC and I think it understands the concept very well. In addition, the legislation specifies the existence of a public broadcaster with obligations. The legislation is there, in the hands of parliamentarians.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

So you believe in CBC?

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

I believe in the existence of CBC, yes, absolutely. It is a public service, yes.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Saying yes is easy.

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

Our mandate is consistent with the legislation. That is not my opinion, it is in the legislation.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Yes, but you are the chair. You are there to protect the Canadian airwaves. I heard you speak about consumption, connection, but I haven't heard much about content and creation. You spoke about creating in your three points but, for me, what is important is having a guarantee.

We are different than the United States. We made a societal choice at a given point. Your role is to ensure that our identity is protected, particularly in terms of what we create. We made a choice—we chose CBC and public institutions. I feel that the government does not really believe in CBC. Will your role be to protect the public interest and public television?

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

I have no comments as to what the government thinks or does not think. Our role is to attend to the public interest as defined in the Broadcasting Act, in particular, and the Telecommunications Act. I spoke about the creator, which is important for me, and about citizens. It is not always about consumers. Sometimes we talk about market failure. The reality in the broadcasting industry, given our proximity to the American market, means that we cannot always go along with market rules in terms of culture. That is part of my mandate and the mandate of the board members.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

So you confirm that the minister has not asked you to do certain jobs as chair?

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

I can confirm that that is not the case. I was given mandate, which is set out by the act.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Okay.

Furthermore, as citizens and consumers, we get the feeling that we are sort of at the mercy of someone, be it the cable distributors or the major broadcasting corporations. Your role is to be like a guard dog. A lot of leeway has been given to everything relating to the Internet, and now people have virtually no guidelines. Obviously, we still have what I spoke about earlier, which is public television. Obviously, you have Québecor, Bell, CTV and so on.

How do you see your role in the coming years? That will also determine what type of society we will be living in. What concrete measures will you take in terms of protection?

Work is being done by Bell and Astral. For the others, we have the impression that the markets are competing, that everyone is trying to protect their market and they do not want to share their piece of the pie. I am not hearing the word "citizen" in all of this. And do not talk to me about, Bell-Astral, because that is not the question. In any event, I know that you should not answer that. My colleague, Mr. Armstrong, asked a good question about mergers.

There is a problem in Canada with respect to convergence, and I would like to know how you see your role, which involves being a bit of a guard dog for the population.

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

I will repeat what I said in my speech: our role is to enforce the mandate under the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act, which aims to protect Canadians as citizens, consumers and creators. We are assuming this role in all our decisions.

There is convergence. The technological reality means that Canadians' choices change. We must ensure that there is no abuse in the market and that the choices of Canadians for Canadian content are available.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Do you think, specifically because of the technology, that the CRTC's role is now a little outdated? Do you have the impression that we are stuck and that the CRTC should change, be given more or adapt through new legislation that would affect the CRTC and give it more tools?

Do you have all the tools you need to really take on this protective role?

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

As I said earlier, the Broadcasting Act, as well as the Telecommunications Act, provides for a lot of flexibility. It was drafted very well. In fact, when it was drafted, consideration was given to what would be coming, even though there were no details. We knew that broadband distribution would be a reality.

I think the CRTC mandate is still very important. In reality, the complexity—the word "daunting" was used earlier—means that we do not know what will happen next year. So the mandate is especially more difficult to predict. Not only do we need the CRTC, but we need it even more so than before because we need to be flexible and be able to adapt to the market reality.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

We spoke about technology and protection. You are francophone, as am I. Will the CRTC develop an action plan to protect the French language in Canada, as well as the minority communities that need it?

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

We already have a fairly detailed structure. Furthermore, I was already the champion of the communities when I was in the department and elsewhere as well. When I was at the CRTC, we established linkage rules to ensure that the francophone offer was going to be present.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

You are talking to me like a deputy minister. Talk to me as chair and tell me what you intend to do. Drop the script.

[Jean-Pierre Blais]

It isn't a script; it's a reality. Protection is one of my values. As a francophone, I have already lived in a minority situation. So I know this reality. My family lives in this environment, and I know that they have these kinds of needs.