Evidence of meeting #48 for Canadian Heritage in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was crtc.
A video is available from Parliament.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I will say something, and can you tell me if you're still getting feedback?
Now it's good. Thank you, Marilyn, for pointing that out.
1:20 p.m.
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Madam Chair, pardon me for interrupting.
Could I ask for your indulgence just to be able to respond to the last part of the question? I think it's important that I provide the information requested on the record.
1:20 p.m.
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
I will. I want to be very specific and, hopefully, be helpful.
1:20 p.m.
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
The CRTC made two cost awards with respect to accessibility proceedings under the Telecommunications Act—
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Madam Chair, I have a point of order, please.
Mr. Scott, there has been a point of order called.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Thank you.
Madam Chair, I don't know if you will recall that at the last committee meeting you chaired there was a Liberal member who was asking questions to a witness, and she consistently cut him off in order to ask the questions that she wanted to ask.
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
1:20 p.m.
Conservative
Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB
Madam Chair, you ruled in favour of that member and said that the floor was hers and she could use her time accordingly, so I'm curious as to why the ruling is different today, because it seems inconsistent with previous rulings. I just highlight that for the benefit of the chair and the committee.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
Ms. Thomas, I will answer that question. I think that above all when we have witnesses, we should try to be courteous. I am hoping that everyone will be courteous. Courtesy means letting people finish their sentences.
Thank you, Mr. Scott. Please finish your sentence.
1:20 p.m.
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Just quickly, the two awards that the CRTC gave to CMAC related to an accessibility proceeding. They were for $16,815 and $15,332. All other cost awards granted to CMAC, to our knowledge, were done by the broadcast participation fund, an independent organization.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
October 21st, 2022 / 1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair. It's actually Chris. I'm in the next round.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Hedy Fry
I'm sorry. I have you down as the first person on this round.
Chris, you have six minutes.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
Thank you so much, Madam Chair.
Mr. Scott, can you describe the CRTC's current work on arbitration?
1:20 p.m.
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Yes. We do both mediate and arbitrate in all areas of our work, but particularly in telecommunications and broadcasting.
The most active areas are actually in broadcasting, and they largely relate to disputes between program suppliers and program distributors. They're frequent. We have a staff that deals with this regularly, and we have a reasonably good track record in resolving disputes through mediation. When that fails, we use final offer arbitration as our approach.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
You would say that this is an area of expertise of the commission.
1:20 p.m.
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
It is.
1:20 p.m.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
This perhaps doesn't speak to Bill C-18, but to the work you do. Do you know what percentage of these disputes are settlements versus final offer arbitration?
1:20 p.m.
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
I do not have those statistics committed to my memory. I'd be happy to undertake to try to find some, but I would say this: Most are resolved through mediation. In my term, I believe there have been perhaps four or five matters dealt with through final offer arbitration. Even in those cases, sometimes once the final offer arbitration process is established, the parties turn over their cards, if you will, and enter into an agreement.
1:25 p.m.
Liberal
Chris Bittle Liberal St. Catharines, ON
It's probably very similar to my own work in litigation. There are a lot of settlements at the doorsteps of the courthouse and a desire to get an outcome that both sides may be a little unhappy with.
There's a fair amount of international expertise in this area. Have you been able to connect with other international regulators or experts in other nations?