Evidence of meeting #45 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 crtc.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Richard Dicerni  Deputy Minister, Department of Industry

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Maxime Bernier Conservative Beauce, QC

It's a good point that you put on the table. What we want to do is have legislation that is in line with all preoccupations. I think your point is that if we need to increase the monetary penalty, you want us to be able to do so.

I think $15 million is a huge amount, and the chair of the Competition Bureau told you that the last time she was here before you. But in every piece of legislation, doing an update every three or five years is always a good thing. Because the situation and the economy evolve, it can be a good thing to be able to do a review after a couple of years of legislation.

As for why we decided to have $15 million for monetary penalties, it's the amount that is very important to ensure that we won't have that kind of comportment. It's double the last fine by the Competition Bureau. If my memory is right, that was about $1 million or $2 million in other industries. In this industry, they're going to be able to impose up to $15 million. That's a lot of money, but like all legislation, it's always important to review a bill after a couple of years.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative James Rajotte

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Masse.

Mr. Minister, thank you very much, on behalf of the committee, for being with us for the full two hours today. It was certainly a very interesting discussion on the deregulation of the telecommunications sector. I'm sure you'll look forward to the committee's deliberation and any submission to you. Thank you very much to you and your officials for being here.

Members, we will just suspend for two to three minutes, and then we'll go in camera for committee business.

We will ask everyone except for members and staff to leave the room.

[Proceedings continue in camera]