The system is very simple. You have two acts on broadcasting. The CRTC Act establishes broad objectives and then basically says “Leave it to the CRTC to fill out within this frame the detailed rules on everything.” Then it provides for two government checks, if you so want to call them. One is they can give us direction on how to do it, and two, if they feel we have gone wrong or people are very dissatisfied, they can appeal to the minister to have us overruled and ask us to review it.
That system has been in place since the 1960s, and by and large it works well. But right now we are in an era of incredible technological change. We also see a convergence between two systems that have been regarded conceptually as totally separate: the telecom system here and broadcasting. We have a convergence of technologies. Digitization means a bit is a bit is a bit. The companies have converged, and we're seeing integrations like never before.
As you pointed out, it's becoming terribly important for the economy. It is really vital that we have a system that works. It's not surprising that there is more government intervention, because it has become so important and so unpredictable.