Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are here as a result of the government's decision to reverse the CRTC decision to allow Globalive, that is to say foreign interests, to set up shop. The unions said at the time: “This decision is clearly illegal and an affront to Canadian democracy.”
No laws have been changed, but no consideration was given to the CRTC decision or to the will of Parliament or parliamentarians. Furthermore, in the Speech from the Throne, the government clearly stated: We want foreign interests in telecommunications. Implementation of the budget resulted in amendments to the act and enabled foreign companies to acquire satellites. So, contrary to what Mr. Garneau said earlier, the government clearly intends, in practical terms, to sell foreign interests content as well as equipment.
How could foreign ownership jeopardize sovereignty in all its forms, including culture and security? The government clearly states that it's for the sake of competition, to create more innovation. Do you think it would be possible to have healthy competition in the current context and, if so, how? How can we pursue, maintain and even increase innovation with strictly Canadian interests and, in addition, give the entire regional population access?