Thank you, Mr. Chair.
That's what Bill C‑8 is all about. There are, of course, gaps in the current version of the Telecommunications Act. Bill C‑8 would add a new purpose to clause 7: clauses that cover all CRTC and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, or ISED, action to protect the telecommunications system. Yes, there are gaps in the current act. That's why our government has tabled Bill C‑8.
The minister and the Governor in Council would have powers. The bill sees ISED as the primary regulatory authority for exercising powers. However, those powers need to exist, and they don't currently exist. The powers of the Telecommunications Act can only be expanded through Bill C‑8's comprehensive amendments. There would then be an opportunity to impose mandatory regulations to protect the telecommunications network and the data on those networks. So that's the context in which the protection exists.
The amendment in question proposes to change the CRTC's minor regulatory power over a type of licence. That's why I mentioned the CRTC, and that's the context of the amendment. First, in terms of principles, the measures in Bill C‑8 give the Governor in Council and the Minister of Industry new powers to impose obligations on telecommunications service providers to protect their networks. That's a very important thing to consider, in terms of high-risk equipment, for example.