Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Industry.
The coalition for affordable telephone services has asked the government to reverse the CRTC's decision to allow telephone companies to raise rates for local calls by $72 annually over a three-year period. Furthermore, the association for competitive telecommunications is concerned that telephone companies would use the additional revenue from local calls to compete unfairly on the long-distance market.
Does the Minister of Industry intend to look into the association's allegations and examine the cost structure of telephone companies that offer local services, to ensure that the increase in local rates approved by the CRTC does not affect competition on the long-distance market?