Mr. Speaker, yesterday CRTC chairman Keith Spicer was very critical of the directives the federal government is about to approve with respect to direct to home satellite television services. He referred to these directives as illegal and condemned their unprecedented retroactive effect as well as their incredibly detailed content. Mr. Spicer said that government intervention undermined the independence and integrity of the CRTC and could lead to political interference with its operations.
My question is directed to the Prime Minister. Considering that yesterday, Mr. Spicer felt it was necessary to remind us that the government's authority with respect to communications did not extend to giving preferential treatment to certain friends, would the Prime Minister agree that these statements by the CRTC chairman cast doubts on the government's integrity in the case of DTH satellite television services?