Canadian Heritage committee  The CRTC can use two main approaches to monitor and regulate the industry; it can either choose to take action and make regulations or it can let market forces decide. In my view, although we have relied on deregulation in a number of ways and we have let the market forces do the work, we have to keep our eyes open to see if the market is healthy.

Canadian Heritage committee  I am not sure what you mean by “strong-arm tactics”.

Canadian Heritage committee  Not at all. In fact, when I had the privilege of being assistant deputy minister for Mr. Moore at the department, I had a number of opportunities to tell him that the department and the minister must have an arm's length relationship with the CRTC. The legislation specifies how the government has to communicate with the CRTC and I think it understands the concept very well.

Canadian Heritage committee  The first time I was hired by the CRTC, a decision had just been made. More power had been given to the federal government in dealing with phone companies. I remember the regulatory framework at the time. There were monopolies, especially telephone companies, and then there were consumer groups.

Canadian Heritage committee  As you saw in my three-year plan, I think we're able to tell Canadians a story about what our work is under the pillars of “create, connect, and protect” without falling into the trap of trying to decide if it falls under the statute related to broadcasting or to telecom. That's our job.

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, sometimes I wonder about that. To be honest, when the process first started and the headhunters approached me, I laughed it off. It really is a very, very daunting position, so I reflected a very long time. We have a situation of technology evolving extremely rapidly. What seems to be the future today simply changes tomorrow, and you can't keep up.

Canadian Heritage committee  On the telecommunications side, as you know, the government adopted the policy direction that already asks us to only regulate or adopt regulations when necessary to achieve the policy goals. Similarly, section 52 of the Broadcasting Act requires us to be mindful of the burden of regulation on the entities we regulate, so in a sense it's already part of the DNA of the CRTC to think in those terms, but more so, earlier this week I asked a former colleague, Michael Presley, who is an assistant secretary at Treasury Board Secretariat, to come and talk to my employees about the red tap reduction so that we can embrace that philosophy.

Canadian Heritage committee  First and foremost, the do-not-call list framework is there to protect Canadians, and it protects Canadians whether the telemarketers are operating in Canadian territory or offshore. You can imagine that with technology, borders are easily crossed. Knowing this, we work in close cooperation with a number of our partners in other jurisdictions—the Americans, the Australians, the New Zealanders, and so forth—because it is an international cooperation.

Canadian Heritage committee  Indeed, I can't get into the details of it. It's still pending before us. We will, of course, try to deal with that matter as expeditiously as possible, because the matter involves two publicly traded companies. As I said at the start of the hearing, the applicant has the burden of proof to establish that this is in the public interest.

Canadian Heritage committee  The record only closed a few days ago. We will try to do it as quickly as we can, because they're publicly traded companies, but I'm not at liberty at this point to tell you exactly when we intend to issue our decision.

Canadian Heritage committee  Perhaps it's because of my career in departments that I've always thought it's not the best thing for deputy heads to speculate on policy directions for the government. The Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act are very well-crafted documents. They are unique in that both of them have policy statements in the beginning that have allowed those objectives to evolve over time, with changes in technology and so forth.

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's a pleasure to appear before you today and to help you carry out your important role. I was honoured to be appointed chair of the CRTC, an important public duty that I take on with a heavy sense of responsibility and an excitement about what lies ahead over the next five years.