Industry committee  No, I've mentioned a protection point, but actually we do have loyal customers, including the Government of Canada. In terms of our business markets, there is the Canadian Federation of Business, small- and medium-sized business across the country. We're talking to you about the reality, in facing up to what was a monopoly for 100 years, of gaining and winning customers when, as Mr.

Industry committee  No.

Industry committee  It's a quasi-criminal process. As Ted says, as an applicant you don't have any control over the process. At least at the CRTC someone applies who's aggrieved and there's a process where you have some ability to influence the tribunal.

Industry committee  You already heard a sort of analog to that, on Monday, with Bell's rate increases. Bell has applied to increase rates by 80¢ a month for all its subscribers and is removing its service connection fee to those who are moving. It says it's doing that to meet competition. It describes that as revenue neutral.

Industry committee  Once the government acts, and of course, as a stakeholder--and as the largest competitor in the business market in Canada, we certainly are a stakeholder--we would have to review what our options would be in response to that order once it's issued in final form.

Industry committee  We don't maintain that the consequence would be us disappearing. In the latest CRTC telecom monitoring report, people talk about the accelerating pace of competition. The most recent telecom monitoring report shows that in the business market in Canada, competitor share of business revenues dropped from 14% to 12% from 2005 to 2006.

Industry committee  The real difference is that the bureau is intended legislatively to govern markets that are already competitive. The CRTC is there to take a market that was a monopoly and transition it to competition. That implies a whole different view of things compared to when you're looking at the possibility of anti-competitive behaviour in an already competitive market.

Industry committee  Well, my lawyers may feel that way too.

Industry committee  No.

Industry committee  What we would really hope is that the test for forbearance, the framework--however it's amended--will provide certainty. Remember, in Manitoba we will be seeking forbearance in the city of Winnipeg, because that's where Shaw is present. Nationally we want to make sure that forbearance is not granted in markets until competition is present.

Industry committee  Yes, in its final form we support the policy direction.

Industry committee  The policy direction has been issued. We think there were important amendments that the policy direction made as a result, in part, of the hearings in front of the committee. Once those amendments were made, we supported the policy direction and were quite comfortable with it being issued.

Industry committee  I was here on Monday and I think, frankly, there was some confusion over when people were talking about the policy direction as opposed to when they were talking about the proposed order of forbearance. When I heard the questions of legality, I heard him speaking about the policy direction and whether or not it was legal.

Industry committee  As I mentioned in response to Mr. McTeague's question, subsections 34(1) and 34(3) both call on the CRTC to find, as a fact, that there is competition present sufficient to protect the interest of users before granting an order of forbearance to an incumbent, a former monopoly provider, that applies to be deregulated from the retail business.

Industry committee  Right now the Telecommunications Act calls on the CRTC, under section 34, to find as a fact, on a case-by-case basis, that sufficient competition is present to justify the granting of forbearance to a incumbent provider. The telecom policy review admittedly says that section of the act should be replaced, but the way you replace that is through an amended piece of legislation.