Canadian Heritage committee  Media concentration is obviously a concern. Diversity of voices is one of the things we have to encourage as part of our mandate under the Competition Act. You are looking at the one side, which is the concentration of media. We also, at the same time, have an explosion of fora

Canadian Heritage committee  Any merger goes to a dual examination. First of all, you have to get it past the Competition Act: that it doesn't lead to a lessening of competition. The Competition Bureau basically looks at the market. For the market, they look at it as advertising: does it really restrict the

Canadian Heritage committee  At the CRTC we regulate according to the mandate given us by statute. That mandate requires an awful lot of discretion and judgment, because it is really stated in principles rather than in specific tasks what to do or what not to do. We're basically told to do whatever is necess

Canadian Heritage committee  As you know, the CRTC is an independent body that makes judgments on the basis of what we see as best. Both ministers of heritage and industry have the power under the respective acts to give us directions. But the directions have to be public, they have to be debated, and they

Canadian Heritage committee  This is clearly the challenge of the day, I think you're absolutely right. There are very much divided ideas as to how quickly this new media will come on, and to what extent it will displace or undermine or bypass the existing structure. So we really have the chance of, number o

Canadian Heritage committee  It's a daunting challenge.

Canadian Heritage committee  The last word was “broadcasters”?

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, okay. Canadian ownership is clearly a very important key to Canadian culture, communications, etc. I was before this committee at one point in time as Commissioner of Competition and I talked about Canadian ownership. At that point in time, I talked about the transportation

Canadian Heritage committee  Absolutely. It makes up a significant portion of your mandate.

Canadian Heritage committee  You are right: they are the products of the regulatory structure currently in place. If the system becomes different for signal transmission and broadcasting, I am certain that the industry will undergo restructuring to adapt to the new structure. The trend we are currently obse

Canadian Heritage committee  Firstly, you have to tell me what you mean by neutrality. This term is used by people often, but its meaning varies widely.

Canadian Heritage committee  That is too categorical. I do not question whether or not this is a good thing, but rather if this order fits in with our mandate. This is a statutory responsibility. I must make sure that it is fulfilled. If that is how I decide to deal with the issue, I must do so from the pers

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes, I know.

Canadian Heritage committee  No, I think we will have a subsidiary role, but clearly the key role is with the Department of Heritage and the Department of Industry. It's a fascinating issue. I was involved in copyright in various stages of my career. As you know, when we did the Canada-US. Free Trade Agree

Canadian Heritage committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I thank the committee for inviting us to express our views on Bill C-327, An Act to amend the Broadcasting Act (reduction of violence in television broadcasts). The principle aim of the bill, as we understand it, is to contribute to solving th