Opening remarks by Jean-Pierre Blais at the public hearing on the CCTS Mandate review

Speech

Gatineau, Quebec
3 November 2015

Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Check against delivery

Hello, and welcome to this public hearing.

Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that we meet today on the traditional territory of the First Nations. I thank the Algonquins and pay tribute to their Elders.

In the coming days, we will review the mandate and structure of the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services, also known as the CCTS.

The CCTS is an independent agency that is very important for Canadians in a competitive market. It helps consumers and small businesses settle disputes with their telephone, wireless and Internet service providers.

Established in 2007, the CCTS processes over 10,000 complaints per year regarding these telecommunications services, which can go as far as requiring caught out providers to reimburse a certain additional amount to the client.

This is a second review for the CCTS after the review done in 2010-2011.

The CCTS

The CRTC required that all telecommunications service providers become members of the CCTS so that all Canadians could benefit from its services. Currently, over 200 providers are members. Among the issues that the hearing panel will be considering is that of whether this requirement should be maintained.

For the CCTS to be effective, Canadians must be aware of its existence and the assistance that it can provide them. It is also the responsibility of service providers who are members of the CCTS to promote it. We will also discuss how the CCTS could make sure that a greater number of Canadians are turning to the Ombudsman to resolve a dispute with their provider.

In addition, to ensure its effectiveness and independence, we will address issues related to the CCST’s mandate, structure and funding model.

Code of conduct for television service providers

Recently, as part of the Let's Talk TV decisions, we developed a code of conduct for television service providers. The code, which is being finalized and should be issued by the end of 2015, will be an essential tool for Canadian television service subscribers.

Given that many Canadians get their telecommunications and television services from the same provider, during Let’s Talk TV, we concluded that the CCTS would be the appropriate group to administer the code. At this hearing  we will discuss how the CCTS will take charge of the administration of the code.  We will also discuss if and how the mandate and structure of the CCTS should be modified to enable it to administer the code of conduct for the television service providers.

And finally, should television service providers, like telecommunications service providers, be required to become members of the CCTS?  This question will also be a part of the discussions.

Public participation

Before starting, I would like to thank all the people who participated in this process either by submitting comments or by appearing before us. We could not fulfill our legislative responsibilities without your views and participation.

Canadians who cannot be here with us can still participate by posting comments in real time on our online discussion forum.

Your comments will be monitored as the hearing progresses and look forward to your input. In a very real way, our hearing room is not just here in the National Capital Region, it stretches from coast to coast to coast.

We will take into account all of your comments in making our decision.

Process

Last, I would like to make a few presentations.

The members of the hearing panel are:

• Christopher MacDonald, Regional Commissioner for the Atlantic region and Nunavut
• Linda Vennard, Regional Commissioner for Alberta and the Northwest Territories
• Stephen Simpson, Regional Commisioner for British-Columbia and Yukon
• Peter Menzies, Vice-Chairman of Telecommunications
• and myself, Jean-Pierre Blais, Chairman of the CRTC. I will be presiding over this hearing.

The Commission team assisting us includes:

• Antica Corner, Hearing Manager and Manager, Social and Consumer Policy
• Crystal Hulley and Eric Bowles, Legal Counsel; and
• Jade Roy, Hearing Secretary and Supervisor, Public Hearings.

I now invite the Hearing Secretary, Jade Roy, to explain the procedures we will be following. Madam Secretary….

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