QUESTION PERIOD — Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Access to High-Speed Broadband Networks
June 2, 2021
Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.
Last Thursday, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced it would not significantly lower the rates that small companies must pay to access the high-speed broadband networks of the big three. This follows a prior decision in 2019 to lower these rates and a statement in 2016 declaring the internet a basic service that should be accessible to every Canadian.
The pandemic has highlighted just how essential a high-speed internet connection is for online learning, working remotely and keeping in touch with loved ones. However, the lack of broadband service is a widespread issue in rural and remote parts of Canada as well as low-income households and highly racialized neighbourhoods.
Leader, during the 2019 election, the Liberal Party campaigned on internet service affordability. How will your government uphold this promise in light of the new CRTC decision?
Thank you for that question and for raising this important issue. As we all know, the pandemic that we are in has really highlighted the critical importance of having strong, reliable networks in place, and all of us who have children or grandchildren required to study remotely know this very well.
The government continues and is committed to promoting competition to lower prices, because this is an equally important part of the equation to improve the quality and increase the coverage of telecom services in Canada.
The government was and remains committed to ensuring that all Canadians pay fair prices for reliable telecom services. The government will continue to work with service providers and industry partners to drive investment and to make telecommunication services more available and more affordable to Canadians.
Senator Gold, the Liberal Party specifically committed to lower monthly cellphone bills by reducing the cost of these services by 25% over the next two years. Need I remind you that Canadians pay some of the highest cellphone bills in the world? I’m consistently asked about when these prices are going to be lowered for cellphones. That means that by October of this year, about four months from now, the Liberals should be keeping their promise of reducing the cost of these services by 25%. Can they still honour this commitment or will it end up like so many other broken promises from the Trudeau government?
The government remains committed to working with the service providers and industry partners to ensure both widespread and expanded coverage for the benefit of Canadians, especially those in more remote areas, and affordable prices for Canadians.
