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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 177

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 31, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 177 - Mar/31/23
Hon. François-Philippe Champagne (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)
  • Mar/31/23 11:22:16 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives and their leader, that is for sure. We listen to Canadians, and I think they should do that more often. Canadians have told us one thing: they want lower prices. The way to have lower prices is through competition. The way to have more competition is to have a strong, fourth national player that will bring prices down. That is why the transfer of licence will go forward with 21 conditions. They have made a contract with Canadians, which is enforceable and with penalties. That is what Canadians want; they want lower prices.
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Context: House Hansard - 177 - Mar/31/23
Mr. Ryan Williams (Bay of Quinte, CPC)
  • Mar/31/23 11:42:49 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, Canadians pay the highest cellphone prices in the world. In fact, Rogers telecommunications is the most expensive telecommunications carrier in the world. How expensive is it? It is three times as expensive as Australia and twice as expensive as the U.S. and Europe. The Rogers-Shaw deal will only make the priciest and the biggest company only bigger. We need more competition in Canada, which means not just a fourth carrier, but 40 carriers to supply more choice to Canadians, and lower prices. When will the minister get serious about competition instead of pandering to just one monopoly?
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Context: House Hansard - 177 - Mar/31/23
Hon. François-Philippe Champagne (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)
  • Mar/31/23 11:44:35 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I have enormous respect for my colleague and my critic. One thing he would know is that, as the regulator, they do not meet with the parties. That is a basic principle in due process. What Canadians, particularly western Canadians, understood this morning is that we have their backs because what they want is lower prices. The way to do that is to have competition and the way to do that is for a fourth national player. Members on the other side who may not have had a chance can read the contract with Canadians. That is the way that we bring lower prices in Canada.
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Context: House Hansard - 177 - Mar/31/23
Hon. François-Philippe Champagne (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)
  • Mar/31/23 11:45:51 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am so happy that my colleagues ask questions. I look forward to more questions because one thing that people at home understand is that we are fighting every step of the way to bring prices lower in Canada. What we have achieved today is a new chapter in telecom in Canada. For the first time in Canada's history, more than 150 years, we have binding legal commitments by telecom in a contract with Canada to bring prices lower in Canada. It is this government that did that. Canadians know we have their backs. We will fight for them every step of the way.
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