Canadians will have every right to be angry at the neo-liberalism of Justin Trudeau and the failure of regulatory agencies such as the Canadian Radio, Telecommunications and Television Commission (CRTC). The planned takeover of Shaw Communications by fellow telecom Rogers has to be stopped. Without more, not less, competition by Canada’s telecoms, we will be at the mercy of the rapacious rates of the few.
Canadians already pay the highest rates of any developed country for their telephones, television and Internet services. Why should any government agency or understanding member of parliament condone this limitation of services to Canadians along with the price gouging they already suffer?
It is not as though the Shaw family had not already cashed out a substantial amount of their holdings. They had sold off Corus Entertainment, that controls the Global Television Network, along with a variety of specialty channels, available on cable service across the country. That was the first half billion dollars realized by the family.
They should get better tax advice than to add another couple billion dollars to their loot so soon. I would sure hate to have their amount of taxes to pay. While it is hard to imagine the debt load that Shaw Communications would carry, the family should find a better way to take out their money and, at least, consider a non-competitive purchaser.
Rogers probably figures the company has a lot of leverage with the liberal government to get this through. Yet it is liberals across Canada who work to get those MPs elected. They are the people who are being ripped off on the cost of telephone, television and Internet services. These are the people who will be urging their MPs to turn thumbs down on the Rogers takeover.
This is not the United States where politicians are practically traded on a pseudo stock market to do business’ bidding. Business has to recognize the concerns of consumers. They are not to be ignored.
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Copyright 2021 © Peter Lowry
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