Noting in the news that another internet service provider (ISP) has been purchased by one of the large telecom services was just another annoyance in life. There always seems to be a feeding frenzy among the big telecoms when any of these start-ups, using the large telecoms networks, make a success of it.
Becoming less and less pleased with Bell Canada’s service, attitude and pricing the other day, I considered complaining once again to the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). It seems hopeless though, as we watch those handmaidens of Bell, Rogers and Telus appear to scurry to do the telecom giants’ bidding.
As one of the liberals who had urged the creation of the CRTC back in 1968, I was pleased that my member of parliament was Pierre Trudeau’s choice as minister responsible for the new department (which included the CRTC).
It also got him away from a thankless job at a lower cabinet level. I had written a report (gratis) for him showing him how to get around his problems with the way his department was being run by the deputy minister. This was back when the deputy ministers where the College of Cardinals in Ottawa and the Clerk of the Privy Council was the Pope. (I never did pick my enemies carefully.)
Knowing how the CRTC functioned paid off at those times when I interceded at commission hearings. The first time was fun when I got into an argument with a chairman who seemed overly-impressed with his own importance. To the annoyance of the applicant companies though, the wording of the commission ruling was taken directly from my submission.
Knowing how the CRTC functions was ignored though when during the Chrétien government, my good friend Herb Grey suggested to John Manley, who was the fellow cabinet member responsible for Ontario appointments, that it would be a good idea to appoint me to the CRTC. I had no idea that my late friend was sending that to John Manley. If there is one serious division in the liberal party of Canada, it is between the right and left wings of the party. He was wasting his time. Herb and I were both known in the party for our left of centre views. Manley was a leader on the right wing.
What I got from Manley was a snide letter telling me I did not have the experience necessary for the CRTC. It would have looked better if he had asked me.
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