Speech
Opening remarks
by Richard French
Vice Chairman, Telecommunications
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
to the public consultation in Gatineau, Quebec
Gatineau, Quebec
May 2, 2006
(CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY)
Good morning ladies and gentleman and welcome. My name is Richard French and I am the Vice-Chairperson of Telecommunications for the Commission.
With me on the panel are:
Elizabeth Duncan, Commissioner, Atlantic Region,
Barbara Cram, Commissioner, Manitoba and Saskatchewan Regions,
Rita Cugini, Commissioner, Ontario Region,
and
Stuart Langford, National Commissioner
We have a number of Commission staff here as well. Seated at the staff table are: Madeleine Bisson, Consultation Secretary; Commission counsel, Stephen Millington and Sean Kelly; Director of Consumer Affairs, Gerry Lylyk; and team members Susan Gardiner, Mary Louise Hayward, Leah Ackerman, Kevin Pickell, and Kelly-Anne Smith.
Over the next few days, we will hear the oral presentation of parties who indicated that they wished to appear in person. In addition, we will give careful consideration to all of the material filed in this proceeding, both by those appearing this week and by others.
Many Canadians consider telemarketing calls to be an invasion of privacy. Recent amendments to the Telecommunications Act (the amended Act) are intended to achieve a framework which should alleviate the potential for nuisance associated with some aspects of unsolicited telemarketing.
The amended Act, when proclaimed, will provide the Commission with the authority to establish a National Do Not Call List and to delegate the administration of that National Do Not Call List and related functions to a third party. The amended Act will also empower the Commission to levy administrative monetary penalties for violations of its telemarketing rules.
The amended Act sets out a list of telemarketing and telemarketing-like activities which will be exempt from any of the requirements or prohibitions established by the Commission in relation to the National Do Not Call List. Such telemarketing will not necessarily be exempt from other aspects of the framework which the Commission will establish consequent to the powers and responsibilities vested in it by the Act.
As noted in Telecom Public Notice CRTC 2006-4, a key step in developing a National Do Not Call List will be the selection of the Do Not Call List Operator and the development of the terms according to which it will be operated. As you may be aware, a Consortium Formation CISC Subcommittee has been established
In parallel with the operation of this subcommittee, a Do Not Call List Operations CISC Subcommittee will examine a number of issues relating to the functioning of the National Do Not Call List. The address and resolution of these matters should enable the Consortium to finalize the terms and conditions of the contractual arrangement with the Do Not Call List Operator.
You may assume that all of the Commissioners will have read your written submissions and are therefore familiar with your organisation. Unless otherwise indicated, parties will be allotted a maximum of 10 minutes to make their presentation. The Consultation Secretary will advise you when you have one (1) minute remaining. I would ask parties to concentrate on the essential message which you seek to leave with the Commission and to do so within the time allotted.
Generally, Commissioners’ questions, as well as questions by Commission counsel, if any, will come after each party has completed its presentation. Parties wishing to make a closing statement will be allotted five minutes in a reverse order of their presentation after all the parties have made their presentations.
I would like to point out that the purpose of this hearing is to establish principles, policies and practices which will serve the public interest in establishing an effective implementation of the Act which Parliament has passed. I would ask all participants in these hearings to review their opening statements with this in mind.
Parties who have additional questions regarding the conduct of this consultation are advised to consult with the Consultation Secretary, Madeleine Bisson.
I now invite the Consultation Secretary to review some additional housekeeping matters.
Ms. Bisson…
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Date Modified: 2006-05-02
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