Reflections on the CRTC

I've blogged before on the merits of revisiting and revising legislation regulating the Internet in Canada. There's no doubt in my mind that we are at a competitive disadvantage, collectively, without high-speed internet access for all citizens. The same can be said for mobile phones -- the plans and access are just too limited. We need a technological sea change in Canada and we need it yesterday.

In the course of following Canadian news this week, I came across a CBC story about an online petition calling for the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) to be scrapped. This petition, organized by a 23-year-old Ottawa man, is exactly the reason politicians need to move quickly to change the way our country regulates its communication technologies.

Without delving deeply into a very storied history, the creation of the CRTC dates back to the early days of 'telecommunications' in this country. It has been an important player, along with the CBC and NFB (among other examples), in helping build and protect Canadian communication infrastructure and culture. The mandate is one to which I subscribe:

"...to ensure that both the broadcasting and telecommunications systems serve the Canadian public. The CRTC uses the objectives in the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act to guide its policy decisions."

The critical part, to me, is the idea of service to Canadians. And, while "service" is open to interpretation, the impact on the lives of Canadians has to be tangible. There can be no denying the significance of Canadian technology and approach in the course of the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century. We have a laundry list of successful technological advances, documentary, television and radio programs and radio and television personalities who were big in Canada, some of whom went on to bigger careers off our shores.

Canada was an incubator and leader. And, Canadians felt that impact.

Because of the rapid shift in technology and an inability to have key cultural and regulatory institutions such as the CRTC move quickly to reflect the demographic embracing new technology and the intricacies therein, we have lost our competitive edge. Keeping young people engaged and in Canada, and ensuring our values are protected, is a critical part of restoring the impact for Canadians.

In that sense, I think disassembling the CRTC would be unhelpful. It has a significant history worth saving and has done much to keep Canada "Canadian." But ensuring the CRTC is composed of those with a greater awareness of how new technology actually works, and how best to encourage its use, absorption and fair distribution to all Canadians, is laudable. It's also necessary if we are to prove that protecting Canadian culture is not antithetical to new technologies.

In the case of the young man from Ottawa, the ease of mobilizing support in cyberspace to destroy almost a century of work and knowledge amassed by the CRTC would certainly be an ironic twist of fate. It would also be a real shame, as the petition comes from a very clear consumer perspective. However, there is intrinsic value in protecting Canadian culture, which must be very difficult to see when you're 23 years old.