The NDP continues to condemn what they call "corporate greed"; however, they stand with Trudeau

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In January 2023, I last wrote about the proposed takeover of Shaw Communications by Rogers Communications.

At that time, this proposed takeover had been studied by the Parliamentary Committee INDU (Committee on Industry and Technology), which reviewed the proposed acquisition of Shaw Communications by Rogers Communications. The INDU committee ultimately recommended that "the Committee believes the merger should not proceed".

The final decision to approve or reject this proposed deal fell to the Liberal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, who also serves as the MP for Saint-Maurice—Champlain in Quebec.

At the time, opponents of this proposed deal were concerned it would result in less competition in an industry that already offers little choice for Canadian consumers. Many feared this would lead to reduced competition and higher prices.

As is often the case with the Liberal Government, they ignored all of the concerns and went ahead and approved the deal. This is not unlike how the Liberals ignored concerns over Bill C-18 which led to Facebook blocking media content on the platform.

This week, Canadians learned that Netflix plans to withdraw funding for initiatives supporting Canadian creators, following the Liberals' dismissal of concerns over Bill C-11, "The Online Streaming Act." To date, Netflix has invested over $25 million, helping produce diverse programming from various creators, including those from Indigenous communities.

Even more concerning, Google recently announced that it will implement a 2.5% "digital services tax" (DST) charge for consumers next week. This move simply passes on the DST that the Trudeau Liberal government imposed on Google. The tax will increase costs for Canadian businesses, potentially putting them at a disadvantage when competing with U.S. businesses that won't be subject to this tax.

Returning to the Trudeau Government's approval of Rogers Communications' acquisition of Shaw Communications, it's crucial to note that at the time, François-Philippe Champagne, the Liberal Minister involved, claimed this deal "would drive wireless prices down for Canadians" and promised to "watch the telcos 'like a hawk' on Canadians' behalf."

I mention this because this week, a former Shaw customer sent me invoices detailing his recent experience with Rogers Communications after his two-year agreement with Shaw had expired.

After agreeing to a new 2-year contract renewal rate with Rogers Communications, the monthly charges began to increase significantly after only two months.

The reason for this increase? Hidden in the fine print of the contract renewal, Rogers Communications reserves the right to raise the monthly rental rate for equipment. Surprisingly, this applies even to devices over three years old—as was the case here. This equipment was still subject to a monthly rate hike.

This raises the question: why have a contract at all if Rogers can simply increase the prices? After spending over three hours with customer service, this constituent was finally told that Rogers would honour the contract they originally agreed to.

From my perspective, a clear pattern emerges. Facebook's blocking of local news content, Netflix's potential withdrawal of funding from Canadian creative producers, and consumers being charged more for wireless services all point to Liberal arrogance and a refusal to heed their critics. This trend is troubling and demands attention.

The NDP continues to condemn what they call "corporate greed"; however, they stand with Trudeau, whom they accuse of enabling that same greed.

My question this week. Are you satisfied with your wireless services here in Canada? Why or why not?

I can be reached at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or call toll-free 1-800-665-8711.

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Dan Albas is the Member of Parliament for the riding of Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola and the Co-Chair of the Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations. In addition, Dan co-chairs an All-Party Parliamentary Cancer Caucus. Dan's riding includes the communities of Kelowna (specific boundaries), West Kelowna, Peachland, Summerland, Keremeos, Hedley, Princeton, Merritt and Logan Lake.
You can reach Dan by calling 1-800-665-8711 or visit: DanAlbasMP.com
Our mailing address is:
Dan Albas MP
101-3731 Old Okanagan Hwy
West Kelowna, British Columbia V4T 0G7
Canada

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