Ethics Commissioner to investigate allegations made against CRTC chair
MobileSyrup - Yesterday.
Canada’s Integrity Commissioner referred TekSavvy’s request to investigate CRTC commissioner Ian Scott to the Interest and Ethics Commissioner (CIEC).
TekSavvy filed the disclosure with the Integrity Commissioner on March 1st. It states Scott held various meetings with litigants. This included 11 with Bell, Rogers or Shaw, while a file on wholesale internet rates was open and active.
“…Since your allegation with regard to Mr. Scott’s ex parte meetings may concern a possible breach of the Conflict of Interest Act, I must refer your disclosure to the Office of the CIEC,” the Integrity Commissioner told TekSavvy, according to a press release.
The CIEC will prepare a report for the Prime Minister outlining the allegations, their analysis, and conclusions.
TekSavvy’s main point of contention is a meeting Scott had with Bell CEO Mirko Bibic at an Ottawa bar in December 2019. The meeting took place after the CRTC released a decision saying telecom companies should lower wholesale internet rates. Bell was among the telecom giants who filed an application to reverse the ruling. The meeting between Scott and Bibic took place a week after Bell filed the application. The CRTC soon reversed its original decision.
The news from the CIEC comes after the Information Commissioner said the CRTC broke disclosure rules. The ruling results from three access to information requests TekSavvy filed asking for details on meetings Scott held with lobbyists and executives from Bell, Shaw, and Telus.
Source: TekSavvy
Canada’s Information Commissioner says the CRTC broke disclosure rules
MobileSyrup - Apr 29
Canada’s Information Commissioner has ruled the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) broke disclosure laws when dealing with information requests from TekSavvy.
The internet service provider filed three requests in June 2021, looking into meetings Chair Ian Scott took with lobbyists and executives from Bell, Shaw and Telus.
The Commission took eight months to respond to the requests, which TekSavvy says were only “partially fulfilled” in February. Under the Access to Information Act, federal institutions have 30 days to respond to requests. Institutions often impose extensions for a variety of reasons.
But if institutions fail to respond within the 30 days or the agreed-upon extended timeline, it equates to refusing to grant access to the requested information.
The party seeking the information can ask the federal court to review the process and examine if the institution was correct in refusing access.
The Information Commissioner’s office found all three delays were related to “an extended period of time needed to review the responsive records as well as additional time required to seek clarification from a third party consultation.”
According to a blog post on TekSavvy’s website, the request on Bell focused on a December 2019 meeting between Scott’s CEO Mirko Bibic.
The two met days after the telecom giant filed an application with the CRTC to overturn a ruling that would have lowered internet prices for Canadians.
Organizations, including TekSavvy and the Competitive Network Operators of Canada, have stated Scott should remove himself from decisions surrounding internet decisions because the meeting exhibited personal bias. The CRTC denied the recusal request.
Scott has since stated the meeting was appropriate, and he broke no rules.
MobileSyrup has asked the CRTC for comment and will provide an update once available.
Image credit: screenshot/CRTC
Canada’s Information Commissioner has ruled the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) broke disclosure laws when dealing with information requests from TekSavvy.
The internet service provider filed three requests in June 2021, looking into meetings Chair Ian Scott took with lobbyists and executives from Bell, Shaw and Telus.
The Commission took eight months to respond to the requests, which TekSavvy says were only “partially fulfilled” in February. Under the Access to Information Act, federal institutions have 30 days to respond to requests. Institutions often impose extensions for a variety of reasons.
But if institutions fail to respond within the 30 days or the agreed-upon extended timeline, it equates to refusing to grant access to the requested information.
The party seeking the information can ask the federal court to review the process and examine if the institution was correct in refusing access.
The Information Commissioner’s office found all three delays were related to “an extended period of time needed to review the responsive records as well as additional time required to seek clarification from a third party consultation.”
According to a blog post on TekSavvy’s website, the request on Bell focused on a December 2019 meeting between Scott’s CEO Mirko Bibic.
The two met days after the telecom giant filed an application with the CRTC to overturn a ruling that would have lowered internet prices for Canadians.
Organizations, including TekSavvy and the Competitive Network Operators of Canada, have stated Scott should remove himself from decisions surrounding internet decisions because the meeting exhibited personal bias. The CRTC denied the recusal request.
Scott has since stated the meeting was appropriate, and he broke no rules.
MobileSyrup has asked the CRTC for comment and will provide an update once available.
Image credit: screenshot/CRTC
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