We're not sure that Canadians are smarter than Americans, but we're absolutely certain that some Canadians are smarter than some Americans, even some American senators. In a dramatic announcement that the Montreal Gazette called "a stunning decision," the Canadian Radio-Telephone and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced this week that it does not have the right or a reason to regulate the Internet, and said it will never attempt to place controls on the World Wide Web.
In a 24-page decision, the CRTC's chairwoman, Francoise Bertrand, said unequivocally, "The commission will not regulate new media activities on the Internet under the Broadcasting Act. Our message is clear. Let me repeat that for those of you who were worried: the CRTC will not regulate any portion of the Internet."
CRTC Deputy Chairman David Colville, who heads the Commission's new media panel, said it was unclear how the predicted convergence of Internet and cable transmission would affect conventional media, and that the commission would monitor the changes and might have to revisit the issue.
Canadian broadcasters and telecommunications executives hailed the Commission's decision. Stephen Bartkiw, the president of AOL Canada, the country's largest provider of Internet services, said, "We are more than pleasantly surprised that the commission so firmly resisted the temptation to try to define Canada's Internet."
Michael McCabe, president of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, said, "We are thrilled and very pleased. This is the best outcome. We couldn't have asked for more."
Gaylen Duncan, president and CEO of the Information and Technology Association of Canada, told the Gazette that the decision "clearly indicates a move from being in a 'protect' mode to instead being in a 'promote' mode."
Established by Parliament in 1968, the CRTC is an independent public authority constituted under the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. C-22, as amended). The Commission reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Its mission is to ensure that Canadian communications contribute fairly and equitably to Canada's economic, social and cultural prosperity through regulation, supervision and public dialogue. For more information on the CRRC, visit http://www.crtc.gc.ca.
View an MS Word version of the CRTC report.