Taking the debate elsewhere

The NDP points out that while claiming to want a debate on broadcast deregulation, the Cons appear set to force Canada's hand by backing a treaty preventing states from maintaining domestic-ownership requirements in telecom and other related industries:

A document obtained by the NDP shows the Conservatives are pushing ahead with plans to strip foreign ownership limitations on broadcast and telecom. Such moves would break Industry Minister Maxime Bernier’s promise to “take weeks and months to consider all recommendations” before considering deregulation.

The document will be tabled as Canada’s official position at General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS) discussions opening in Geneva today. It commits Canada to strip foreign ownership limitations in telecom — with profound implications for telephone, cable and ultimately broadcast services. This position also runs counter to present Canadian law...

In the document, Canada joins a group of GATS signatories asking that foreign ownership rules over the telecommunications industry be eliminated in countries governed by the international agreement. (Charlie) Angus says that stripping these restrictions will threaten the viability of domestic content quotas for music and television...

“The convergence of the telecom and broadcast has made it impossible to relax the ownership rules for cable without having serious implications for the broadcast elements of these corporations,” said (Brian) Masse. “Before any moves are made to pursue such an agenda, this issue must be brought forward to Parliament and the Canadian public.”

The Cons claim to continue to want an open debate. But it's hard to see how such a debate can happen if the result is predetermined by GATS...meaning that the best result Canadians may be able to hope for from the GATS talks would be a lack of consensus which will leave the issue live for further discussion in Canada.