Tony Clement on UBB

I love when I get very detailed and personal emails.

Of course, failing that, a form letter is good too.

This one comes from Industry Minister Tony Clement in response to my concerns sent via the OpenMedia.ca petition:

Dear Sir or Madam:

Thank you for expressing your concerns regarding usage-based billing (UBB)
for Internet services.  It is essential that I hear the views of Canadians
on the issues that matter.  Prime Minister Harper and I have been clear
that we cannot support imposing a UBB business model on wholesale Internet
service providers.

Our government recognizes that the Internet and digital technologies are
an increasingly important part of everyday life—including driving
innovation, commerce and social interaction. As the government develops
Canada’s first comprehensive Digital Economy Strategy, we need to look
carefully at how issues like UBB affect the big picture.  We will be
guided by our long-standing policies of encouraging competition and
investment, increasing consumer choice, minimizing regulation and allowing
market forces to prevail.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has
chosen to examine these concerns that the government shares with a large
number of Canadians.  Details of the CRTC consultation are available at
www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/com100/2011/r110208.htm.

When the CRTC reaches a final decision following its consultations, the
government will carefully assess the CRTC position to ensure that it is in
line with the best interests of Canadian consumers and encourages
competition among internet service providers.  I will be recommending that
any decision counter to these foundational principles be reversed.

You can find the latest news on the government’s Digital Economy Strategy
and related issues at www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ic1.nsf/eng/h_00008.html.

Once again, thank you for writing.  I trust that this information is
helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Clement