Communications Union want to stop Wind Mobile
Last week, Industry Minister Tony Clement stayed the CRTC decision preventing Globalive from launching Wind Mobile in Canada. As a mobile consumer, this is a good thing, even though it does raise the question of foreign ownership rule in the Canadian telecommunications industry. By making a special case for Globalive, Tony Clement was definitely sneaking a peek into Pandora’s Box.
Now, it appears that the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers’ union wants to close that lid again.
“This decision is a sellout of Canadian national interests and a betrayal of Canadian culture,” said Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union National President Dave Coles today in response to the government’s decision to overturn the CRTC rulings on Egyptian-owned Globalive.
“It is clear that this decision violates the Telecommunications Act, which the Conservatives have now declared will be enforced only if and when they feel like it,” said Coles. “In straight forward terms, this decision is illegal and an affront to Canadian democracy.” [from the CEP]
It hasn’t gone before a judge as of yet, and could be turned down, however, I’m guessing that the larger debate on foreign ownership of Canadian airwaves has just begun. In the meantime, Wind Mobile should be seeing roll outs in Toronto and Calgary sometime this week.
