Debates of June 7, 2006 (day 7)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We’ve had tremendous advances in the telecommunications field in the NWT in the last 25 years. Today I think all 33 of our communities enjoy instantaneous telephone, satellite television, fax, we’re getting just about everybody hooked up to high-speed Internet, Mr. Speaker, almost to the point where we’re taking all this for granted. Even I can remember the days of telex, typewriters, VHF telephones and things like that. Things were a lot simpler in those days and sometimes I wish they were back. But in contrast, Mr. Speaker, southern communities enjoy an almost bewildering array of telephone and cell phone plan options, other communication options offered by a wide array of competing companies at rates that make us northerners envious for the cheap costs and extensive range of services offered. One of my continuing concerns is for decisions that add to our already high cost of living and doing business up here, Mr. Speaker.

Right now we’re on notice that the telecommunications regulator in Canada, the Canadian Radio, Television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC, is holding hearings in Whitehorse next month on establishing a new regulatory framework for NorthwesTel that will go into effect in 2007. Among the items to be reviewed are funding for providing service to high cost areas, restructuring the various rates including long distance and local services; for instance, $2 a month more for individual residential phone lines and $5 a month more for multi-line business services. They’re going to be looking at competition and how NorthwesTel will be regulated in the future.

Mr. Speaker, the telecommunications business in the North is still complex and heavily regulated in many ways. It is the last large area of telecommunication monopolies in North America. I have concerns for initiatives that will increase our already high cost of doing business and in an age of rapidly expanding technology and new businesses anxious to compete foreseeing that the North is competition friendly, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause