ARCHIVED - Letter

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Ottawa, 16 September 2009

Madam Judith A. LaRocque
Deputy Minister
Canadian Heritage
25 Eddy Street , 12th Floor
Gatineau , Quebec
K1A 0M5

Dear Madam LaRocque:

Thank you for your letter dated 15 September 2009 in which you inform the CRTC of the Government's intention to issue an Order in Council requiring the CRTC to consult the public and prepare a report on the implications and the advisability of implementing a compensation for the value of the local television signal regime and how the application of such a regime would impact the components of the communications industry as it adapts to the new digital communications environment.

While we have no specific comments regarding the wording of the draft order attached to your letter, we do wish to note that affordability for consumers is an element of the public proceeding we have initiated by Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2009-411 on 6 July 2009 . This public hearing will be held in November of this year.

In answer to your request and in order to give consumers time to prepare their submissions, the CRTC will hold a separate public hearing, before the end of this year, to address the specific questions set out in the proposed order. At such hearing the consumers will be in a position to respond to any views advanced by parties at the November hearing.

As you are aware, in broadcasting matters, unlike in telecommunications matters, the CRTC has no authority to award costs to consumer groups. To ensure full participation from the consumer groups, the CRTC would appreciate any contributions your department could offer in order to facilitate participation from the consumers in these consultations.

Yours sincerely,

Original signed by
Bernard Montigny for/
Robert A. Morin
Secretary General

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