Broadcasting Procedural Letter addressed to Peggy Tabet (Québecor Media inc.) and Kevin Goldstein (BCE inc.)

Ottawa, 1 May 2020

BY EMAIL

Peggy Tabet
Vice-President
Regulatory Affairs, Broadcasting
Quebecor Media Inc.
tabet.peggy@quebecor.com

Kevin Goldstein
Vice-President
Regulatory Affairs, Content and Distribution
BCE Inc.
kevin.goldstein@bellmedia.ca

Re:  Procedural letter – Request to add documents and to expedite the processing of the file Québecor Media Inc., on behalf of Videotron Ltd. Application 2020-0166-8

Dear Madam, dear Sir,

This is in respect to the letter filed on 23 March 2020 by Quebecor Media Inc., on behalf of Videotron Ltd. (Videotron), pursuant to pursuant to section 7 of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure. Videotron has requested that the Commission withdraw its Part 1 application dated 14 June 2019, and to expedite a new Part 1 application also filed on 23 March 2020. That application relates to undue preference and packaging complaints relating to Bell Télé’s Alt Télé and Bell Media Inc.’s Super Écran (collectively Bell).

In its request, Videotron also asks that the Commission add documents to this new process (Application 2020-0166-8), namely Bell and Videotron’s original 18 September 2019 replies to staff’s request for information pursuant to application 2019-0462-3. On 27 March 2020, Bell filed a reply letter signifying its consent to such a procedure, but also its objection to the request for an expedited process.

Commission staff has analysed Videotron’s requests and accepts to add the previously filed documents to Videotron’s new application. However, staff rejects the request to expedite Application 2020-0166-8 given the Commission’s recent decision to extend most of its public processes during the exceptional circumstances surrounding COVID-19. The deadlines relative to this new instance will be communicated at the time of publication.

Commission staff reminds the parties that the Commission considers that it would be more appropriate to address these types of issues in the context of negotiations between parties, during which they could resolve the dispute bilaterally or with the help of staff-assisted mediation.

A copy of this letter and of any related correspondence will be added to the public record of Application 2020-0166-8.

Best regards,

(Original signed by)

Marie-Claire Bouthillier
Senior Analyst, Alternative Dispute Resolution
Broadcasting
Marie-Claire.Bouthillier@crtc.gc.ca

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