Telecom - Secretary General Letter adressed to the Distribution List
Ottawa, 7 February 2023
Our reference: 1011-NOC2022-0147
BY EMAIL
To: Distribution list
Re: Telecommunications in the Far North, Phase II. Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-147 - Organization and conduct of the public hearing.
The Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing in connection with the above-noted proceeding commencing on Monday, 17 April 2023 at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, 1171 Front Street, Whitehorse, Yukon.
The purpose of this letter is to provide participants with information on the organization and conduct of the public hearing.
The public hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. MST (11:30 a.m. EST) on Monday, 17 April 2023 and is expected to last no more than 5 days.
The order and estimated date of appearance of parties making an oral presentation at the hearing are set out in the attached document (Agenda). The Commission will not amend the order of appearance, barring exceptional circumstances.
An audio and video feed of the hearing will be made available on the Commission’s website (www.crtc.gc.ca) for the duration of the hearing. Throughout the hearing, simultaneous translation will also be available on the Commission’s website.
The hearing room is open to the public.
Information regarding your appearance before the Commission
Your allotted presentation time is indicated in the email accompanying this letter.
Participants may use the time allotted to them in order to discuss any aspect of their submissions or respond to any aspect of the written submissions made by other parties to this proceeding.
Presentations may be followed by questions from the Commission members and legal counsel where appropriate.
Pursuant to section 41 of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Rules of Practice and Procedures, only evidence in support of statements already on the record is admissible at the public hearing. If you wish to file new evidence, you must request permission to do so from the Commission by filing a procedural request to that effect.
Guidelines for your appearance
Your appearance will take place either in person or remotely via the Zoom application. We ask that you please reconfirm with us, by return email, by no later than Friday, 17 February 2023, whether you still wish to appear at the hearing, and, if so, whether in-person in Whitehorse or remotely.
If you appear in-person
Your appearance will take place at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre, 1171 Front Street, Whitehorse, Yukon.
You must provide the following information, by email to hearing@crtc.gc.ca, by no later than Friday, 17 February 2023:
- The name and title of any representative (if applicable) who will appear at the hearing.
- Your full name, cell phone number and email address, as well as the same information for any representative who will appear with you at the hearing. This information will enable us to contact you immediately before or during the hearing to obtain information or advise you of matters related to the hearing, if necessary;
- You must confirm whether you will make your presentation in English or French;
- You must send your oral presentation as well as any tables, etc., which you intend to use, in accessible format (for example, text-based file formats that enable text to be enlarged or modified, or read by screen readers) at least the day before your presentation to hearing@crtc.gc.ca; and
- Participants may make use of audio-visual aids in their presentations. A copy of your audio-visual presentation(s) must be submitted at least the day before your presentation to hearing@crtc.gc.ca (the length of your audio-visual presentation(s) must be included in your allotted time).
If you appear remotely
Your appearance will take place remotely via the Zoom application. You will receive an email link to participate electronically at the public hearing the day before your appearance.
You must provide the following information, by email to hearing@crtc.gc.ca, by no later than Friday, 17 February 2023:
- The name and title of any representative (if applicable) who will appear at the hearing;
- Confirm the number of individual Zoom connections you will need for your appearance with the names, titles, cell phone numbers and email addresses of any representative requiring a Zoom connection. This information will enable us to contact you immediately before or during the hearing to obtain information or advise you of matters related to the hearing, if necessary;
- You must confirm whether you will make your presentation in English or French;
- You must send your oral presentation as well as any tables, etc., which you intend to use, in accessible format (for example, text-based file formats that enable text to be enlarged or modified, or read by screen readers) at least the day before your presentation to hearing@crtc.gc.ca; and
- Participants may make use of audio-visual aids in their presentations. A copy of your audio-visual presentation(s) must be submitted at least the day before your presentation to hearing@crtc.gc.ca (the length of your audio-visual presentation(s) must be included in your allotted time).
Important information about appearing remotely
- All participants are required to use a headset with an integrated boom microphone or an approved table-top microphone for their remarks to be interpreted. This equipment is mandatory to appear remotely and helps ensure that the sound quality is sufficient for interpretation;
- A technician will be in contact with you to test the online connection system before your appearance;
- If possible, it is recommended to use a wired connection rather than a Wi-Fi connection. You are responsible for having the necessary computer equipment and Internet connection required to participate in this public hearing;
- Always identify yourself when speaking, speak slowly and maintain eye contact with the camera;
- Mute the audio line when you are not speaking; and
- The use of the written communication feature of the application (chat) is not permittedduring the public hearing and, should you use it, the information contained therein will not form part of the public record of the proceedingand will not be considered by the Commission in making its determinations.
Accessibility
Persons requiring communications support during their presentation at the hearing, such as assistive listening devices and sign language interpretation, or any other accessibility related measure relating to that person’s presentation at the hearing are requested to confirm with Jade Roy, Hearing Secretary, by e-mail at jade.roy@crtc.gc.ca (Telephone: 819-775-7576) by no later than Friday, 17 February 2023 so that the necessary arrangements can be made.
Participants receiving accessibility measures are not responsible for monitoring the progress of the hearing. The Hearing Secretary will inform such participants of the approximate time of their presentation and will ensure that their place on the Agenda does not change. The Hearing Secretary will also assist the participants as required and will make sure that the approved accessibility measures are in place to ensure their meaningful participation during their oral presentations.
In addition, should you have any questions pertaining to the accessibility of the hearing venue at the Kwanlin Dün Center, please contact Jennifer Logtenberg by email: events@kdcc.ca or by phone: 867-456-5322 x102.
Important information:
- The transcript of each day will be available on the CRTC website the following business day; and
- Please note that the order of appearance for the public hearing will be available on the CRTC's website at the following address (http://www.crtc.gc.ca/Telecom/eng/hearings/2023/ag17_04.htm) and will be updated, if necessary, prior to the hearing.
In the event that you experience any technical difficulties or problems on the day of the hearing, you may contact the Hearing Officer Alexanne Patry at 819-997-4657 or by email at Alexanne.patry@crtc.gc.ca
Participants are responsible for monitoring the progress of the hearing for any direction that the Commission may give regarding the conduct of the hearing. Participants should be prepared to make their presentations on the day scheduled or, if necessary, the day before or after their scheduled appearance date depending on the progress of the hearing. As noted above, this does not apply to participants receiving accessibility measures.
As is the case for all our public hearings, please note that the media may cover the event.
If you have any concerns regarding the order of appearance, please contact Jade Roy, Hearing Secretary, by e-mail at jade.roy@crtc.gc.ca (Telephone: 819-775-7576).
Undertakings
Should a participant be unable to respond to a question by the Commission members or legal counsel at the hearing, the participant may be asked to undertake to file the information requested at a later date.
Participants’ undertakings must be filed by 9 May 2023 unless otherwise determined by the Commission. Undertakings will not be confirmed on the record at the end of the presentation. Any party who wishes to confirm the content of its undertakings may speak with Commission legal counsel.
Post-public hearing written submissions
As set out in the Notice of Consultation, parties may file final submissions in reply to submissions made by other parties on any matter within the scope of this proceeding by 9 June 2023.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Claude Doucet
Secretary General
- Date modified: