The Tories Are Socialists Too!

Ottawa Citizen: Tories to kill CRTC web ruling

Oh Goddammit. Has this country gone completely socialist? TANSTAAFL!




The Harper government will overrule a recent decision by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission that effectively kills unlimited Internet-pricing packages...

First off, this ruling doesn't kill unlimited internet-pricing packages. Yes, for the time being smaller ISPs will not be able to get a free lunch from the Big Telecommunication Guys (Bell, Rogers, etc.) but eventually consumer demand for unlimited access, coupled with real market incentives will bring back what we've been taking for granted. That is, if some coercive regulations are repelled.

"The CRTC should be under no illusion. The prime minister and the minister of industry will reverse this decision unless the CRTC does it itself," a senior government source, speaking only on condition of anonymity, said Wednesday evening.

Then why even have the CRTC? If the State is just going to overrule the Communication Bureau's decisions, then why not allow the market to regulate itself and have the State intervene when they think things are unfair? (Personally, I don't recommend the State interfering anywhere, but let's be realistic – as long as there is a State, it will pervert the market in one way or another).

Industry Minister Tony Clement confirmed that the government will overrule the CRTC late Wednesday night on his Twitter account, saying that the CRTC must "go back to the drawing board."

On his fucking Twitter account?!

Last week, the CRTC ruled that usage-based billing, the model used by large Internet providers such as Bell Canada and Rogers Communications to charge customers extra for exceeding monthly download limits, will apply to smaller providers too. Until now, those smaller providers could offer unlimited Internet packages; the ruling means they no longer can.

The ruling means that smaller providers can't use the networks owned by Bell, Rogers, Telus, etc. to offer unlimited bandwidth. Somebody has to pay for this internet thing. Thanks to the CRTC it's difficult for the smaller ISP's to set up their own networks and the Telecommunication Act forbids any foreign-ownership. That's right: any foreign-ownership that could compete with the big guys and bring down prices are forbidden from entering this country thanks to the State. When people decry the “Corporate Monopoly” of the telecommunication industry, politely remind them that this is a State-sanctioned monopoly.

Opponents of usage-based billing say preventing companies from offering unlimited access stifles competition and innovation.

No, a useless communications bureaucracy stifles competition and innovation. As does the Telecommunications Act. There are a whole bunch of State interventions in this country that help stifle competition and innovation. Billing users of the internet by usage instead of a monthly fee is just common sense. And it's up to the owners of these networks to make that decision. If the smaller ISPs are that upset, they are free to pool their resources together and run their own cables into people's houses.

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch, Canada!