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Welcome to the PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCACY CENTRE / LE CENTRE POUR LA DÉFENSE DE L’INTÉRÊT PUBLIC
PIAC is a non-profit organization that provides legal and research services on behalf of consumer interests, and, in particular, vulnerable consumer interests, concerning the provision of important public services.
Latest Updates ...
Government Stands Up for Wireless Consumers by Blocking TELUS-Mobilicity Deal
Telecom → Tuesday, June 04, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Toronto – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) today welcomed the Minister of Industry’s announcement that the government will block TELUS Communications proposed acquisition of licensed spectrum owned by Mobilicity, a “new entrant” wireless carrier. “The Minister called the industry’s bluff,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel ...
Wireless Code Gives Consumers Control
Telecom → Monday, June 03, 2013OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) today welcomed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s (CRTC) new “Wireless Code of Conduct”, saying the rules would benefit all wireless consumers coast to coast. “The Wireless Code has rules to help wireless customers where it counts – the bottom line,” said John Lawford, Executive Director ...
TELUS Buying Mobilicity Bad for Consumers
Telecom → Thursday, May 16, 2013OTTAWA – Consumers will lose more ground in the cellphone market unless the Industry Minister or the Competition Bureau stops the proposed acquisition of Mobilicity by TELUS, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) and the Consumers’ Association of Canada (CAC) said today. Mobilicity, Canada’s second-largest “new entrant” wireless company will be absorbed by TELUS, Canada’s ...
PIAC Articling Position 2014-15 - Call for Applications
About PIAC → Wednesday, May 15, 2013Description for Social Justice Articling Positions Funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario Name and Location of Organization: Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) 1204-ONE Nicholas Street, Ottawa, ON, K1N 7B7 For Articling Year: 2014-2015 Deadline for Application: May 22, 2013 Interviews the weeks of: May 27- 31 and June 3 –7, 2013 Offers will be made: June 19, 2013 Description of ...
Bell-Astral 2 Hearing - Day 5
Telecom → Friday, May 10, 2013The CRTC hearing on the Bell-Astral merger closed today with a final reply presentation from BCE and Astral. Bell rejected other BDU allegations of anti-competitive behaviour, underlining that there was no evidence to support them. In fact, Bell argued that the compound annual growth rates for its non-sports services were extremely low for cable companies such as Cogeco, Eastlink and Telus. ...
Bell-Astral 2 Hearing - Day 4
Telecom → Thursday, May 09, 2013The Bell-Astral Hearing Day 4 (May 9) Media Access Canada, representing the Access 2020 Group of Stakeholders, kicked off the last day of intervener presentations before the CRTC on the proposed Bell-Astral merger. The group criticized Bell and Astral’s limited commitments to Canadians with disabilities, and requested that $6.3 million of the tangible benefits be moved to the Broadcasting ...
Bell-Astral 2 Hearing - Day 3
Telecom → Wednesday, May 08, 2013Day 3 of the Bell-Astral hearing saw a series of cable companies, creator representatives and other individual groups present their view of the proposed merger to the CRTC. Of the cable companies, both Eastlink and Cogeco underlined their opposition to the proposed transaction. Eastlink emphasized their challenges in negotiating commercially reasonable terms for Bell Media’s multi-platform ...
Bell-Astral 2 Hearing - Day 2
Telecom → Tuesday, May 07, 2013Day 2 of the CRTC Bell-Astral hearing began with a presentation from PIAC’s Janet Lo and John Lawford, who also appeared on behalf of the Consumers’ Association of Canada, the Council of Senior Citizens’ Organizations of British Columbia, the National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation, and Option consommateurs. They were joined by Dr. Dwayne Winseck, Professor at Carleton ...
Consumers Ask the CRTC to Deny Bell-Astral’s Second Proposed Transaction
Consumers → Tuesday, May 07, 2013(Montreal) – Five Canadian consumer and public interest groups appear before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today to oppose the second proposed acquisition of Astral Media Inc. by BCE Inc. The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), which also acts as counsel for the Consumers’ Association of Canada (CAC), the Council of Senior Citizens’ ...
Bell-Astral 2 Hearing - Day 1
Telecom → Monday, May 06, 2013BCE Inc. (Bell) and Astral Media sat down today to try again and convince the CRTC that the Bell’s proposed acquisition of the independent media company would benefit Canadian creators, consumers and all citizens. Ian Greenberg, CEO of Astral, called attention to the threat of Over-the-Top providers (OTTs) such as Netflix and insisted that Bell is the company that would have the capacity to ...
PIAC to represent consumers during CRTC hearing on the proposed acquisition of Astral Media Inc. by Bell Canada
Telecom → Friday, May 03, 2013On May 7, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), Consumers’ Association of Canada (CAC), Council of Senior Citizens’ Organization of British Columbia (COSCO), National Pensioners and Senior Citizens Federation (NPSCF) and Option consommateurs (OC) will appear before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to oppose the proposed acquisition of Astral Media ...
Consumers Ask CRTC to Keep Basic Television Affordable - Few Services Deserving of Mandatory Distribution on Basic Television Service
Consumers → Friday, April 26, 2013FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OTTAWA – Consumer rights group the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said today that basic television service in Canada is not affordable and that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) should not further burden consumers with unnecessary “mandatory carriage” services. PIAC represented the Consumers’ Association of Canada ...