Jay Aspin, MP for Nipissing-Timiskaming has filed a follow up letter to the Competition Bureau pointing out a significant factor, he says will lead to significantly increased prices, lower services, or a combination of both as a direct result of the proposed Ontera – Bell Aliant sale.
“Ontera is a crown corporation. Currently, it neither pays corporate taxes or dividends,” said Aspin. “If the Ontera – Bell Aliant sale is consummated its rates would have to significantly increase to cover the increased corporate taxes and corporate dividends to shareholders. Northern Ontarians will see either higher prices, lower quality services, or a combination of both,” Aspin says in a news release.
And Aspin says this is in addition to his primary concern that the proposed sale would deviate from the competitive environment which now exists to instead create a monopoly situation which would increase prices through reduced competition.
“I appreciate that private companies desire to expand,” said Aspin. “However, in this case we have not seen a clear explanation of how this sale can proceed without significantly negatively impacting the residents of Northern Ontario, many of whom are my constituents. I cannot stand idly by and have constituents significantly impacted by this sale,” he said.
In his latest letter to the Competition Bureau, MP Jay Aspin drew attention to the fact that our government is trying to improve the quality of telecommunications services across Canada by reducing prices through increased competition. This proposed sale is in direct contradiction to this goal.
The Bureau’s investigation scheduled conclusion has been pushed back to October 1.
