Matthew Boswell, the Commissioner of Competition, says the Competition Bureau is abandoning any further appeals of the proposed Rogers-Shaw merger following a Federal Court of Appeal dismissal of its legal challenge on Tuesday. The fate of the $26 billion dollar deal now lies with François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, whose approval of spectrum license transfers from Shaw to Quebecor-owned Videotron – in connection with Videotron’s proposed acquisition of Freedom Mobile – is required before the merger can proceed. Read more here.
TekSavvy Solutions has filed a Part 1 application with the CRTC disputing the legality of wholesale arrangements at the heart of Rogers’ proposed merger with Shaw and the acquisition of Shaw’s wireless spectrum licenses and Freedom Mobile business by Vidéotron. The transaction hinges on special wholesale arrangements in which Rogers would lease its broadband network to Vidéotron at preferential rates below the CRTC’s regulated rates. TekSavvy is asking the CRTC to investigate what it calls a “transparently anticompetitive” wholesale arrangement and rule that it violates Section 27(2) of the Telecommunications Act.
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is awarding its International Press Freedom Award to two Iranian journalists jailed for covering the in-custody death of 22-year old Mahsa Amini, arrested for improperly wearing a headscarf. Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi are being recognized for risking their freedom and lives in order to expose Iran’s violent treatment of women. Iranian state security agents arrested the two reporters shortly after their reporting on Amini’s death and accused them of espionage, a crime punishable by death in Iran. The award will be presented in absentia on Feb. 15 in Toronto at the CJFE Gala: A Night to Honour Courageous Reporting.
RTDNA Canada is accepting 2023 Hall of Famenominations until Friday, Jan. 27. Those nominated have made outstanding contributions to the fields of audio, digital and video journalism in Canada, whether living or passed on, from innovators who enhance news gathering to those maintaining the highest standards of the craft.
