REPORT CARD
9 NOVEMBER 1998 WORKSHOP - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN
THE COMMISSION'S PUBLIC PROCEEDINGS

WORKSHOP SUGGESTIONS

CRTC ACTION

1. The Commission should continue to refine the website by:

- investing in a better search engine;

- better organizing the website so people can find out what consumer issues are arising;

- by ensuring that CISC Chairs post their minutes, disputes, consensus reports in a timely fashion;

- by using plain language

ü A better search engine has been purchased.

 

ü Our web site has been completely reconstructed.

The new web site includes a

 

ü "Frequently asked questions" section, for quick and easy answers.

 

ü There is a section in the CISC section that shows the New Tasks undertaken by CISC. A button has been placed on the new CISC Web page to provide direct link to the New Task section.

 

ü The summaries of decisions are edited to ensure plain language that is easier to understand by the general public

2. There should be better public notification of disputes and consensus items under CISC and ADR
   

ü New CISC tasks are announced on the CRTC Web site and notification is sent to CISC participants and interested parties. In addition, Public Notices are issued with respect to issues that have broader public interest.

 

ü Notification of complaints that have been handled by ADR is posted on the CRTC Web site.

3. Alternative methods of notifying the public of Commission issues should be identified. Suggestions include posting information in libraries and community access centres or providing municipal offices with brief summaries of issues which will affect their constituents
   

ü Advertising in newspapers of upcoming public processes are now being written in plain language.

 

ü Since June 1999, Quarterly Newsletters are sent to library associations and municipal associations across the country, as well as to MPs and consumer groups. They are also posted on the web site.

4. The Commission should report to the public on consumer issues and complaints by providing statistics and annual reports so that consumer groups know the types and number of issues that are before the Commission
   

ü The first annual report on complaints and inquiries will be published by 31 May 2000.

5. The Commission should work more closely with the Competition Bureau to let consumers know who has jurisdiction over certain issues and where consumers should turn for advice

ü There have been informal discussions with the Competition Bureau regarding our respective roles and responsibilities

6. The CRTC should ensure that the public understands the role of self-regulatory bodies and the Telecommunications Ombudsman and that the CRTC has the final say in all unresolved complaint matters

ü CRTC brochures are now available that explain the role of the self-regulatory bodies. These are available to consumer groups, library associations, municipal associations and MP’s. The brochures are also available on our web site. As well, our Client Services staff responds to inquiries about the role of the self-regulatory bodies when the public writes us or calls us directly or on our toll-free number. We can also be reached on our Website.

7. All Commission letterhead and fax sheet covers should include the website address, toll-free and TDD numbers, as well as the Commission's complete mailing address and physical locations
   

ü The letterhead has been amended and the fax sheet cover has been redesigned to clearly identify the CRTC and provide complete contact information

8. The Commission should continue its implementation of documentation centres across the country

ü A document centre has been opened in Regina on 12 April 1999.

 

ü Another one has been opened in Edmonton, Alberta on 6 December 1999.

9. The public hearing process should be revised in order to include an informal phase in which the issues would be identified. This would be less intimidating for the general public. It could then be followed by more formal proceedings where the more complex issues could be discussed by a more expert population
   

ü The Commission has increased the number of public consultations. In 1998-99, 5 public consultations were held on Canadian TV Policy, 11 on the CBC licence renewal, 4 on the Ethnic Policy and 9 on High Cost. The approach to these consultations is much more flexible than the public hearing format, and allows for greater participation by the general public.

 

ü Regional consultations of public representatives are planned for the first quarter of 2000 in Vancouver, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa/Hull and Halifax.

 

ü We continue to look for ways to informalize our public hearing process to make it less intimidating to the general population. We will keep you posted as we develop new processes.

10. A more simplified process should be developed to fund public participation in proceedings so that intervenors would not be responsible to bill and collect. A pro-rated submission by parties each year could be developed and used by the CRTC to dispense funds (PIAC will be submitting models to the Commission in the near future)
    

ü The Commission’s Legal Directorate has recently introduced simplified taxation guidelines and taxation forms in order to streamline the taxation process.

 

ü The Commission has adopted a new policy whereby it may dispense with the taxation of costs, in appropriate circumstances, and proceed to fixing the amount of costs to be paid in individual Costs Orders (Telecom Public Notice 98-11).

 

ü Measures have been taken to restrict the number of cost respondents. This should simplify the billing and collection process.

• ü We note that PIAC has undertaken to submit different models relating to their proposal. We will await their submissions in order to evaluate their proposal.

11. The Commission should prepare briefing packages for community groups to assist them in advising their clients of Commission decisions

ü The Commission is searching continually to increase the number of community groups interested in the matters under study. When we release items of interest to the general public, information kits are sent to the widest possible distribution list of community groups and associations.

 

ü A toll-free number in now available for questions and News Release are regularly published.

12. The Commission should renew its membership in CAMPUT
    

ü We are investigating the appropriateness of the CRTC participating in CAMPUT meetings, either as a member or as an observer. We should be able to report at the time of the next workshop.

13. The Commission should not totally abandon hard copies of its announcements. There is still a large number of people that don't have access to electronic data
    

ü The Commission is still sending hard copies of its announcements.

14. The Commission should educate the public of the importance of their participation in CRTC proceedings
    

ü The CRTC is making every effort to advise the public of the importance of its input in its decision-making process. We have done this through the issuance of Public Service Announcements, public consultations in many regions of the country. We also have prepared a number of fact sheets on the different ways we engage the public in our processes. These are made available, as a matter of course, to members of the public who write to us on any topic of interest.

15. English and French-language versions of Commission documents should be done back to back rather than in parallel so that documents could be faxed, upon request, in one language only in order to save time and paper
    

ü Unilingual copies of major policy documents are usually available upon request and are always available on our Website. Instructions to retrieve it are clearer on our updated Website.

16. There should be equitable treatment of participants with respect to funding provided by the Commission – ie. mileage charges v. airfare
    

ü This is a current practice of the Commission.

17. The public should be able to use the toll-free number to reach specific individuals within the Commission
    

ü The necessary measures have been put in place to ensure that a messaging system is implemented. Although the system can’t be used to re-route calls, messages are dispatched to the party who returns the call. The Commission also accepts collect calls from members of the public.

18. Public Participation Workshops should be held by the Commission on an annual basis

ü The next Public Participation Workshops will be held in March 2000.