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Ottawa, 12 August 2013

File No.: 8622-A124-201304907

Kevin Goldstein
Vice-President – Regulatory Affairs
BCE Inc.
299 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5V 2Z5

Louma Haffar
Senior Advisor, Regulatory Affairs - Broadcasting
Québecor Média inc.
612 Saint-Jacques Street
Montréal, Québec H3C 4M8

Dear Madam/Sir:

Re: Final offer arbitration (FOA) between Astral Media Inc. (Astral) and Vidéotron s.e.n.c. (Vidéotron)

In letters dated 9 August 2013, Bell Média Inc. (Bell Média) and Québecor Média inc., on behalf of Vidéotron, asked the Commission to not take any action with respect to the request for final offer arbitration (FOA) between Astral and Vidéotron before 16 August 2013 in order to allow the parties to continue their negotiations and come to a mutual agreement.

In light of the above, Commission staff considers that the public interest would be better served if the FOA is suspended until 16 August 2013 to allow the parties to continue there negotiations. If the parties have not come to an agreement by the expiry of this deadline, the Commission will issue a determination relating to the BCE’s request to withdraw the request for FOA.

Original signed by

Bernard Montigny L.L.B. M.A.
Barrister and Solicitor
Senior Director, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Processes

c.c. Pierre Boivin, Claridge Inc., PBoivin@claridgeinc.com
Manon Brouillette, Vidéotron, manon.brouillette@videotron.com
Laurence J.E. Dunbar, Fasken Martineau, ldunbar@fasken.com
Peggy Tabet, Québecor, Tabet.Peggy@Quebecor.com

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