Broadcasting - Secretary General Letter addressed to Jeffrey Beatty (Deaf Wireless Canada Consultative Committee)
Ottawa–Gatineau, 17 January 2025
Reference: NOC 2024-288
Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0288
BY EMAIL
Jeffrey Beatty
Chairperson, Deaf Wireless Canada Consultative Committee
405-15 Wellings Dr.
Picton (Ontario) K0K 2T0
regulatory@deafwireless.ca
Subject: The Path Forward – Defining “Canadian program” and supporting the creation and distribution of Canadian programming in the audio-visual sector, Notice of hearing, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-288, 15 November 2024 – procedural requests
Dear Jeffrey Beatty,
Thank you for your letter dated 2 January 2025 and filed on behalf of the Deaf Wireless Canada Committee (DWCC) regarding The Path Forward - Defining “Canadian program” and supporting the creation and distribution of Canadian programming in the audio-visual sector, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-288, 15 November 2024 (NoC 2024-288).
In your letter, you requested an extension of the deadline for the filing of interventions by all interested persons to 20 February 2025, citing significant challenges in mobilizing resources to address multiple overlapping consultations. You also indicated that you needed sufficient time to gather diverse perspectives from the deaf community. The Forum for Research and Policy in Communications (FRPC) expressed support for your extension request.
The Commission acknowledges that the DWCC represents stakeholders, more specifically groups with accessibility needs, that require specific accommodations to share their views. The Commission recognizes the DWCC’s truly exceptional circumstances and, as such, considers that some relief is appropriate. However, the Commission remains of the view that it is necessary to move quickly while ensuring fair participation by all interested persons.
Accordingly, the Commission grants a one-week extension to the DWCC, on an exceptional basis. The new deadline for the DWCC to file an intervention is 27 January 2025. The deadline for all other interested persons remains 20 January 2025.
In your letter, you asked the Commission to publish no later than 20 January 2025 the complete research design (methodology and questions) of the public opinion research (POR) conducted by a third party in respect of the proceeding launched by NoC 2024-288.
The Commission reiterates, as indicated in NoC 2024-288 and as indicated in the 23 December 2024 Secretary General letter (responding to a similar request made by the FRPC), that parties will be given an appropriate amount of time to comment on the POR once it is final and published. The Commission will announce the timelines for comments on the POR in due course.
Finally, you indicated that without appropriate procedural adjustments, advocacy groups may struggle to contribute meaningfully to Commission processes. The Commission notes that accommodation to participate in any stage of the consultation can be facilitated upon request. Interested persons or parties who require assistance submitting comments or participating in a public hearing can contact the Commission’s Hearings & Public Proceedings group at hearing@crtc.gc.ca.
We appreciate the DWCC’s commitment to participating in this consultation. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Shortliffe, Vice President of Broadcasting, at scott.shortliffe@crtc.gc.ca.
Yours sincerely,
Marc Morin
Secretary General
c.c.:
MPA-Canada (hafeez_rupani@motionpictures.org)
FRPC (execdir@frpc.net)
PIAC (gwhite@piac.ca)
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