Maybe Canada Post is to blame for the delay. Or perhaps the chairman of the CRTC has been on vacation. How else can one explain the timing of Konrad von Finckenstein’s extraordinary letter in today’s Globe and Mail?
“I read with consternation Lawrence Martin's column (Is Stephen Harper Set To Move Against The CRTC? – Aug. 19) calling into question the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's independence as a regulatory body. The column stems from Quebecor Media's application to launch a TV news service called Sun TV News.
I would like to categorically state that no one at any level of government has approached me about the Sun TV application, the appointment of the CRTC's vice-chair of broadcasting, or my own mandate.
Quebecor's application is being treated according to the CRTC's well-established processes. The application was published on Sept. 1 for comment, and a public hearing will be held in Gatineau, Que., starting on Nov. 19. The CRTC will then make a decision on the basis of the evidence on the public record.”
Think of all the ink that’s been spilled based on the premise of Mr. Martin’s column, published nearly three weeks ago – not to speak of the frenzy it unleashed in the blogosphere. OMG, even literary lions like Margaret Atwood took the story seriously enough to base entire tweets on it. Not to speak of having signed a U.S. petition against the new service, citing the presumed “government meddling” as justification for interfering with free expression – normally sacrosanct to folks like her – notwithstanding that the column was based on information provided by an anonymouse or two.
Meanwhile, in real news, Premier Jean Charest announced yesterday that his government would pay 45 per cent of the costs of a new arena in Quebec City. Le Soleil serves up this quote:
“It’s abnormal that the national capital would not have a multi-purpose arena … whether we get the Olympics or not, whether we have [NHL] hockey or not … Quebec City should have a multi-purpose arena. That’s our view.”
An Ernst and Young report released yesterday estimates the bill will come in around $400-million, makes clear that no one in the private sector would build it but says that the arena would be profitable if Olympic and other spin-off benefits are considered. So excited is Mr. Charest – or in recognition of certain realities in the province’s construction sector – he offered to pick up 45% of the costs of the arena whatever those costs end up to be. All of which pleased Mayor Régis Labeaume no end, according to a report in Le Devoir:
“In the 16 years since the Nordiques left town, this is the first time that a politician, a government, has made a concrete commitment to fuel our hope to once again see professional hockey in Quebec City…You’ve kept your word, it would be good if everyone else did so too.”
By everyone else, the Mayor of course was referring to the other national capital, where Prime Minister Stephen Harper resides. His MP Josee Verner – who, according to her website, represents the riding of Louis-Saint Laurent in the first-mentioned “national capital region,” and who would appear to have considerable time to spare in her cabinet portfolio of intergovernmental affairs – says that for the first time ever there is a serious study on the table, and she promised to meet with Ernst and Young to discuss it.
For his part, Mayor Labeaume encouraged the hockey-mad local populace to participate in the “march of les bleus” scheduled for October 2nd – a not-so-subtle warning to Ottawa that the clock is ticking. And – according to the same Le Devoir report – the Mayor said that he would be making an early call to Kory Teneycke’s boss, Pierre Karl Peladeau, to tell him of the good news about funding for the arena.
Update Le Journal de Quebec reports that, in addition to calling Mr. Peladeau, Mayor Labeaume was planning to phone NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to impart the good news. And that his city is asking Ottawa to match Mr. Charest’s offer to assume 45 per cent of the costs.
The paper, owned by Mr. Peladeau, also reports that the mayor used the press conference to send a message to federal MPs from the region: “We know that the West is the problem. We want the MPs to know that we’ll do our utmost to help them and that they shouldn’t be shy about making their case.” And it carries this reaction of Mr. Peladeau’s spokesperson, Martin Tremblay:
“We hail Mr. Charest’s decision to invest 45% in a modern, multi-purpose facility. With this announcement, we have taken another step in achieving our ultimate objective: to bring the Nordiques back to Quebec. We have a solid business plan. We strongly believe in this project.”
Finally, le Journal reports that Liberal MP Denis Coderre is accusing the Conservatives of playing politics with the issue by dragging out the question of whether it will contribute to the financing of the arena:
“This is a well-organized project that merits respect and dignity which means that the announcement should not be timed to win votes. They should announce it now.”
Another update La Presse is reporting that the Quebec Conservative caucus is meeting this morning in Quebec City and will be discussing the issue.
