OpenMedia is a community-based organization that works to keep the Internet open, affordable, and surveillance free. To: The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development C.D. Howe Building 235 Queen Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H5 March 28, 2018 Dear Minister Bains, I am writing to you on behalf of OpenMedia, a community-based organization that works to keep the Internet open, affordable, and surveillance-free. We work toward informed and participatory digital policy by engaging hundreds of thousands of people in protecting our online rights. OpenMedia is extremely concerned by the CRTC’s recent decision to close the door to WiFi-first Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) and thus reject an opportunity to bring more choice into the Canadian wireless market. With Canadians paying some of the highest cell phone bills in the world, we cannot afford to wait through yet another lengthy consultation period. Moreover, halfway measures such as demanding that the incumbents roll out low cost data plans do not go far enough to address our mobile market’s greater affordability issue. You have said you are serious about the lack of affordability in our wireless market and have acknowledged Canadians pay too much for mobile services. However, the CRTC’s decision is not going to change that any time soon. As a result, OpenMedia is looking to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to step in and help affect change. I am writing today to request an in-person meeting with yourself, and any relevant staff in the ISED office, to discuss how the federal government can directly address Canada’s challenges with Internet connectivity – specifically issues of access, choice and affordability. We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to further discuss the implications of the CRTC’s MVNO decision, the need for increased choice in Canada’s wireless and wireline Internet services, and potential solutions to help expedite the process of bringing change to Canada’s telecommunications market as quickly as possible. In response to the CRTC’s March 22 decision, we’ve already had 9,045 Canadians sign our petition in response to the CRTC’s decision, urging you to step in immediately and bring them more mobile choice (​Letter attached​). This is in addition to the 8,505 concerned citizens who spoke out as a part of the aforementioned CRTC proceeding. We have also reached out to your office previously about other issues we believe ISED is best positioned to address, including our calls for a national broadband strategy, and strong protections for net neutrality. OpenMedia Engagement Network // P.O. Box 21674, 1424 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5L 5G3 // 1-844-891-5136 OpenMedia is a community-based organization that works to keep the Internet open, affordable, and surveillance free. Since you were appointed Minister of ISED in 2015, we have watched you take meetings with a wide variety of stakeholder groups, ​including telecom incumbents​. But the OpenMedia community has not yet had the opportunity to speak with you directly about our concerns, which impact the daily lives of Canadians in all areas of the country. We believe that our community of over 250,000 people across Canada is a critical community that must not be ignored. And we would respectfully request a meeting with you and your office to ensure that our concerns are heard. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely yours, [Original signed] Laura Tribe Executive Director, OpenMedia laura@openmedia.org https://openmedia.org Petition Text: (Hosted at ​https://act.openmedia.org/morechoice​) To: The ​Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Dear Minister Bains, You said you were serious about the lack of affordability in our wireless market.[1] I want to believe you — but you need to step in now. To actually address the unfair cellphone prices that Canadians like me face everyday, we need more choice and competition. You’ve said it yourself: Canadians currently pay some of the highest prices in the world for mobile services. The CRTC’s decision to reject W-Fi-based mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) services is yet another rejection of an opportunity to bring choice into the market. You know that Canadians have waited long enough. I need you to take action. As Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development, I know you have the authority to mandate access to MVNOs. Allowing wholesale access to mobile services at fair rates, would open up Canada’s mobile market to a whole new world of choice and competition. OpenMedia Engagement Network // P.O. Box 21674, 1424 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5L 5G3 // 1-844-891-5136 OpenMedia is a community-based organization that works to keep the Internet open, affordable, and surveillance free. You have said that competition is the only way to increase affordability in Canada.[2] Well this is the change that Canada needs — now it’s on you: Make it a reality. Thank you, 9,045 Concerned Citizens [1] Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains takes aim at wireless affordability: Globe and Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/innovation-minister-bains-ta kes-aim-at-wireless-affordability/article35209177/ [2] Navdeep Bains: Twitter https://twitter.com/NavdeepSBains/status/976939815403847680 OpenMedia Engagement Network // P.O. Box 21674, 1424 Commercial Dr, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5L 5G3 // 1-844-891-5136