Federal regulation of telecommunications, the demise of the pursuit of provincial public policy by Provincial Crown Corporations

by Harper, Merry Deirdre

The thesis anatyPs the impact of federal regulation of telecommunications on the putsuit of provincial public policy objectives by a provincially-o wned telecomm*cations corporation. The Manitoba Telephone System (MTS) is used as a single case study to examine the effect of federal regulation on provincial public policy, m particular Service for the Future. The literature is adyzed to show how technological change resulted in the transformation of the Canadian telecommunications industry from a monopoly to a competitive environment. The thesis examines the ~bsequent effects of the technological changes to the legal and regulatory structure of Canadian telecommrmCcations. The federalprovincial jurisdictional conflict in telecommunications is reviewed with a reflection as to how technology influenced the decision-making. Technology also is explored as the basis for the current federal regulatory direction of telecornmunicatioascompetition. The history and public policy surrounding the creation of MTS, as a Crown corporation, is reviewed. MTS' accountability to provincial public policy objectives is seen as part of its foundation as a provincially-owned telecommunications corporation. Finally, the achievement of provincial public policy, outliaed in Service for the Future, is examined to delineate the conflict between its success and federally-regulated competition under the CRTC.