Christianne Laizner appointed as CRTC’s vice-chairperson for telecommunications

Minister of Canadian Heritage, Mélanie Joly, has announced the full-time appointment of the vice-chairperson of telecommunications to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Christianne M. Laizner has been appointed for a term of five years, after serving as interim vice-chairperson since July 2017. She will begin her new position on July 17th, 2018.

Laizner is the first woman vice-chairperson of telecommunications in the CRTC’s 50-year history.

“Our Government is very pleased to announce the appointment of the CRTC’s first woman Vice-Chairperson (Telecommunications),” Minister Joly wrote in a press statement.

“The proven leadership displayed by Ms. Laizner during her tenure as interim vice-chairperson shows that she is the right person for the job. With her extensive experience in the industry, Canadians can be confident that she will continue to serve their interests in implementing a strong vision for the CRTC.”

Ian Scott stated in a message sent to Commission staff (and shared with MobileSyrup by the Commission itself): “It is with great pleasure that I inform you that Christianne Laizner has been appointed to a five-year term as Vice-Chairperson of Telecommunications, effective July 17, 2018. Christianne brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position and is a great asset to the CRTC. She is committed to ensuring that Canadians continue to have access to high-quality communications services from coast to coast to coast.”

Laizner, a former lawyer, joined the CRTC in 2010 as general counsel for telecommunications and subsequently held the position of senior general counsel and executive director of the CRTC legal sector.

The position of vice-chair for telecommunications is one of three full-time senior roles, the others being chairperson — a role currently filled by Ian Scott — and vice-chairperson of broadcasting, a role that’s held by Dr. Caroline Simard.

Simard gained her role as vice-chair of broadcasting in September 2017, as did Scott.

Under the leadership of Scott, Simard and Laizner, the CRTC has navigated through one major decision so far — the Wi-Fi-first MVNO decision that resulted in a low-cost data-only plans proposal.

In conversation with MobileSyrup‘s Sameer Chhabra, Scott said he was neither pro-business nor pro-consumer, stating:

“I have no bias one way or another on my own part and obviously with my colleagues will consider each case as it comes before us, based on the record, based on staff recommendations, and the commission’s considerations.”

Image courtesy of the CRTC.

Source: CNW

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