Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, previously, before this change by CRTC and the billing of the telephones started, the long distance telephone rates were subsidizing the local telephone rates. Now, with long distance competition that is going to be implemented in the Northwest Territories, is going to change. The cost of long distance telephone services will decrease and the cost of local telephone services will increase. In a lot of the smaller communities, there is a volume that is very small to try to subsidize themselves, so we will be looking at the smaller communities more so than Yellowknife. It is just in the beginning stage, we really do not know how it is going to go. The CRTC will be holding hearings to listen to all the interested parties in the north. As a result, hopefully, that will influence them in how they are going to be implementing the telephone rates. Thank you.
Jim Antoine on Question 343-13(5): GNWT Role Regarding Telephone Rates
In the Legislative Assembly on February 17th, 1998. See this statement in context.
Further Return To Question 343-13(5): GNWT Role Regarding Telephone Rates
Question 343-13(5): GNWT Role Regarding Telephone Rates
Item 6: Oral Questions
February 16th, 1998
Page 853
Jim Antoine Nahendeh
See context to find out what was said next.