The department indicated that it would be taking part in the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) hearing in June. The department is supportive of CRTC establishing high cost areas and implementing a subsidy plan but felt that the company could do more in some areas. Some members of the committee expressed support for NorthwesTel's proposal to provide basic telecommunication services to all communities. A concern was also expressed for the future of the basic service to small communities should the telecommunication competition be wide open in the North to southern firms who may be interested in serving only the large profitable centres and ignore the services to the small communities. The committee is supportive of other service providers taking a more active role in the provision of telecommunication services in the NWT, but committee members added that whoever does it must agree to provide basic services to all communities.
In addition, the number of NorthwesTel staff located in the NWT do not reflect the amount of business generated in the Northwest Territories. The greatest amount of the company's revenue is generated in the Northwest Territories, however, the majority of the staff, specifically senior positions, has been moved out of the Territory. NorthwesTel is aware of this concern but has not made any recommendations to reconcile this issue.