“Prentice had met with the heads of Bell Mobility and Telus over the companies’ new texting charges introduced in July, which called for customers whose cellphone plans did not include texting bundles to be charged 15 cents for incoming text messages. Previously, customers without text plans were only charged for outgoing messages,” CBC News reports.
“Prentice said in a statement Friday that after meeting with the two companies, he was ‘assured that customers charged for spam could contact their service provider to have the charges removed from their bills,'” CBC News reports. “‘Given these undertakings by Bell Mobility and Telus, I would encourage consumers dissatisfied with existing plans to seek alternatives. The telecommunications market in Canada is dynamic — choice is available,’ he said.”
“Bell’s new texting charges went into effect Friday. Telus announced a similar plan, with its changes set to take effect on Aug. 24,” CBC News reports.
“Consumers have protested the move as a cash grab in response to the increasing reliance on text messaging in Canada,” CBC News reports.
More info here.
The Conservatives haven’t had a majority in almost 2 decades. If any government has been throwing money at corporations it has been the Liberals.
Can you say Bombardier? Air Canada? PetroCanada? Any ad agency in Quebec?
Thought you could.
@Dish
Typical family of 4 in the USA paid $10,000 a year for basic health insurance in 2004. Things have not gotten cheaper since then. Currently a huge number of American citizens have no health care. These are not street people nor are they criminals. They are just normal hard working people who cannot afford health insurance and do work for a company that supplies coverage. The USA is one of the only countries in the world, and the only industrialized country that does not have universal health care.
Health care in the USA is inferior to most industrialized countries. It is a shame.
If you had ever taken a step into a hospital in other industrialized countries you would realize that the wonderful health care you are defending is not so wonderful after all. It is pretty average for care around the world. It is low quality for industrial countries. And it is far more expensive than most systems. Check the facts, not the propaganda.
perfect protest… We get everyone I’m Canada and US to text the minister everyday, at least once per day.
I bet Canada govt likes high cost of text messages for the same reason California’s government LOVES high gas prices… They get a percentage cut.
@@ mossman
Never once did I mention “money” when talking about the government and its inaction. I said “welfare.” In context with the rest of my comments on this topic, and the initial response to me, welfare == “the health, happiness and fortunes of a person or group.”
Let me lay it out for you again: the clown is saying that charges can be reversed. At the end of a busy day, how many people will be bothered to call into a large corporation’s shit billing call centres, wait 10 minutes for service, to get $5 back? How many of those will fail to get all their money back?
I’m not exactly for government getting its hands in everything, but sometimes it’s necessary when an industry or industry practices get carried away. You like the concept of a federally-legislated do-not-call list with penalties to back it up, right?
Swing Geezer,
“We Canucks do like to kill stuff, too!!”
I wonder what the percentage of both populations is for hunters. I know it’s on the decline down here. Most kids just stay inside playing video games and aren’t exposed to the tradition.
Cough up those Loonies ya Canucks!
@Annoyed,
I kinda like them – they make me feel special.
Cubert,
“I kinda like them – they make me feel special.”
Yeah, and getting spam mail gives me goose bumps.
What a life.
Here is a Google Quote of the Day:
The government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
– Ronald Reagan
That makes Prentice a pussy in my books. Coward!
@SGB,
Meant to say “thpecial”.
@ Dish, your post contains too many inaccuracies to be taken seriously. you’re either a troll or simply incapable of processing information like a rational person. either way, you merit no further response.
Cubert,
You are tho thilly.
I’m sitting here chilling out to Michael Bublé. It just doesn’t get any better than this. Thank you Canada.
“he was ‘assured that customers charged for spam could contact their service provider to have the charges removed from their bills”
All one has to do is send a text message to Bell Mobility or Telus and they will remove the charges. Of course they will charge you for that massage, and their response.
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“USA is great. (Not as great as Canada, but really really close)”
@Swing Geezer
Thanks! It’s good to know not everyone hates us.
Altho I dislike this new practice of charging for incoming text, it is to be applied to those who DO NOT have messaging plan already. The cheap bastards!! (myself included)
wtf is wrong with you guys – don’t you love capitalism so much anymore?
mike k,
I am a Canadian who subsidizes the Health Care of my fellow Canadians to the tune of fifteen to eighteen thousand dollars a year through my almost 50% tax rate.
I cannot find a family doctor since mine retired 3 years ago. I have to go to a local clinic or emergency if I have a medical problem.
I have a 1.5 year wait in my province for knee surgery which I will need in a year or two. I will save money by getting back to work much sooner if I go to the USA and pay $60,000 to get the surgery, when I need it, as soon as I need it.
Universal Wait in Line Health Care is just not working in Canada. Competition from a thriving private sector, which all other major industrial countries in the world have, is the only answer to make Universal Health Care more efficient.
Believe me, most Americans would not want a Government rationed Universal Health Care System with bureaucrats, instead of Doctors, in charge of the system.
The current, for profit, medical system in the USA has produced more medical breakthroughs than all the other medical systems in the world combined. The for profit incentive is a hard thing to beat. Those people who actually work for a living understand this and support this. Those who live sucking on the government teat do not get this at all.
Prentice is a Yes-Man. Stevie is all for big biz and F*ck the little guy.