Globalive launches new public push against Rogers-Shaw merger

Globalive has launched a new avenue for individuals to share their considerations concerning the Rogers-Shaw merger with members of the federal authorities.

NoMerger.ca supplies a template message opposing the merger and permits Canadians to share it with their Member of Parliament primarily based on the postal code they supply.

“The Rogers-Shaw merger will only reduce competition and increase prices. Tell [Minister François-Philippe Champagne] to follow the advice of the Competition Commissioner and the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology and reject this merger,” the template reads.

Anthony Lacavera is the founding father of Globalive and has been one of many many persistent voices against the merger.

Globalive had beforehand supplied to purchase Freedom Mobile when Rogers and Shaw agreed to promote it. The firm’s $3.75 billion provide was rejected in favour of Vidéotron’s $2.85 billion provide. Lacavera was the founder and CEO of Wind Mobile earlier than the corporate was offered to Shaw and rebranded to Freedom.

The $26 billion Rogers-Shaw merger wants approval from three events. The Competition Bureau sought to dam it via a listening to with the Competition Tribunal, which backed the telecoms. The bureau will current its case to the Federal Court of Appeal Tuesday.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) authorised the broadcasts facet of the merger in March 2022. However, a current utility from TekSavvy asks the CRTC to look at Rogers’ plans to lease its broadband community to Vidéotron at a cheaper price than wholesale charges, which it alleges violates the Telecommunications Act. The CRTC has but to answer the applying.

Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne should present the third avenue of approval.

This isn’t the one time Lacavera has pushed for the Innovation Minister to cease the merger. He launched an analogous measure on his private web site final 12 months, asking Minister Champagne and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to finish “the fake competition in wireless.”

Lacavera informed MobileSyrup the unique measure on his private web site was in response to most of the early considerations he heard for Canadians on the merger. But it solely focused Minister Champagne and Prime Minister Trudeau. He was additionally getting related requests on how individuals may contact their MPs instantly, ensuing within the creation of NoMerger.ca.

While each web sites are related, Lacavera stated he wouldn’t do away with one or the opposite. “We are checking the form inputs to ensure there are no bots or duplicates.”

The new web site launched Tuesday, and 4,000 Canadians have despatched emails within the first 24 hours.