Charlie Mingo <Charlie.Mingo@f421.n109.z1.fidonet.org> (05/08/91)
From the Toronto {Globe and Mail}, May 7 1991, at B6
"SPICER TO TAKE [CANADIAN RADIO & TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION] CHAIR AGAIN
Former chief dismisses 'fairy tale' of commission revolt should he return.
"Keith Spicer has served formal notice that he plans to resume
his job as the country's chief broadcast regulator on schedule,
despite rumours earlier this year that his return would spark mass
resignations among CRTC commissioners.
"Dismissing the rumours of a revolt as 'a fairy tale organized by
one commissioner,' Mr. Spicer said yestersay that he had informed the
Clerk of the Privy Council, Paul Tellier, last Friday that he plans to
resume his position as chairman of the Canadian Radio and
Telecommunications Commission effective July 1. He added that he
confirmed this in a letter yesterday.
"He refused to name the CRTC commissioner in question.
"Mr. Spicer unexpectedly resigned from the CRTC chairman's job
effective last Nov. 1 -- after only 14 months at the helm -- to head
the Citizens' Forum on National Unity. However, in making that
appointment, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said that Mr. Spicer would
return to his CRTC post once the forum had completed its work.
"Mr. Spicer will have to be formally reappointed CRTC chairman
before he reassumes his duties.
"There have also been some rumblings that some of the statements
he has made while running the national unity forum might have angered
the Prime Minister and his staff.
"While acknowledging that some members of the Prime Minister's
staff 'might like to shoot the messinger,' Mr. Spicer said in an
interview from Ottawa that he doubts Mr. Mulroney would withdraw the
written commitment he made to return him to the CRTC.
"He added that it will take another four to seven weeks to
complete his national unity report.
"While expecting to resume his duties officially as of the
beginning of July, he said he would like to take a few weeks holiday
'to recover some perspective.'
"He also said that he had informed current CTRC chairman David
Colville over the weekend of his intention to return. 'I hope and
expect he will stay with the CRTC,' he added.
"Mr. Colville confirmed through a CRTC spokesman that he and Mr.
Spicer had talked but said that would be inappropriate to comment
further until an appointment is made.
"There were rumours several months before Mr. Spicer left the
CRTC that the commission was in disarray and that most of the
commissioners were allied against him. However, he dismissed those at
the time as third-hand gossip of the sort that greets new chief
executives at any company or organization.
"As for the more recent talk, which surfaced in late March, Mr.
Spicer said yesterday that he had done 'some checking through friends
there [at the CRTC] and it's totally unfounded ... there is absolutely
not the slightest threat of a mass resignation.'
"Although Mr. Spicer would not name names, there is speculation
that the source of the rumours may have been CRTC vice-chairman
Fernand Belisle, who is widely thought to have designs on the top job
himself. However, the CRTC spokeman said Mr. Belisle had no comment
on the matter.
"During his first stint as CRTC commissioner, Mr. Spicer appeared
to make a good impression on members of the TV production community
and on consumer lobbyists who had felt that the regulator had grown
too cosy with the broadcasters and cable-TV companies it regulates.
"However, not surprisingly, he appeared to win few friends in the
regulated industries. In particular, he battled with cable companies
when the CRTC decided to lower the boom on cable rate increases about
a year ago."