The ''Telecommunications Act'' () is an Act of the Parliament of Canada that regulates

telecommunications Telecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies. These means of ...

by ensuring reliable services, protecting privacy, and to protect and encourage the Canadian media. The Act is administered by the

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; ) is a public organization in Canada tasked with the mandate as a regulatory agency tribunal for various electronic communications, covering broadcasting and telecommunic ...

(CRTC) which reports to

Industry Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED; ; )''Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Industry (). is a department of the G ...

. It replaced the ''Railway Act'' of 1906, which governed telecommunication prior to 1993, making it the first full legislative scheme addressing telecommunications. Among its stipulations are prescient regulations that, in spirit, follow the general principles of

net neutrality Net neutrality, sometimes referred to as network neutrality, is the principle that Internet service providers (ISPs) must treat all Internet communications equally, offering User (computing), users and online content providers consistent tra ...

decades before the telecommunications concept arose as a matter of public debate with the rise of the

internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

as a common telecommunications system. For instance, internet providers are considered utilities under this law in that they can't give "undue or unreasonable preference", nor can they influence the content being transmitted over their networks. In November 2005, an amendment was passed to allow for the creation of a national Do-not-call list under section 41.

References

External links

* Text of the Act
Department of Justice

Canadian federal legislation Telecommunications law 1993 in Canadian law Telecommunications in Canada {{telecom-stub

See also

References

External links