Ashton says Bell provides poor service to Manitoba communities

A New Democratic Party MP attacked BCE Inc. for not knowing its customers and providing them with inadequate service. Manitoba’s Niki Ashton was speaking in the House of Commons Tuesday on an opposition day motion regarding price gouging. Ashton, her party’s critic for Canadian Heritage, accused Bell of “corporate arrogance.” She reminded MPs that the company had appeared before the heritage committee to explain recent cuts in jobs and programming. “Curiously, instead of getting to work to make amends with Canadians, Bell Media has been spending its time monitoring my social media and has chosen to send me a number of unsolicited letters that show just how much it does not get it,” she stated. “Let us be clear: It is a company that is an industry setter when it comes to tax avoidance.” The New Democrat cited a report from Canadians for Tax Fairness which rates BCE as one of the 20 worst companies in not paying up. The figures said Bell avoided a billion dollars in taxes over a four-year period. She echoed sentiments from a recent study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives which found that service in Manitoba declined after Bell bought MTS. Bell denied the findings. Ashton told MPs about a woman in the town of Dallas in her riding who could not get landline service. Susann Sinclair and her father were forced to communicate via walkie talkie. When the MP raised the issue at committee, the phone company sprung into action, upgrading wireline service in the region. Sinclair now has regular telephony. Things are not as good at the Bloodvein First Nations in the same riding. It was told in order to have cell service, it would need to pony up $652,000 for a tower. The area still does not have service, although a temporary tower has been set up in the neighbouring community of Loon Straits. The MP stated that letters from Bell about the lack of service went so far as to confuse Dallas with Bloodvein, even though the two centres are not close geographically. Ashton criticized Bell’s leadership for its corporate policies. “In terms of corporate salaries, Mirko Bibic, Bell Canada's CEO, in 2023, earned $2.96 million in compensation, despite falling short of Bell's 2023 financial goals. Dividends to shareholders increased by 3.1 per cent during this time,” she said. “As always, it is workers who pay the price while wealthy CEOs profit.” – Reporting by Paul Park at ppark@thewirereport.ca

Ashton says Bell provides poor service to Manitoba communities

News | June 5, 2024

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Ashton says Bell provides poor service to Manitoba communities

News | June 5, 2024

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