THUNDER BAY – Election 2021 – “Not only did Justin Trudeau abandon his promise to lower bills, he sided with Canada’s powerful telecom giants who jacked up rates to some of the highest in the world, and forced Canadians to pay the price,” says Singh. “I’m not Justin Trudeau. I don’t answer to big corporations and I know Canadians can’t afford more of Justin Trudeau’s empty promises. I’m fighting for you. And I will make your bills cheaper.”
“New Democrats will lower sky-high charges for cell phone and internet service for families in the Northwest”, said NDP candidates Yuk-Sem Won (Thunder Bay-Rainy River) and Chantelle Bryson (Thunder Bay-Superior North).
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh released his plan to lower cell phone and internet bills, saving the average family $1,000 a year according to the NDP.
“Justin Trudeau promised to address cell phone bills in the last election, but he never delivered on that promise and instead sided with big telecom companies. Now Canadians pay some of the highest fees in the world,” states Singh.
“For some families in the Thunder Bay region and the Northwest cell phone and internet bills are their most expensive monthly cost. Yet they have spotty service and barebones plans,” said Yuk-Sem Won. “The pandemic has taught us these services aren’t a luxury, they are a necessity for working families. We have to take action to make it more affordable.”
“Many families have no broadband and cell service at all,” states Chantelle Bryson. “After six years in government, Justin Trudeau did nothing for families in Thunder Bay to help them lower their bills or get homes in the region connected to broadband or get cell phone service.”
The NDP campaigns state that “Jagmeet committed to work with the CRTC to force telecom giants to reduce the prices on all their plans and cap their fees below the global average. His plan also includes requiring telecommunication corporations to offer unlimited wireless data options at an affordable rate, so no Canadian is hit with a surprise bill. In 2019 Justin Trudeau promised to address cell phone bills, but abandoned his commitment after the big telecommunication companies lobbied him. He then gave them hundreds of millions of dollars in no-strings-attached subsidies, much of which went to CEO bonuses and shareholder dividends.”
