Summary:
The federal New Democratic Party (NDP) has expressed its concerns over Rogers’ recent hiring of former industry minister Navdeep Bains last week, calling the move “incredibly concerning,” reports The National Post.
Bains, who was responsible for the telecom sector from 2015 until January 2021 under the current Liberal government, has joined Rogers as chief corporate affairs officer.
“Canadians have questions – they want to ensure Rogers now has no easy access to cabinet with this hiring,” said NDP innovation critic Brian Masse in an emailed statement to The National Post.
“It certainly looks like the Liberals are in the pockets of telecom giants, getting gravy jobs as their executives, instead of defending Canadians who are already paying a fortune for cell and internet bills,” said Masse.
Masse also highlighted that the hiring raises questions following the government’s approval of the Rogers-Shaw merger, which he argues benefits Rogers at the expense of Canadian consumers.
“It’s incredibly concerning when major telecom company Rogers hires not only a former Liberal cabinet minister but the architect of Canada’s current telecom policy which allows telecom providers to charge some of the highest cell phone costs in the world,” Masse added.
A spokesperson for Rogers assured that while Bains’s role includes governmental affairs, he would not communicate with the federal government on behalf of Rogers while covered under the Lobbying Act, which prevents former members of government from lobbying Ottawa for five years.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Navdeep proactively reached out to the ethics and lobbying commissioners and was provided clearance to join Rogers. He will remain fully compliant with his obligations under the Lobbying Act,” the spokesperson said.
In January 2021, Bains unexpectedly stepped down as ISED Minister under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, citing a desire to devote more time to his family and announcing his decision not to run in the next federal election.
Rogers stated that Bains “has a deep commitment to finding solutions to issues including closing the digital divide, expanding rural and Indigenous connectivity, and growing Canada’s digital economy. We look forward to continuing to make progress together on these shared priorities.”
