Rogers CEO Called to Testify Before Industry Committee
The CEO of Rogers Communications has been summoned to testify before a parliamentary committee after sending a subordinate to appear in his place.
CEO Tony Staffieri has now been ordered to appear before the Commons industry committee by Dec. 5. If he fails to appear again, he could be admonished for contempt of Parliament.
Staffieri was asked to testify about Rogers’ contracts for TV and internet services that allowed price increases despite customers being locked in. The committee passed an Oct. 28 motion asking Staffieri to answer complaints that Rogers is “attempting to price gouge Canadians by failing to honour the original intent of TV and internet service contracts signed by its customers.”
Staffieri failed to appear before the committee as planned on Nov. 28. Rogers president of residential services, Bret Leech, was sent to answer questions in his place. MPs dismissed Leech without questioning him.
NDP MP Brian Masse accused Rogers of engaging in a “rope-a-dope on this committee,” by sending another Rogers executive at the last minute.
Liberal MP Joel Lightbound said being called to answer to Canadians through MPs and then cancelling at the very last minute was “quite disrespectful.”
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The Epoch Times reached out to Rogers for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
A Rogers spokesperson told CBC News that Staffieri did not appear due to “an unforeseen scheduling conflict,” but would co-operate with the summons and appear before the committee next week.
Conservative MP Rick Perkins said Staffieri had “stuffed and stonewalled this committee all year, three times,” and that he needed to be accountable to the people elected to represent Canadians.
“If he ignores it, he’s going to be admonished and brought to the bar of the bloody House of Commons,” Perkins said.
According to the rules and procedures of the House, a committee can order individuals to appear before it at set dates and times. The committee alone does not have the power to punish individuals for failing to comply, however. Only the House of Commons has the disciplinary powers needed to deal with that offence, including by threatening arrest by the Sergeant at Arms.
