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Communications law — Telecommunications — Access to transmission lines on public property

(00:00:32 ) Summary

(00:03:37 ) Held (Côté and Martin JJ. dissenting)

(00:03:42 ) Per Wagner C.J. and Karakatsanis, Rowe, Kasirer, Jamal, O’Bonsawin and Moreau JJ.

(00:11:08 ) Per Côté and Martin JJ. (dissenting)

(00:18:47 ) Reasons for Judgment: Moreau J. (Wagner C.J. and Karakatsanis, Rowe, Kasirer, Jamal and O’Bonsawin JJ. concurring)

(00:18:58 ) I. Overview – 1

(00:22:23 ) II. Background – 6

(00:22:25 ) A. The Technology – 6

(00:24:31 ) B. The Relevant Statutory Scheme – 9

(00:29:34 ) C. Procedural History – 15

(00:29:36 ) (1) CRTC Consultation and Decision – 15

(00:32:43 ) (2) Federal Court of Appeal, 2023 FCA 79, 16 Admin. L.R. (7th) 32 (de Montigny, Locke and LeBlanc JJ.A.) – 20

(00:34:41 ) III. Issue – 24

(00:34:56 ) IV. Standard of Review – 25

(00:35:29 ) V. Positions of the Parties – 26

(00:38:09 ) VI. Analysis – 30

(00:38:12 ) A. Principles of Statutory Interpretation – 30

(00:42:02 ) B. The Proper Interpretation of “Transmission Line” – 38

(00:42:22 ) (1) The Ordinary Meaning of “Transmission Line” – 39

(00:47:25 ) (2) The Access Regime – 48

(00:50:12 ) (3) The Broader Context – 53

(01:01:27 ) (4) The Purposes of the Act – 68

(01:06:59 ) (5) Absurd Consequences – 75

(01:10:35 ) (6) Federalism Concerns – 81

(01:12:45 ) (7) Legislative Review Panels – 84

(01:14:08 ) VII. Conclusion – 86

(01:14:47 ) Dissenting Reasons: Côté J. (Martin J. concurring)

(01:14:54 ) I. Overview – 88

(01:19:36 ) II. Background – 94

(01:22:02 ) III. Relevant Statutory Scheme – 99

(01:28:21 ) IV. Analysis – 104

(01:30:57 ) A. Grammatical and Ordinary Meaning of the Words “Transmission Line” – 108

(01:31:21 ) (1) An Interpretation Requiring a Physical Connection Line May Include 5G Small Cells – 109

(01:36:57 ) (2) The Grammatical and Ordinary Meaning Supports a Broader Interpretation of “Transmission Line” – 117

(01:40:19 ) B. Context of the Provision – 126

(01:40:41 ) (1) External Context: Interplay Between the Two Statutes – 127

(01:52:05 ) (2) Internal Context of the Telecommunications Act – 142

(02:00:27 ) C. Object and Purpose of the Telecommunications Act – 155

(02:09:42 ) V. Conclusion – 171