February 17 2017

Page 1

Nickel Belt News

Volume 57 Number 7

Friday, February 17, 2017

Thompson, Manitoba

Serving the Norman Region since 1961

Beaded robe chosen for California exhibit

Nickel Belt News photo courtesy of Teresa Burrows Thompson artist Teresa Burrow’s “caribou woman in her flowers” ceremonial robe is one of 400 pieces selected out of 1,200 entries from 19 countries for the Wearable Expressions 2017 exhibition at the Palos Verdes Art Center in California in April. The beaded caribou women series was created by Burrows with a grant from the Manitoba Arts Council and has been featured at the Corning Museum of Glass last year and Burst Calgary’s international glass couture event in 2013.

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Bell acquisition of MTS receives required federal approvals The acquisition of MTS by Bell Canada received the final two federal regulatory approvals it needed to proceed Feb. 15 and the transaction is set to be completed by March 17. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains said that the deal was approved subject to terms imposed by the Competition Bureau that included the sale of six retail stores, nearly 25,000 subscribers and 40 megahertz of wireless spectrum to rural broadband Internet provider Xplornet. “As part of this deal, my department has approved the transfer of MTS’s spectrum licences to Bell and Xplornet Communications Inc.,” said Bains in a written statement. “Bell has committed to spending $1 billion over the next five years to expand wired and wireless broadband networks in Manitoba. Xplornet, meanwhile, has announced it will expand into mobile wireless service for the first time.” The Competition Bureau’s terms were imposed because it felt that the merger of Bell and MTS would result in lessening or prevention of competition for retail wireless service that would likely lead to higher prices and fewer options for Manitoba. “While today’s consent agreement is expected to address my concerns with the merger, we will continue to keep a close watch on competition in Manitoba and across Canada in the mobile wireless services market,” said commissioner of competition John Pecman. “Given the findings of our review, any future potential mergers by Canada’s three largest mobile wireless providers, Bell, Rogers and TELUS, can expect to receive a close examination by the bureau.” Open Media, an organization that works to keep the Internet, affordable and surveillance-free, said allowing

Bell to take over MTS was bad news for Manitoba consumers and businesses, who they said have traditionally paid prices almost half of what other Canadian pay. “For decades Manitobans have enjoyed some of the lowest wireless prices in Canada due to the presence of a fourth carrier that brings additional choice and competition,” said Open Media communications manager David Christopher in a news release. “All that is about to end. It’s now clearer than ever that we need action from the government and CRTC to open up our market to smaller competitors.” Bains said that the expansion of Xplornet, which Open Media said would take years to acquire a significant share of Manitoba’s wireless market, would be good for consumers. “Bell’s deal to acquire MTS and the expansion of Xplornet into the Manitoba market will result in more competition, which means more choice and competitive prices for all Manitobans,” Bains said. “Manitobans can also expect to see more of the latest technologies and service offerings, which will mean better and faster networks.” MTS shareholders will have until March 14 to opt to receive either $40 cash or 0.6756 of a BCE common share for each MTS common share they hold. “Our employees should be proud of all that we have ac-

complished as a stand-alone company, and can look forward with excitement to a bright future as Bell MTS,” said MTS president and CEO Jay Forbes in a press release. “Bell MTS will deliver the best broadband networks and unprecedented service innovation to Manitobans, growing competition, choice and value in communications throughout the province,” said Bell Canada and BCE president and CEO George Cope. “In addition to our capital investments to roll out our Fibe and mobile LTE services in Manitoba, Bell MTS is also announcing today that we will maintain current MTS wireless price plans for at least 12 months after the closing of the acquisition.” The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced Dec. 20 that it had approved the transfer of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.’s (MTS) Broadcasting Distribution Undertaking (BDU) licences to Bell Canada. The sale of MTS to Bell, announced May 2 of last year, will see Bell purchase all common shares of MTS for a total of approximately $3.1 billion and assume about $800,000 of MTS’s outstanding net debt. The company’s Manitoba operations will be known as Bell MTS and Winnipeg will become the headquarters of the company’s entire Western Canada team, which will have 6,900 employees once MTS’s 2,700 employees are included.

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