Committees

Chair: Vacant
Staff Liaison: Keith McIntosh

Reporting to the CWTA Board of Directors, the mandate of the 9-1-1 Committee is to study the issues regarding the provision of Enhanced 9-1-1 by wireless carriers. The
Committee assumes a leadership role in examining the feasibility and costs of deploying Enhanced 9-1-1 in Canada, including recommending the appropriate technical standard(s).

The Committee will examine the solutions that have been developed in foreign jurisdictions in order to evaluate the applicability of these solutions to the Canadian market and estimate the potential costs of implementing these solutions in Canada.

As appropriate, the Committee may interact with PSAPs and other appropriate public agencies and government bodies during the course of executing this mandate in order to identify what technical interfaces and other requirements might be expected by, or required of, both PSAPs and wireless carriers.

Chair: Serge Bertuzzo, Bell Canada
Staff Liaison: Marc Choma

Reporting to the CWTA Board of Directors, the Health Council acts as a resource to the Board and industry on matters of health and safety related to the use of wireless telecommunications products. The committee:

• coordinates member activities in relation to health and safety issues affecting the industry;
• monitors related developments across Canada and the US including industry sponsored research projects;
• develops appropriate industry responses to health and safety issues and events.

Chair: Ed Prior, TELUS Mobility
Staff Liaison: Jim Patrick

Reporting to the CWTA Board of Directors, the mandate of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee is to favourably influence political, public policy and regulatory decisions, increase and enhance the wireless industry’s profile, work to avoid unreasonable legislative and regulatory restrictions, and to develop a strong positive image of the CWTA and its members among all levels of government.

Chair: Gary Schwartz, Impact Mobile
Staff Liaison: Jason Kerr

The mandate of the Mobile Content Committee (MCC) is to provide a unified, open forum for all industry participants to network, develop business opportunities and educate themselves on worldwide industry developments in order to create common approaches to this segment of the wireless industry. The objective of the Committee is to expeditiously grow this market segment and keep Canada at the forefront of mobile content in North America and abroad. The MCC also focuses on developing industry-wide initiatives to increase awareness and educate end-users about this new media and the impact it will have on Canadians.

Chair: David Broad, Bell
Staff Liaison: Keith McIntosh

The Public Alerting Committee is to explore the use of mobile wireless systems in the provision of emergency alerts to the public (subscribers). As required, the Committee will consider issues of a technical, policy, and/or regulatory nature and develop industry consensus positions. The Committee shall, as necessary, liaise with government – particularly Industry Canada – and other stakeholders to determine if and how wireless public alerting can be integrated into a national cross-media alerting system.

Chair: Deborah Evans, Rogers Communications Inc.
Staff Liaisons: David Farnes, Jim Patrick,
Michelle LaFlèche, Ursula Grant

The Recycling Committee oversees CWTA’s national recycling program; and develops industry consensus, provides advice and guidance to CWTA, in regard to developments related to wireless recycling.

Chair: Almis Ledas, Bell Mobility

Staff Liaisons: Jim Patrick, Devon Jacobs

The Responsible Driving Committee develops industry consensus in regard to public awareness and education about the responsible use of wireless phones while driving:

• By building relationships with other road-safety stakeholders;
• By developing effective communications;
• By developing strategies emphasizing safe-driving practices.

Chair: Faisal Khudud, Rogers Wireless
Staff Liaison: Jason Kerr

Canadian wireless carriers are implementing common short codes, which will be activated across all of the carriers’ networks as a means to offer mobile messaging services. Mobile messaging services rely on the text messaging capabilities of mobile networks. The CWTA has been asked to act as the administrator of short codes. The mandate of the SMS Short Code Council is to develop the standards for the management of the common short code initiative.

Chair: Joel Thorp, Rogers

Staff Liaison: Keith McIntosh

The Spectrum Policy Committee is responsible for:

• Developing industry positions in response to Industry Canada’s proposal for restructuring licence fees in Canada.
• Developing industry positions in relation to Industry Canada’s decision to implement a competitive bidding process as part of its licensing procedures.
• Developing industry positions in response to Industry Canada inquiries in relation to spectrum and other technical policy matters of concern to the wireless telecommunications industry in Canada.
• Providing membership to relevant RABC Committees and subcommittees and developing RAC responses to RABC documents.
• Establishing on-going working relationships with the staff of Industry Canada through regular meetings in order to influence at an early stage policy development affecting the industry.

Chair: Carole Kellough, TELUS

Staff Liaison: Keith McIntosh

Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Taxation Committee shall work with CWTA staff to help minimize the tax burden on the wireless industry in Canada:

• By monitoring federal and provincial taxation issues that affect the industry and supporting the Municipal Affairs Committee;
• By developing a base of information regarding various taxation regimes and the levels paid by industry segments;
• By developing industry consensus position on matters of taxation and advising the Board regarding appropriate strategies;
• By assisting in the preparation and presentation of CWTA positions and responses on taxation issues.

Chair: James Maynard, Wavefront
Staff Liaison: Stacia Benoit

Reporting to the CWTA Board of Directors, the Trade Member Council gives a stronger voice for small and mid-tier members. The Council will provide a forum for members to discuss areas of interest such as:

• share international trade opportunities among members;
• provide market intelligence support to our members;
• provide assistance in promoting the wireless industry in Canada and abroad;
• lobby different levels of government to reduce unnecessary regulation and processes.

Chair: Laurence Amar, Rogers Communications Inc.
Staff Liaison: David Farnes

Reporting to the CWTA Board of Directors, the Wireless Number Portability Task Force (WNPTF) will be responsible for the roll out of WNP to new areas, resolving any issues arising from launch and providing overall industry-level operational coordination until activities can be transitioned to a final operational structure.

Membership on the WNPTF will consist of representatives of all CWTA members identified in the CWTA media release regarding number portability that was issued on April 21, 2005.