Garnett Genuis

“moved that the bill be read the third time and passed. She said: Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for allowing third reading of Bill C-268 to begin today. This bill addresses a very real problem. There are still many regions across Canada without cellphone coverage. The map may show that there is coverage and the telecommunications contract may include coverage obligations, but on the ground, people do not get a signal on their cellphone. It is this disconnect between what we see on paper and what people are actually experiencing that led me to introduce this bill. I began working on this issue during the election campaign, following a discussion with the mayor of Martinville, Michel‑Henri Goyette, who really opened my eyes to the cell service issues in his community. As is likely the case for all members who represent rural areas, I had experienced this problem myself. As I said when I introduced this bill, cell service is not a luxury. It is a matter of safety and economic development. It is a matter of fairness. Today, cellphones are a basic tool for working, communicating, getting around and calling for help, and yet there are still Canadians who have to leave their home and climb a hill or drive several kilometres just to make a call. That is unacceptable and needs to change. Bill C-268 does three main things. First, it requires the CRTC to establish a process to ensure the accuracy of mobile network coverage data, because before we can solve a problem, we must first know precisely where it exists. Second, it requires the Minister of Industry to maintain and update the Spectrum Policy Framework for Canada. This framework has not been updated since 2007, the era of flip phones. Today, we have 5G networks, connected vehicles and satellites that communicate directly with our cellphones. Public policy must keep pace with technological change. Third, the bill provides for a periodic review of the framework. The objective is not to predict what technology will look like in 15 or 20 years. No one can do that. The objective is to ensure that our policies can evolve alongside technology. I do want to highlight a positive development that has occurred since the spring. Issues related to cellular connectivity and network deployment have become much more prominent in the government’s work. That is great news. Budget 2026 recognizes that challenges regarding coverage and reliability persist, particularly in rural and remote communities. The budget includes measures to release more spectrum for 5G and private networks, support satellite services that can extend coverage in rural and remote areas, update spectrum transfer rules and modernize infrastructure. I am particularly pleased to see these measures because affordability is important. However, for me, the key issue is deployment. A cheaper plan does not do much if the telephone is not connected in the first place. Improving coverage requires proper rules, good spectrum management, reliable coverage data and investments. My bill is part of that process. I want to thank the researchers who helped shape the bill, Matthew McNally and Gregory Taylor. I also want to thank Michel‑Henri Goyette and the mayors in my riding who have continued to raise awareness of the realities on the ground and ensure that these issues are heard in Ottawa as much as they are now. Above all, I would like to thank my colleagues from all parties, because this bill is a good example of what we can accomplish when we focus on the problem rather than on our political differences. Cell connectivity is not a Liberal, Conservative, NDP, Bloc or Green issue. It is an issue that concerns everyone. When a firefighter is out of reach on a country road, the problem remains the same, regardless of political affiliation. When a farm operation loses its connection, the problem remains the same, regardless of political affiliation. When a family has to drive a few kilometres away to make a call, the problem remains the same, regardless of political affiliation. I am truly grateful for the support that the bill has received so far. For a private member’s bill introduced in March to have reached third reading by November is remarkably fast. Above all, it shows a willingness to work together. I hope that our collaboration will continue through to the end. If my colleagues wish to keep moving the bill forward and send it to the Senate, I already someone in the other place who is prepared to sponsor it. I sincerely thank Senator Réjean Aucoin, who told me that he would take up the bill if it reaches the Senate. I am very grateful to him for that. Our goal is not simply to pass a law. Our goal is that one day, folks everywhere, from Martinville, Quebec, to Chéticamp, Nova Scotia, to Whitehorse, Yukon, or any community in Canada, will be able to pick up their phones on a road where they used to lose the signal and see that the problem has finally been fixed. That is what I want, and that is why I am asking my colleagues to keep working together to move Bill C-268 forward.”