Parliament Is Back

   And it opened yesterday with the Speech from the Throne. Having covered politics for quite a few years, I know all too well the speech is just a roadmap for the government in power, federally or provincially. What's in the speech isn't always acted on, even though the party in power tries very hard to get bills passed to carry through on the contents.
   And I hope this federal government will get to follow through on several issues that I as a consumer, along with not just a few others, would like to see.
   One deals with cable and satellite TV carriers. It would let us pick and choose what services and or channels WE want to see. Not having to get a bundle of 3, 4 or 5 because the one we want is included in that package. Of course, there are fears the companies will find a way around it and charge us more. I don't think the CRTC, Canada's broadcast regulator, will let that happen.
   Another plus for me is having cell phone companies reduce smartphone roaming charges. As anyone who's out of their regular coverage area will attest, they can and do add up.
   The third item is, admittedly, not quite as big as the other 2. The government wants companies to quit charging for issuing service bills on paper. The cell company I'm with (and no, I won't say which) charges me roughly 2 dollars each month per bill I'm sent. Why do I even get paper bills when everything is available on-line? That's easy to answer, and with one word. Security. I know companies, whether it's electric, gas, phone etc all have systems and security to prevent hacking. But it still happens. And that's why I still prefer getting paper bills, and paying them at a teller's kiosk in my bank. Not on-line. Call me old-fashioned, but until e-banking and bill payments are 100% secure, I'll keep doing it that way.

TTFN