BROADCASTING |
Canada (Minister of Industry) v. Thomson
T-569-03
2004 FC 265, Pinard J.
25/2/04
11 pp.
Application for injunction pursuant to Radiocommunication Act (Act), s. 10(4) ordering respondent to reduce antenna system, mast, tower and antenna-supporting structure (structure) to height not exceeding 40 feet above ground level --Respondent has amateur radio operator certificate permitting 40-foot support antenna structure--According to Act, s. 10(4), appropriate to grant injunction where offence under Act, s. 10(1)(a) being or likely to be committed--Act, s. 10(1)(a) provides every person who contravenes Act, s. 4 has committed offence--If structure not "radio apparatus" or exempted from Act, s. 4, no violation of s. 4--However, if structure falls within ambit of s. 4, issue arises of whether respondent installing, operating or in possession of "radio apparatus" in accordance with radio authorization--Clear respondent's structure intended for, and capable of being used for radiocommunication--Structure "radio apparatus" within s. 2 definition--As "radio apparatus", structure falls within ambit of s. 4--Radiocommunications Regulations, s. 15 setting out various "radio apparatus" exempt from Act, s. 4-- S. 15.3 exempting structure from s. 4 in respect of licence if respondent holds s. 42 certificate--S. 15.3 introduced to implement streamlined regime including elimination of requirements to hold both radio operator's certificate and radio licence--As result, amateur radio operator certificate sole authorization document required to operate radio apparatus in amateur radio service--Regulations, s. 15.3 not otherwise exempting respondent's radio apparatus from Act, s. 4(1)--Therefore necessary to consider whether respondent used structure in accordance with certificate--Despite condition on certificate, respondent not reducing height of structure--Condition clearly applies to structure as whole, and not to antenna itself--Injunction granted as requested-- Radiocommunication Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. R-2, ss. 1 (as am. by S.C. 1989, c. 17, s. 2), 2 "radio apparatus", 4, 10-- Radiocommunications Regulations, SOR/96-484, s. 15.3 (as enacted by SOR/2000-78, s. 2).