Adds Expertise in Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Class Actions

OTTAWA – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), today announced the recent election of four new directors to its Board, all experts in either telecommunications, broadcasting or class actions:

• Konrad von Finckenstein is a lawyer and consultant based in Ottawa. He was previously Chair of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), an Honourable Justice of the Federal Court of Canada and the Commissioner of Competition at the Competition Bureau of Canada. In addition, he has held senior posts in the Government of Canada in positions related to international trade, telecommunications, competition and electronic commerce. Mr. von Finckenstein has been elected as PIAC’s Chair of the Board.
• Suzanne Lamarre is a lawyer and engineer with the firm of Therrien, Couture and is a former Commissioner of the CRTC. Maitre Lamarre works in the areas of telecommunications, radiocommunications and broadcasting law as a strategic advisor on regulatory and governmental matters at both the national and international level.
• Monica Auer is a lawyer and the Executive Director of Canada’s Forum for Research & Policy in Communications (FRPC), a non-partisan organization focused on Canada’s communications system. She previously worked at the CRTC and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Ms. Auer has been elected as PIAC’s Vice-Chair.
• Jonathan Schachter is a Toronto based lawyer with Sotos LLP, with his practice areas including class actions, consumer protection litigation, competition and price fixing, privacy litigation, professional liability litigation, and trademarks and intellectual property litigation and arbitration.

“PIAC’s extensive work on behalf of consumers before the CRTC requires the utmost guidance and insight,” said John Lawford, Executive Director and General Counsel of PIAC.  “We are therefore thrilled to add to our Board persons with unparalleled experience to guide our communications advocacy, as well as an expert in consumer class actions as this sector becomes more litigious,” he added.

PIAC is a federally incorporated not-for-profit and registered charity that advocates for consumer interests, and in particular vulnerable consumer interests, in the provision of important public services.  PIAC is known for its representation of consumer, low-income and seniors groups before the CRTC, arguing for better services, more choice and consumer protection for customers of Internet, wireless, telephone and broadcasting services.

For more information, please contact:

John Lawford
Executive Director and General Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 562-4002 ×25

jlawford@piac.ca

www.piac.ca

– 30 –