The Toronto Star has an interview with CRTC chair Ian Scott about his infamous photo with Bell chief executive Mirko Bibic in December, 2019, in which he reveals that not only have the pair been friends for many years, but that business was discussed over beers at their private meeting.

Scott told the Star he was simply hanging out with a friend: “I went for a beer with someone I have known for many years …. And it ended up he chose to address a broadcasting issue...

As we have pointed out, this chummy beer date happened just days after Bell filed a major application to the CRTC, asking it to overturn its wholesale rates decision that would have led to lower prices for Canadians and the company repaying hundreds of millions of dollars it had overcharged competitors. Sure enough, the CRTC ultimately reversed its own decision, leaving internet prices sky-high and that money in Bell's coffers.

“No rule was ever broken,” he claimed, without regard to administrative law and the CRTC’s own rules, outlined in this PowerPoint presentation prepared by Christianne Laizner, the CRTC’s former general counsel and now, vice-chair. But hey, your mileage may vary.

TekSavvy is of course appealing the CRTC’s reversal to the federal cabinet and is calling for Scott's dismissal. The Twittersphere, meanwhile, is less than impressed with this new revelation: