Most of the discussion around the various deregulation and reregulation and dereregulation effort in the telecommunications industry has centered around consumer choice. Specifically, around whether things like internet access will be affordable to everybody.

Via BoingBoing, a Canadian example of another danger of monopoly:

Telus Communications Inc, Canada’s second largest telephone company, whose 13,500 unionized employees setup picket lines only sixteen hours before Telus implemented their non-negotiated contract offer Friday is now playing media censor.

In an attempt to convince employees to cross picket lines and win public support during what may be a long labour dispute, Telus has blocked access to several pro-union websites from any Telus customer internet connections. This comes only one day after the Canadian Industrial Regulations Board (CIRB) found Telus guilty of bargaining in bad faith for the third time during the negotiation process that has left the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) without a contract for nearly five years. (my emphasis)

One of the telecom companies’ pro-deregulation talking points has been that the Internet allows a diversity of voices, and that their political leanings and affiliations are not relevant, so they should not be regulated in the same way that television networks, for example, are. This is an example of the trustworthiness of that, apparently.

For our readers in Canada (if such exist, which I doubt) you can reach the blocked websites through this proxy: http://vfc.proxy.pfak.org/