Communiqué from RAQI 99-03

In spring 1998 Industry Canada asked RAQI to receive complaints from Radio Amateurs destined for forwarding to IC. RAQI would do a follow-up through regular meetings with IC with the aim of making sure that each complaint received the attention it deserved.

RAQI published the new procedure as outlined in the text from Industry Canada in the September 1998 magazine.

Complaints to Industry Canada were then forwarded to Industry Canada by RAQI without delay.

Evidently, on receipt of a complaint, Industry Canada must begin an investigation which can last some time.

Those who had made complaints began to contact RAQI in the hope that RAQI could speed up the handling of their complaint by IC. Some even began this practice only a few days after sending their complaint to RAQI. This was not the point of the procedure being instituted.

SInce it is impossible for RAQI to speed up an internel IC procedure it began to look bad for RAQI since there was a perception that WE were sitting on their file and that we were the cause of the delay. Some thought that RAQI was working against the best interest of Amateur Radio. This was false and could not continue.

A few days ago I informed Industry Canada that RAQI is withdrawing from this complaint procedure and that the situation would return to the way it was in the spring of 1998.

RAQI always wants to improve its services to its members and we thought that this procedure might help to improve things but the perception was otherwise. At least we tried

Translation into English; James R. Hay, VE2VE, President, MARC.

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