Canadian government appoints Jean-Pierre Blais as new CRTC head

The past five years have certainly been an eventful time for the CRTC -- with broadband controversies and foreign ownership issues garnering plenty of headlines, to name just two examples -- and we now know who will be leading the Canadian regulatory agency for the next five. The Prime Minister's Office announced today that it has appointed longtime civil servant Jean-Pierre Blais as Chairperson, with his five-year term set to begin on June 18th. Blais comes primarily from a legal background, and has previously held positions at Canada's Treasury Board, the Department of Canadian Heritage, and the CRTC itself -- all of which Prime Minister Harper says makes him "well qualified" for the job, and gives him a "comprehensive understanding of the broadcasting and telecommunications sectors and the role of the CRTC." He replaces Konrad von Finckenstein, who's term ended in January, at which point the government indicated he would not be reappointed for a second term.