Tom Pentefountas, seen in 2007, is a former president of Quebec's ADQ. (Peter Ray/Canadian Press)The prime minister's office is undermining the CRTC by appointing an "unqualified" vice-chair of broadcasting and easing regulations on broadcast standards, NDP heritage critic Charlie Angus says.

Tom Pentefountas, who was appointed on Friday, "failed on every count" of the vetting process, Angus said during question period in the House of Commons on Monday. "This appointment stinks."

Angus and NDP House leader Libby Davies charged that Pentefountas, a former president of Quebec's conservative ADQ party, does not meet several of the job's requirements, including an in-depth knowledge of the broadcasting industry and media convergence.

Heritage Minister James Moore defended Pentefountas's appointment, saying he'll "bring outside, qualified experience to the CRTC."

He also told reporters before question period Monday that Pentefountas is an independent voice and has broadcast qualifications as a former radio talk show host.

Pentefountas is an acquaintance of PMO spokesman Dimitri Soudas, which prompted Angus to suggest in the Commons that he was being rewarded for being "a friend of the Conservative Party."

Moore dismissed the suggestion, saying Pentefountas is "a qualified person who will do a great job."

Easing of standards proposed

'In the wake of the Arizona shootings, it seems especially insensitive to suggest that we should lower the bar on media obligations as long as no one is directly threatened or killed:' NDP MP Charlie Angus. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)Earlier, Angus told reporters the public has just three days to comment on a proposed regulatory change at the CRTC that would ease standards for radio and TV networks in terms of broadcasting false or misleading news.

A motion by Angus to have the Commons committee on Canadian heritage call witnesses and study the proposed changes passed late Monday. Witnesses may be called as early as next week.

Under the proposed changes, licence-holders would have more latitude in their reporting as long as comments do not directly put human life in danger.

A licence-holder would face a penalty if it broadcast material it knew to be false or misleading and dangerous to human health or public safety.

Angus said the proposed changes directly contradict section 3.1 of the Broadcast Act obligating Canadian media to maintain high standards of objectivity.

"It seems astounding that the CRTC would consider such a move at a time when we see the growing backlash in the United States to the poisoned levels of political discord in the American media," he said, referring to the debate over what might have influenced someone to shoot U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others in Tucson last month.

"In the wake of the Arizona shootings, it seems especially insensitive to suggest that we should lower the bar on media obligations as long as no one is directly threatened or killed."

Angus said this is one in a series of government decisions that have undermined the CRTC going back to 2006, when then-industry minister Maxime Bernier "directly intervened in the mandate of the CRTC" and ordered it to put market forces above its fundamental mandate to maintain and protect the public interest.

Angus also said he believed the changes were proposed to allow Quebecor Media's Sun TV News channel — which he referred to as Fox News North — operate with greater freedom. He made reference to two men who have worked for Prime Minister Stephen Harper — Kory Teneycke, the former communications director who left to work for Quebecor, and Dimitri Soudas, the current communications director.

"I found it very unusual that the prime minister would get a personal briefing on a CRTC application as was done in the case of this Fox News Network North," Angus said. "I find it very unusual that the communications director for the prime minister suddenly quits his job and reappears as an expert broadcaster.

"And I found it astounding that a man who is directly tied as a political ally of Dimitri Soudas is now sitting as the vice-chair of broadcast at a time when they're looking at stripping the basic obligation that would allow an anything-goes partisan attack media landscape."

Angus added he isn't concerned about differences of opinion.

"I don't have a problem with partisan," he said. "We have partisan newspapers, we have partisan commentators, we have partisan media — that's all fair play. But there has to be a basic obligation to ensuring that they are not deliberately misleading [the public] and they are not putting people in danger.

"That's a pretty bare-bottom standard."

Clashed with government

The Harper government has been at odds with the CRTC on several occasions.

The regulator recently ruled that smaller internet providers must stop providing unlimited internet plans and bill based on usage, sparking an outcry among consumer and internet advocate groups.

The CRTC decided to delay the implementation of usage-based billing but not before Industry Minister Tony Clement said last Wednesday that if the CRTC didn't change course, the government would overturn the decision.

On Friday, a Federal Court justice struck down the 2009 federal cabinet decision that allowed Globalive to launch its Wind Mobile wireless brand.

The CRTC had originally found Globalive's complicated ownership structure — it is majority-funded by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris's Orascom empire — was in breach of Canada's limits on foreign ownership.

Asked in Monday's question period whether the government was looking to take control of the CRTC, Moore said it was not.

Recap: Live blog of Heritage committee