Human rights complaint on rural internet service 'hypocrisy': Byrne

Business New Brunswick Minister Greg Byrne is dismissing as "hypocrisy" a human rights complaint launched by a provincial Conservative byelection candidate over the lack of high-speed internet access in rural areas.

Jack Carr, the Conservative candidate in the New Maryland-Sunbury West byelection, filed a complaint with the provincial human rights commission Thursday. Carr said many rural areas still lack access to high-speed internet, including parts of the riding that he is trying to represent in the Nov. 3 byelection.

Byrne said the Liberals have committed to full coverage by 2010 but he took exception to Carr's complaint.

"The hypocrisy here is overwhelming," Byrne said.

The business minister said the Conservatives have held the New Maryland riding since 1999 so he questions why the issue of high-speed internet is only now becoming an issue.

The Conservative candidate said the internet is an essential tool and that means slow service amounts to discrimination against rural residents. Carr admits, though, he's unaware of any provincial human rights commission ever agreeing with that argument.

"Actually I've done some searching and I haven't found any other stories or anything on the internet of any complaints based on this," Carr said.

Carr is basing his argument on a provision in the Human Rights Act that stipulates that a person cannot be discriminated against based on their place of origin.

Michael McGowan, the director of the human rights program at St. Thomas University, said the commission may not take the candidate's complaint seriously. McGowan said the commission will weigh several factors in deciding whether to investigate, including its backlog of serious complaints.

"There's two ways of looking at this. The commission may say this is a trivial matter, it's not a matter for the human rights commission. You know, get a life," McGowan said with a chuckle.

Carr said the province has subsidized high-speed internet in some rural areas, but not all.

Debbie McCann, the Liberal candidate running in the byelection, is also promising to push the issue if she's elected though not through the human rights commission.

The New Maryland-Sunbury West seat became open when Keith Ashfield resigned from the provincial legislature to run for the federal seat in Fredericton, which he won on Tuesday night. The New Democratic Party announced that Mike McCaffery of Burton will carry the party's banner in the Nov. 3 byelection.