Industry Minister Tony Clement argued on Thursday that broadcasting and telecommunications should remain separate, with respect to federal law, while repeating his argument that competitiveness, by way of foreign investment, ‘is good for Canadians.’

Canada is ‘standing at the front of the line in recovery’ from the recession, Clement said during a 90-minute appearance before parliament’s industry committee, which yesterday concluded its weeks of hearings on the telecommunications industry.

‘We have a lot that is going good for us as an economy, but we need to continue to invest in the culture of innovation if we’re going to succeed in that regard,’ he said. (What do you think? Email us!)

Far more of the Conservatives on the multi-party committee attended the last of the 16 hearings, and paved the way for Clement to make his case that broadcasting and telecommunications should remain separate issues, governed by their respective Acts.

Others have argued that broader reform is needed, in particular because telephone companies are now broadcasting via smartphones.

‘It’s not easy, but it’s certainly possible to distinguish,’ Clement said. ‘There’s no question there’s been convergence between those [providers]… but in our view, it is possible to deal with those separately.

‘We’re not here to change the Broadcasting Act,’ he added.

The minister went on to say Canada must ‘level the playing field for satellites’ — a point raised earlier this year when the Throne Speech signaled that the feds would lift foreign investment restrictions.

The hearings were prompted when Clement overturned a CRTC ruling that barred the Egyptian-controlled telco Globalive from operating in Canada.

The committee heard from telcos including the big three — Bell, Telus and Rogers — as well as CRTC chair Konrad von Finckenstein and upstarts like Public Mobile