Bell Canada (BCE Inc.) is rolling the dice on a political gamble that, if successful, will mean the death of affordable Internet access for Canadian households and businesses.
On October 21, The…
Author: Josh Tabish
OpenMedia.ca: Bell already wants a favour from the new government
Well, Bell is wasting no time. Your OpenMedia team has learned that the day after the federal election, the telecom giant began ramming forward an obscure, little-used Parliamentary procedure to overturn customer protection rules we helped win earlier this year. If successful, Bell could kill Canada’s smaller and more affordable
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: If you’re in Vancouver, you’re won’t want to miss Media Democracy Days 2015 on November 7!
Your OpenMedia team works hard to support a number of great community events every year, and there’s one taking place tomorrow, that we wanted to put on your radar. The 15th annual Media Democracy Days (MDD) conference is taking place tomorrow, November 7, at the Vancouver Public Library Central Branch
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Final TPP text threatens Internet freedom and will force Canada to overhaul copyright – but will Trudeau go along?
tppreleased_720.jpg Final text includes provisions to censor the Internet, rob the public domain, and force Canada to import U.S.-style copyright rules November 5, 2015 – Over a month since a deal was first announced, the full text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement has finally been revealed. The text, published today
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Canadians look to newly-elected government for action as CRTC report confirms huge year-on-year price increases for communications services
crtc-cmnsmonitoring.jpg As monthly household telecom spending breaches the $200 mark for the first time, Canadians will be looking to incoming Liberal government for reassurance and action October 22, 2015 – This morning the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) released the first part of their annual Communications Monitoring Report providing
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Litmus test for new government as Big Telecom threatens future of affordable Internet service in Canada
computer-crtc.jpg Bell Canada is calling on the new federal Cabinet to overturn pro-customer CRTC requirements to ensure Canadians can access high-speed independent providers October 21, 2015 – This morning it was reported that Bell Canada (BCE Inc.) is challenging a landmark CRTC decision that promised fair access to fibre Internet
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: WikiLeaks release of TPP Intellectual Property chapter confirms agreement threatens Canada’s Internet freedom
tpp-leak.jpg Confirmed: retroactive 20 year copyright term extensions, new rules that would induce ISPs to block websites, and criminal penalties for the circumvention of digital locks October 9, 2015 – This morning, WikiLeaks released the final version of the TPP’s Intellectual Property Chapter, just days after Trade Minister Ed Fast’s
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: How big is Big Telecom? Just how concentrated is the Canadian media landscape?
So, just how big is Big Telecom? Our friends at the Canadian Media Concentration Research Project, led by Carleton University Professor (and OpenMedia friend) Dwayne Winseck, have sought to answer exactly that question. In a new blog post they ask: Ever wonder who the main companies are that make up and shape the
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: OpenMedia Helps Launch the Global Connect Initiative
At OpenMedia, we believe people can build a more connected and collaborative world through an Internet that is open and equally accessible to everyone. And promoting affordable access for the next 3 billion soon-to-be Internet users plays a huge role in this. read more
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Big Telecom could slip new slow lane powers into a U.S. bill that has nothing to do with the Internet
A few days ago, OpenMedia helped our campaign partners at Demand Progress add the names of thousands of Internet users to a historic legal defense of the Net Neutrality rules that are currently being challenged in court by Big Telecom in the U.S. As you may recall, the rules being
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Voting in CIRA’s 2015 Election will help shape the future of Canada’s Internet
It’s that time again! Some of you may not know this already, but Canada’s Internet is democratically governed. The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) is a non-profit organization that manages the dot-ca (.ca) registry and addresses many of the day-to-day challenges facing Internet governance in Canada. Now, CIRA holds regular
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Let’s make Canada’s parties endorse our pro-Internet action plan
Exciting news! Green Party leader Elizabeth May has just announced her endorsement of our crowdsourced pro-Internet action plan. So far Ms. May is the first major party leader to do so – and we’re thrilled to have her waving the flag for Canada’s Internet. This is great news for Canada’s
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: We’re challenging a crucial CRTC decision on behalf of Canadians
Last night, OpenMedia filed detailed and significant comments in support of a crucial challenge that will determine whether Canadians get access to new, independent wireless providers like Ting. If the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) listens to Canadians, bad parts of a recent ruling will be overturned and a
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Big Telecom are trying to make the Internet like cable TV and we have to stop them
Last week, one of Canada’s Big Telecom giants announced a controversial new scheme that will give them more power to control how you use the Internet on your mobile devices – and, if we don’t speak up, the Big Three will soon follow suit. Videotron wants the power to hand-choose which
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: OpenMedia criticizes police push for warrantless access to private Internet subscriber data
IMG_4697.jpg OpenMedia criticizes police push for warrantless access to private Internet subscriber data OpenMedia is extremely concerned by the proposal put forward by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police that would make it far easier for police to access Canadians’ online records without a warrant. The police proposal flies in
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Guest Blog: Prepaid mobile phone users deserve the same protections as the rest of us
Our small team at OpenMedia can’t fight every battle we’d like to. One of these battles is being waged through the tireless efforts of Diversity Canada, and their Executive Director Celia Sankar, who joins us today for a guest blog on how the CRTC refuses to apply the protections in
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Are Canada’s Big Telecom giants hiring U.S. firms attacking VMedia Inc., a small Canadian ISP?
Why is a foreign, U.S.-based public relations firm attacking a small Canadian indie ISP, VMedia, Inc.? That’s a question some Canadians may be asking in response to a recent public debate over the direction of Canada’s digital future. Over the past few weeks, a debate about the future of independent
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Toronto Star: Group protesting spy agency says it’s shut out of probe
This is getting out of hand. We have to draw a line in the sand and pledge to say no reckless spy powers and secret courts. Enough is enough. Speak out https://bccla.org/dont-spy-on-me/#pledge Article by Jim Bronskill for the Canadian Press OTTAWA—A civil liberties group says it’s being kept in the dark
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Our crowdsourced policy became government policy. The CRTC heard your call, Canada.
We Won! As you may have heard, a major ruling on Thursday from the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ensures a significant step forward for Canadians’ ability to access affordable Internet options independent of Canada’s large telecom providers. In short, the ruling creates fair rules forcing Big Telecom to make
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: In a win for Canadians, CRTC promises fair rules to increase independent choice and affordability for fiber Internet access
crtcannouncement_1024.jpg New rules ensure that Canadians will be able to access an affordable range of services from a variety of providers outside Canada’s telecom giants July 22, 2015 – A major ruling today from the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) signals a significant step forward for Canadians’ ability to
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