A few months ago we posted about the threat the Canada-EU Trade Agreement, or CETA poses to Internet freedom, and explained why it could be bad for Canadians—it’s a secretive and binding international agreement like the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). The Internet freedom community loudly voiced its concern when a
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OpenMedia.ca: Privacy Commissioner Stoddart renews criticism of warrantless online spying bill C-30
Canada’s federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart took an opportunity to remind the government where she stands on warrantless online spying (Bill C-30). If you haven’t already, join thousands of Canadians in doing the same at http://StopSpying.ca/. Article by Murray Brewster for the Canadian Press: An RCMP and House of Commons
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Ottawa Under Pressure: Weekly News Update from OpenMedia.ca
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Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Bringing the Online Spying Bill into focus
The federal privacy commissioner is speaking out against websites collecting personal information and data, but a larger threat to Canadian Internet privacy still exists in the form of the Online Spying Bill C-30. Learn how this warrantless legislation could invade your Internet use at StopSpying.ca and read more about this
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Bell is no ‘Domestic Champion’
Melanie Aitken, now-former head of the Competition Bureau, slammed Bell for using the ‘domestic champion’ argument to justify the growing concentration of Canadian broadcasting and the vertical integration of content producers delivery providers. Bell claims that Canada “needs companies with the scale to compete against foreign content companies like Netflix,
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: National Post: How Bell’s takeover would result in less competition, higher prices
As broadcast regulators review Bell’s takeover of Astral Media, we’re keeping a close eye on Bell’s increasing vertical integration that would put Canadian pricing and choice at risk. Speak out against Bell’s tightening grip over Canadian communications by telling the CRTC to StopTheTakeover.ca. Article by Chris Peirce for Financial Post
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Bell’s Astral Media takeover threatens Quebec culture
As broadcast regulators review Bell’s $3.4B takeover of Astral Media, we’ve been reviewing how this acquisition would increase telecom prices, saturate Canada’s media channels and severely limit consumer choice. Beyond affecting Canadians on a national level, Bell’s takeover could take away from Francophone cultural identity, to which Astral Media has
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Open positions at the CRTC
The CRTC announced yesterday that two positions will soon be opening up: Vice-Chairperson, Telecommunications (replacing outgoing vice-chair Len Katz) and Regional Member. In addition to those vacancies, five (out of thirteen) CRTC Commissioners’ terms will expire this coming spring/summer: Marc Patrone on March 18, Stephen Simpson on June 22, Suzanne
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Internet access hindered by the Trans-Pacific Partnership
A lobbyist group is pushing for Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiators to force Canada into adopting a ‘termination’ system that would cut off Internet access for users accused of breaking copyright laws. Join our campaign to stop the TPP’s Internet trap at StopTheTrap.net and read more on this story at the Toronto
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Online spying Bill C-30 threatens Canada’s national security
An access-to-information request from The Globe and Mail has revealed that Canada’s Communications Security Establishment has concerns about our nation’s network security. Specifically, the documents show that Huawei Technologies—a Chinese company that has become the world’s leading maker of telecom equipment—has been the subject of national security concerns. With all
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Government takes small step in support of rural broadband access
The StarPhoenix yesterday called out phone company SaskTel for its sudden announcement of a cancellation of Internet services to rural areas in Saskatchewan. This will leave 8,000 customers without Internet access, at a time when “farmers are relying on the Internet more than ever before for such things as timely
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Behind Closed Doors
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement continues to threaten our free speech, Internet privacy and access to content online. Speak out and join our growing campaign at StopTheTrap.net.
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CRTC exec who spent evening in Bell box operated in ‘grey area’
An ethics expert is questioning the motives of Canada’s broadcast regulators, after it was revealed that the CRTC vice-chairman was a guest in Bell’s corporate suite at a hockey game late last year. With the CRTC currently reviewing their decision of Bell’s takeover of Astral Media, let’s remind them that
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Great new members elected to CIRA!
Last week we encouraged you all to vote in the 2012 CIRA Board of Directors election, to ensure that the five seats up for grabs would be filled by candidates who will push for improvements in Canadian digital policy. The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (or CIRA), is a non-profit organization
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: OpenMedia Explained: Weekly News Update from OpenMedia.ca
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Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: RMR: ‘Swab’ Bell’s takeover of Canadian media
Are you an independent entity or have you become a low-level subsidiary of Bell Media? Rick Mercer helps to show how you can swab the takeover to find out if Bell’s expanding reach has taken its effect. Join our StopTheTakeover.ca campaign and let your voice be heard. Together, let’s tell
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: RT News: TPP as the secretive trade agreement that could rewrite the Internet
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement is being negotiated by a number of Pacific Rim countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia. Hidden within the TPP text is a chapter concerning copyright laws that could drastically change your everyday use of the Internet. Speak out at StopTheTrap.net and let
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: Green Party endorses Internet freedom
As a post-partisan organization, we celebrate when any of our political parties take action to stand up for Internet freedom. The Green Parties of Canada, New Zealand and Australia are uniting in speaking out against the restricting Internet provisions within the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. It’s a statement that we
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: The McGill OpenMedia.ca campus club goes to the Bell/Astral hearing
As part of a larger campaign to spread awareness about communications issues in Canada, we at OpenMedia.ca have been encouraging students at universities and colleges across Canada to run OpenMedia.ca clubs on their campuses. These clubs work on a variety of outreach, organizing, and public education activities—including speaking events, film
Continue readingOpenMedia.ca: CBC News: Yukon phone outage blamed on aging infrastructure
Bell has made it clear that should their takeover of Astral Media go through, they would use ‘tangible benefits’ (an owed tax on the $3.4B purchase) to fund the expansion of their subsidiary Northwestel. Having already received annual CRTC payments of $20M to invest in their aging infrastructure, Bell has
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