Growing the Movement | Weekly News Update from OpenMedia.ca

Hello! Here's Lindsey with your update:

This week, we're reflecting on how far we've come and the future of the pro-Internet community. OpenMedia's founder, Steve Anderson, has sent a special message from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations in New Zealand to launch our December Allies Drive. Please consider standing with us by becoming an Ally today.  

With hope for our connected future,  

- The OpenMedia.ca Team

Recent News

I couldn't have imagined

My life has been a whirlwind as of late. When I started OpenMedia.ca, I couldn’t have imagined that our community would stop Big Telecom in its tracks, force politicians to shelve their online spying plan, and pressure international bureaucrats to listen to Internet users.

The OpenMedia.ca team works hard to amplify your voices – and I think we’re getting good at it. Yet I’m humble enough to know that I need your help if OpenMedia.ca is to continue to play this role.

That is why I’m writing you today: I’m asking that you please stand with me by becoming an Ally – a monthly contributor to OpenMedia.ca. Read more »

National Post: Privacy Commissioner tells police to get behind Internet privacy rights

As law enforcement officials continue to lobby for the return of warrantless Online Spying Bill C-30, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner is speaking out in defending Canadians' right to privacy online.

We need to have our right to privacy protected – not compromised. Join us in speaking out against invasive Online Spying Bill C-30 at StopSpying.ca.

Commentary by Ann Cavoukian, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

As Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, I have a deep respect for law enforcement. I frequently work closely with the police to help them succeed in fulfilling their important functions without sacrificing our vital right to privacy. The guidance I have provided over the years on the privacy implications of new technologies has given the police a roadmap on how to be effective, yet also protect our privacy.

That is why I am perplexed by the ongoing disagreement between law enforcement and Canada’s privacy commissioners over the federal government’s highly intrusive surveillance legislation, Bill C-30. Repeatedly, privacy commissioners have identified a pragmatic and principled approach to fixing the flawed aspects of the Bill. Time and again, members of the law enforcement community have insisted they need overly broad powers, while failing to recognize that they can have both new and effective law enforcement powers, while still protecting the privacy of individual Canadians. Read more »

Empowered in the fight to protect Internet freedom

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) discussions are underway – leaving citizens worldwide to question the motivations of some of the countries involved.

These discussions could lead to strict Internet governance, increased access costs and an erosion of human rights online. Send a message directly to ITU delegates at ProtectInternetFreedom.net/Stand. Read more »

Huffington Post: Canada creating secret 'insider group' of lobbyists through TPP

The government has mistakenly sent us at OpenMedia a non-disclosure agreement intended for lobbyists involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This is confirmation that this secretive and extreme agreement is being put in place on behalf of bureaucrats, not citizens.

We're on the ground at the ongoing TPP negotiations, set to read out your comments to officials this Friday. Send in your messages at OpenTheTPP.net and help us speak out against the TPP's Internet trap.

Article by Daniel Tencer for The Huffington Post

The Harper government is creating a secret “consultation group,” likely comprised of lobbyists, who are getting inside information about Canada’s participation in Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, observers allege.

Advocacy group OpenMedia has obtained a non-disclosure agreement (see below) it says the federal government mistakenly sent to it, asking the recipient to keep secret the information it receives about negotiations on the controversial economic and trade agreement.

“I think it confirms that lobbyists are being permitted to have access to information about the TPP that is otherwise kept secret from public interest groups and citizens in general,” OpenMedia executive director Steve Anderson told The Huffington Post Canada in an email. Read more »

Nowak: It's time to ban phone unlocking fees

For the past month we've been asking you to share your Cell Phone Horror Stories to tell decision-makers at the CRTC what steps to take in fixing our broken telecom market.

Today is the last day to submit your comments before we'll be sending them along to the CRTC. If you haven't already, share your story and help create a new wireless code for Canadians at CellPhoneHorrorStory.ca!

Article by Pete Nowak

Good news if you’re an iPhone owner with Bell or Virgin – the carriers will reportedly unlock that bad boy for you. Of course, with this being the Canadian cellphone industry, there are many caveats to go with that. One is, you have to own the phone outright, two is that you can’t be on contract and three is that you can’t be a prepaid customer. Oh, and it’ll cost you the tidy sum of $75.

Bell and its subsidiary are finally joining its Big Three cohorts, Rogers and Telus, in offering the “service,” although the company looks to be alone in charging such a hefty fee. Telus recently cut the cost of its iPhone unlock to $35 from $50, which is what Rogers still charges. Read more »

Vancouver Sun: Canada to oppose ITU's Internet governance?

This week, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is hosting discussions that concern the future of the Internet. Although the Canadian government may be preparing to oppose the ITU's strict Internet control, there has been no mention as to Canada's stance on the ITU increasing Internet access costs to citizens.

Canadians are making progress in being heard, but we need to ensure that we are in the driver's seat when decisions affecting the Internet are being made in our name. Join us in speaking out at ProtectInternetFreedom.net.

Article by Jordan Press for PostMedia News

Canada will look to prevent governments from taking more power over the Internet when governments sit down for 12 days of negotiations on the future of the Internet next week, but the government didn’t say Thursday where it stands on a contentious proposal that could see users pay more for online content. Read more »

Standing up for Internet freedom

Yesterday saw Syria's Internet and mobile communications 'shut off' from the outside world. If repressive regimes have their way at next week's ITU discussions, this restrictive governance of Internet use could be legitimized and applied to citizens worldwide.

Join us alongside a multi-national coalition of pro-Internet organizations in speaking out at ProtectInternetFreedom.net. Read more on this story regarding Syria's Internet blackout. Read more »

Your Voice at the TPP Negotiations

The secretive and restrictive Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is nearing its 15th round of negotiations, which will be held from December 3-12 in Auckland, New Zealand. This will be the first round of negotiations that Canadian and Mexican representatives will be attending since they signed onto the negotiations in October.

The TPP could allow Big Media conglomerates to filter content, block websites, and fine consumers, and so far the negotiations have largely shut out citizen input. So in order to make sure your voices are heard, we launched a petition, and then a few months ago we developed a tool that would allow you to voice your opinions about this undemocratic attempt to restrict the Internet.

You responded in droves, speaking up for Internet freedom and sending in your comments on the negotiations. First we took the petition signatures to a lead TPP negotiator, then we projected citizen comments on the walls inside the TPP’s “stakeholder engagement” session. Now, we’re scaling up even further, by going to the TPP negotiations in person to read out your comments. Read more »