Taking The Open Internet Fight To Parliament Hill

OpenMedia.ca fights for open, accessible, and affordable Internet for all Canadians by bringing together the voices of hundreds of thousands of citizens frustrated with high Internet prices, slow speeds, warrantless online surveillance, and restricted online access. Our capacity to move government policy towards Internet accessibility, choice, openness, and transparency stems from your commitment and your support. 

To help further the open Internet cause, representatives from OpenMedia.ca recently arranged to meet with eleven pro-Internet Members of Parliament in Ottawa to discuss our community-crafted research report, Casting An Open Net, and to highlight to lawmakers that Canadians want open, accessible, and affordable Internet access.

Click here for photos of OpenMedia.ca's meetings with MPs on Parliament Hill, June 15th - 16th.

Our strategy was simple: we wanted to make sure MPs know that Canadians are paying some of the highest fees and receiving sub-par Internet access in return. We argued that high Internet prices, restricted access, patronage CRTC appointments, and oligopolies in the Internet service market are hurting Canada's economic growth, connectivity, and democratic development opportunities.

We then outlined tangible legislative solutions MPs could use to take a stand for an open Internet in Canada, including their support for:

1. Enforcing regular ISP audits which would examine traffic management practices (as set against congestion), average speeds, billing practices (as set against costs), and regional broadband speed levels.
2. Reforming the CRTC appointment process by making it more accountable and transparent. The selection criteria should also include significant experience in the public interest or consumer advocacy community.
3. Separating wholesale and retail Internet service (i.e. functional separation)

The responses we got from the eleven MPs ranged from receptive to adamantly supportive. We found representatives of all parties to be particularly supportive of ISP audits, which would help provide the information necessary to form sound policy decisions to decision makers, civil society groups, and citizens-at-large. Many MPs even offered to add their voices to the cause by pressuring Industry Minister Christian Paradis to champion some of OpenMedia.ca's policy recommendations.

In the wake of the recent election of a Conservative majority some citizens have questioned their capacity to change the direction of the federal government. During our visit to Parliament Hill we connected with some important pockets of support within the governing party which reaffirmed two things:

1. There are pro-Internet MPs in all parties, including the Conservative Party of Canada.
2. The big battle in the next few years will be to win the open Internet struggle in the "court of public opinion." Together we can force the decision makers in Ottawa to recognize Canadians want our digital future to be open, connected, fast, and affordable. If they care about being re-elected in four years they'll be forced to listen to their constituents' widespread concerns.

Thank you for supporting an open Internet future. Together we're making a real difference.

Reilly, Glyn & the OpenMedia.ca Team

To get involved to help make the Internet in Canada open, accessible and affordable: http://www.openmedia.ca/team