Report Reveals Big Telecom’s Failure to Invest in Canada’s Digital Economy

The report is the first of its kind: a comprehensive look at economic, technical, cultural aspects of Internet openness, as well as Canadian views on net neutrality and international comparisons. It shows that the Internet’s open architecture has become central to the success of our economy, our culture and our society, but that it is under threat by large, vertically-integrated telecom companies that seek to control, and even to discourage, use of the Internet.

OpenMedia.ca will deliver Casting An Open Net to the CRTC Chair Konrad von Finckenstein, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, new Industry Minister Christian Paradis, and other key decision makers. The group is also pushing the envelope on political tactics by empowering citizens to send the report to Stephen Harper themselves, as well as to their local MP, using an online tool.

“The current industry-centric approach is totally unacceptable. Digital policy has clearly not been made in the public interest,” said report’s editor, OpenMedia.ca Managing Director Reilly Yeo. “This is just wrong. Canadians in historic numbers - nearly half-a-million - have told policy makers that digital policy matters to them, that they’re paying attention, and that they want to see changes made.”

Yeo continued: “With this clear, concise, well-researched plan, our representatives have no excuse for inaction. This report lays the groundwork, and now it’s time to move forward.”

The report, including recommendations, can be found here: http://openmedia.ca/plan

-30-

Contact

Lindsey Pinto
Communications Manager, OpenMedia.ca
778-238-7710
[email protected]

About OpenMedia.ca

OpenMedia.ca is a national, non-partisan, non-profit public engagement organization working to advance and support an open and innovative communications system in Canada. Our primary goal is to increase public awareness and informed participation in Canadian media, cultural, information, and telecommunications policy formation.

About Stop The Meter

In October, Canadians were outraged by the news that the CRTC had decided to allow Bell and other big Internet service providers (ISPs) to impose new fees on independent ISPs – usage-based billing. Now every Internet user in Canada is likely to feel the sting of a less affordable Internet, and a less competitive Internet service market. Recognizing the importance of this issue, OpenMedia.ca launched the Stop The Meter campaign.

Since its inception, this multi-platform petition, based at http://www.StopTheMeter.ca and in French at http://openmedia.ca/compteur, has become a record breaker and a game changer. Over 485,000 names have now been added to the website, Facebook, Twitter, and in print.