Press release

Big Telecom company responds after being caught restricting access to online services

February 3, 2012 – In what pro-Internet group OpenMedia.ca is calling a victory for Internet openness, Rogers has responded to the CRTC’s Compliance and Enforcement division saying that they will cease throttling (the slowing of traffic) on their networks.

In a letter to the CRTC, Rogers acknowledged the complaints made by the Canadian Gamers Organization—a group that spent the past year demonstrating Rogers’ discriminatory practices to the CRTC—and laid out a timeline for the correction of this problem... Read more »

Event to Inform Criticism of Proposed Bills That Would Allow Warrantless Electronic Spying

Ottawa, ON – In response to proposed bills that would allow warrantless electronic surveillance of Canadians, the Ottawa community is invited to join digital affairs experts and political representatives—including the NDP's Charlie Angus and the Green Party's Elizabeth May—for a lively panel discussion. The event, sponsored by a growing list of public interest organizations, will take place Wednesday, February 8, at the St. Paul University Amphitheatre (223 Main Street).

The Political Panel will be moderated by the prolific digital affairs critic Michael Geist, the Canada Research Chair for Internet and E-commerce Law. To begin, however, a panel featuring some of Canada’s sharpest minds—including cybersecurity specialist Christopher Parsons and communications law expert Kirsten R. Embree—will detail the dangers of the federal government’s impending "Lawful Access" legislation, dubbed "Online Spying" by Canadians. Read more »

CBC seen as a opportunity amidst Canada’s “digital deficit”

Sunday, January 29, 2012 – OpenMedia.ca and Leadnow.ca are set to launch a national campaign to “Reimagine the CBC”. This campaign invites Canadians to come together to share their ideas about the future of the CBC, using an online discussion forum. Read more »

Police lobby sends a call-out amidst lingering questions about upcoming bills

January 18, 2011— The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) is scrambling to find ways to justify upcoming bills that would allow warrantless surveillance of law-abiding Canadians’ online private information, says pro-Internet group OpenMedia.ca.

OpenMedia.ca today released the contents of an message that the CACP recently sent to law enforcement officials, which asks them to provide examples, even those with “confidential operational information”, of situations in which current privacy provisions have hindered investigations. The CACP is attempting to counter what they call “ill-informed criticism” from the public in regards to the proposed legislation—known as the “Lawful Access” or “online spying” bills. Read more »

U.S. Stop Online Piracy Act awakens dissenting Canadians

January 18, 2012— Pro-Internet organization OpenMedia.ca is joining groups in the U.S. and Canada in darkening its website, in an effort to raise awareness about upcoming American legislation called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). OpenMedia.ca joins domain registrar Tucows, Identi, and Internet law expert Michael Geist in so doing.

OpenMedia.ca is also providing an online tool that allows Canadians to join their U.S. counterparts, and millions of people worldwide, in speaking out against controversial censorship bills.

SOPA is a U.S. bill designed to block websites based offshore that peddle illegal content, but many groups and prominent websites—including Wikipedia, Google, Amazon, and Reddit—argue that it would fundamentally reshape the Internet for the worse. Read more »

Event to bring attention to bills that would allow warrantless online spying

January 12, 2011—In response to the government’s proposed online spying bills OpenMedia.ca will host the Vancouver premiere of the mini-documentary (Un)Lawful Access: Canadian Experts on the State of Cyber-Surveillance on Thursday, January 12, at the W2 Media Cafe (111 W. Hastings St., Vancouver).

This event is more than just a screening: it will include a panel discussion featuring BC Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham, and will serve as the launch of the BC Civil Liberties Association's much-anticipated report on online spying: Moving Toward a Surveillance Society – Proposals to Expand “Lawful Access” in Canada.

The report—considered the most comprehensive to date—puts the final nail in the coffin of the hotly contested online spying bills. Read more »