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Paradis Shuns Canadians and Small ISPs, Meets Privately with Big Telecom
OpenMedia.ca warns of regulatory capture
August 30, 2011 – Newly-appointed Industry Minister Christian Paradis held closed-door meetings with executives from 13 big telecom companies this month, notably excluding independent service providers and public interest organizations. One of the groups that has thus far been denied a meeting with Paradis, public engagement group OpenMedia.ca, is saying that this move positions the Industry Minister to create key digital policies in the the Big Telecom lobby's narrow commercial interests rather than those of Canadians.
OpenMedia.ca attempted to meet with Paradis after the release of its report on Internet openness, which included a series of recommendations for digital strategy in Canada. These recommendations would provide a unique contribution to the discussion on Internet governance, especially as Paradis gains his footing on the telecommunications file.
“Time and again the Big Telecom lobby has shown its neglect, and even disdain, for the Canadian public's communications interests,” says OpenMedia.ca Executive Director Steve Anderson. “By meeting only with industry giants, and by failing to disclose the results of those meetings, Paradis is shutting Canadians out of decisions that will directly affect personal lives and family budgets.”
Anderson adds: “It’s time to get away from industry group-think; Paradis cannot properly govern if he insulates himself from the public sentiment. We hope that he will take steps to fix this problem by agreeing to meet with OpenMedia.ca and other citizens’ organizations.”
Paradis, who was appointed Industry Minister in May, has to-date remained publicly silent on the issues he discussed with the likes of Bell, Shaw, and Rogers this month: the 700 MHz spectrum auction and other key digital policy areas. So far, there is no evidence that the Minister has sought input from citizens or consumer groups on any of these issues.
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Contact
Lindsey Pinto
Communications Manager, OpenMedia.ca
778-238-7710
lindsey@openmedia.ca
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.
OpenMedia.ca is best known for coordinating the Stop The Meter campaign earlier this year. The Stop The Meter campaign is widely considered the biggest online citizens’ campaign in Canadian history, involving nearly half-a-million Canadians.
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COMMENTS
This news comes directly on the tail of a government wide move to support mass collaboration.
As a member of the Public Service, we often engage in online training/information seminars. One such offering was entitled "Mass Collaboration, Government and Internet" and is being pushed via the PWGSC online web training site http://csps-efpc.canwebcast.net/arm20090305od/
It is a re-broadcast of the UK film "Us Now - Mass Collaborarion Government and the Internet" which can be viewed at http://www.andreavascellari.com/?p=2877
The government has also mandated that departments will engage in the use of social media and in fact, as per the PWGCS broadcast, BC is already paving the way to an open government.
In light of this recent error in judgement by the PC government are they REALLY willing to engage the Canadian People in an open government or work toward mass collaboration?
Oh, btw, what happened to government accountability.... an "ACT" btw, one with which there is supposed to be NO negotiation.