Telecom Policy

Telecom strategic to national sovereignty and security

in
July 31, 2010

Submission to the Federal Consultation on Options for Foreign Investment Restrictions in the Telecommunications Sector

Summary: The area of sovereignty and national security needs to be addressed well before any attempt is made to change those sections of the Telecommunications Act which protect Canadian ownership of telecommunications interests. There are many models of telecommunications ownership which should be considered beyond the three offered in the consultation paper.

Op-ed: Government consultation more imagined than real

in
July 26, 2010

by Marita Moll

For some time, Canadians from all sectors have been concerned about the lack of a national digital strategy. Numerous international studies have shown that our digital infrastructure and policy environment is lagging behind that of other developed nations. This stalls our economy and negatively affects productivity. Finally, on May 10, Canadians were invited to participate in a six week online consultation. Through a special website, participants could post ideas and position papers and/or vote for ideas they supported – creating a bit of competitive energy among a somewhat limited audience already comfortable with this kind of process.

Digital Economy Round Table video now available

in
July 21, 2010

A video presenting some of the ideas contained in the Consensus Submission for the Digital Economy consulation is now available on YouTube.

Video:  The Future of the Digital Economy


Consensus submission

Researchers and educators hold roundtable on the digital economy

in
June 18, 2010

A group of 30 researchers, students and professors met at the University of Toronto on June 14 to discuss the federal Digital Economy Consultation Paper and prepare a group response.   Participants felt that a face to face meeting where they could discuss their views and arrive at a consensus document was a time honoured way to participate in federal policy discussions that could not be replaced by individual on-line comments to a web-site.

Comment to CRTC Basic Service Hearings

in
June 7, 2010

A group of researchers from the Canadian Alliance for Community Innovation and Networking (CRACIN) have submitted an intervention to the CRTC in response to CRCT notice 2010-43 -- Proceeding to review access to basic telecommunications services.  

Comment to Canada 150: Day 2 of Liberal Party Visioning Conference

in
March 27, 2010

In the 1990’s, Liberals had a proactive approach to new communications technologies. Ensuring that Canada took the lead in accessibility to the internet was a high priority policy and prominently featured in the Red Book.

Paving the road for AT&T: Canada at the Crossroads (1997)

in
March 13, 2010

Position Paper by Marita Moll to:

Universal Access Workshop
Developing a Canadian Access Strategy:
Universal Access to Essential Network Services, February 6-8, 1997

Information Policy Research Program
Faculty of Information Studies
University of Toronto

Abstract

Alternative Federal Budget calls for national strategy on broadband

in
March 3, 2010

The  Alternative Federal Budget 2010 contains the following recommendations designed to bring Canada's communications infrastructure into the 21st century:

1.  Make access to "effective" bandwidth a legal right for all Canadians.
2. Fund a broad national consultation on modernizing communications policy:  $750,000.
3.  Support new and existing national public access sites: $40M.
4.  Begin planning forn next generation (higher speed) broadband.

International study exposes Canada's growing connectivity gap

in
March 1, 2010
 A study completed by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University exposes Canada's lack of progress in the area of broadband connectivity.  The "Canada" chapter of the final edition of this study concludes :
 

"Canada opened the decade as an extremely strong performer on broadband.  Over the course of the decade, its penetration rates have grown more slowly than those of other countries, its prices have remained high, and its speeds are still low in comparison to other OECD countries.  

Liberals say internet is infrastructure

in
February 16, 2010

 “Rural infrastructure like internet, roads and water services in every rural town needs to be modernized,” said Liberal Rural Caucus Chair Mark Eyking at a Feb 5 roundtable on rural-urban issues.  “That’s why we’re setting a goal of achieving full high-speed internet connectivity in every corner of the country.”  It is nice to hear internet described as infrastructure, which, of course, it is.  But the Liberals will have to go well beyond this goal to distinguish themselves from their rivals.

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