Threat to Canada's Internet
by Bob Hackett
 A handful of companies are threatening to change the way Canada's Internet works. They want to replace the open network Canadians enjoy today with a discriminatory or "gatekeeper network" -- where they decide which content and services get the fastest access to our homes.
They want to take away access to the open Internet. You can help stop this encroachment on our right to open communication by taking a second to send the CRTC a message.
Submissions made to the CRTC before the FEBRUARY 23rd DEADLINE will be considered in the "traffic management" hearings held later this year.
DEADLINE TO DEMAND OPEN INTERNET FAST APPROACHING
In the space of just over 10 days, nearly 3,500 Canadians have written the CRTC demanding the federal communications regulator put a stop to discriminatory Internet throttling by big ISPs. You've let your voice be heard that you will stand for nothing less than full and open access to all the Internet has to offer, free from ISP control.
OBAMA STEPS UP ... CAN THE CRTC?
The CRTC should be looking to the U.S. where President Obama just signed an economic stimulus bill dedicating $7.2 billion to get fast, affordable, neutral Internet to the nearly half of American homes that don't have it! Obama announced that telecoms receiving money through his broadband stimulus package must adhere to Net Neutrality principles.
The longer Canada allows ISPs to throttle Internet traffic, the more we risk becoming the backwater of online innovation and free speech as web entrepreneurs increasingly migrate to the U.S. where the open Internet is embraced by politicians and policymakers.
We have just a few days left until the CRTC's submission DEADLINE on Monday, February 23rd. We are asking that you please take a moment to reach out to friends and family before it's too late. We also have a great informative video for you to share: <http://saveournet.ca/why>http://saveournet.ca/why
Action Items:
1. Send your comment if you haven't already:
3. Take a second to email 3 of your friends with our easy to
use form:
PLEASE DISTRIBUTE
From Professor Bob Hackett
http://www.sfu.ca/~hackett/
Prof.
Hackett has taught in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser
University since 1984. From 1993 to 2003, he co-directed NewsWatch
Canada, a news media monitoring project based at SFU. Prof. Hackett is
on the editorial board of Journalism Studies. He has conducted numerous
media interviews and public talks, written policy briefs, and has
helped to found several community-based media action and education
initiatives, including Vancouver's annual Media Democracy Day.
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