Report Reveals Government
Out of Step on Key Internet Issue
by Save Our Net Coalition
 Vancouver BC –The SaveOurNet Coalition has just released a report † revealing that the Conservative Party of Canada is the only major party unwilling to stand up for open Internet.
The Coalition compiled the report after receiving statements from the offices of Jack Layton, Michael Ignatieff, and Industry Minister Tony Clement.††The parties wrote to SaveOurNet in response to a campaign calling for the CRTC to subject Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to Internet openness audits.
Despite the traffic management guidelines introduced by the CRTC last year, it is highly likely that several ISPs continue to throttle or slow access to certain online services. Without Internet openness audits, the†onus is wrongly put on consumers to report this discriminatory throttling. The Coalition does not believe that this is a good way to safeguard such an essential resource for free expression, economic development, and democracy.†
“Clement has clearly shown that he will not act as a leader when it comes to digital issues in Canada,” said SaveOurNet co-founder Steve Anderson.
“While opposition parties have agreed that Net Neutrality is a priority,” continued Anderson, “the government in power has failed to recognize the Internet’s potential to be a level playing field that empowers both citizens and free enterprise.”
The Coalition has urged the Conservative MP to consider the voices from across Canada, including those in his riding, that are in favour of an open Internet.
Issues Addressed
The Coalition asked the parties whether they would support Bill C-398, which aims to amend the Telecommunications Act to prohibit service providers from engaging in unfair network management practices, or introduce their own legislation to enshrine Net Neutrality in law.
The parties were also asked†whether they would act to ensure that the CRTC's traffic management ruling (TRP 2009-657) be enforced by calling for ISP compliance audits.
The Liberal Party of Canada and the NDP appear to share the Coalition’s views on Net Neutrality, and have reported that they have been pushing the government on the issue. NDP MP Charlie Angus has gone so far as to table a Net Neutrality Bill (C-398). The Liberals have not guaranteed that they will support the NDP Bill, but have told SaveOurNet that they, in general, intend to support the legislation of Net Neutrality. The parties have also reported that they support ISP compliance audits.
The Coalition’s Response
The SaveOurNet Coalition is renewing its campaign encouraging citizens to write to Clement and demand that he take a stand in favour of Net Neutrality. ISPs have already been caught throttling or slowing Internet traffic, blocking access to websites that criticize them, and crippling consumer devices and applications. The Coalition encourages Canadians to send letters to Clement at http://saveournet.ca
The full report can be found at: http://saveournet.ca/Parties
†To clarify party positions, the Coalition put specific
questions to the Liberals, New Democrats (NDP), and Conservatives last
week.
††In response to the Coalition’s
questions, both the Liberals and the NDP indicated for the first time
that they support Internet openness audits. Both parties also reaffirmed
their support for Net Neutrality (Internet openness) legislation.
Industry Minister Clement, on the other hand, failed to respond to the
messages sent by the Coalition via email, fax, phone, and Twitter.
Clement’s initial letter back to the Coalition provides no indication of
where the Conservative government stands on this key digital policy
issue.
The Coalition, which represents businesses, public interest
organizations, and thousands of Canadian citizens, is forced to assume
that Tony Clement and the Conservative government do not support Net
Neutrality.
Oct 13, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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