Canadians send a clear message to the CRTC as President Obama embeds Net Neutrality into stimulus package

For Immediate Release:
February 20, 2009

SaveOurNet.ca

In just over ten days, nearly 3,500 Canadians have written the CRTC demanding that they put a stop to discriminatory Internet throttling by big ISPs. Canadians made it known that they will stand for nothing less than full and open access to all the Internet has to offer, free from ISP control.

Canadians have taken notice of the U.S. situation, 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 telecom companies receiving money through his broadband stimulus package must adhere to Net Neutrality principles. The newly elected Congress is also poised to make Net neutrality law

Canada must start moving in a positive direction toward ensuring an accessible, open Internet for everyone. SaveOurNet.ca co-founder Steve Anderson said today "we are at risk of becoming the backwater of online innovation and free speech as web entrepreneurs increasingly migrate to the US where the open Internet is embraced by politicians and policymakers".

"Too often in these proceedings, policy-makers only hear from people and companies with a vested interest in the media industry," Anderson says. "This time, they're also hearing from Canadians about what the public interest is. We hope the CRTC will get the message."

This July, the CRTC is holding a hearing on "traffic management", which will help determine whether Bell and other big telecoms can continue to "throttle" and control Internet traffic. The decisions made by the CRTC will profoundly affect the future of the Internet and clearly signal Canada's approach to on-line communication.

From now until February 23, the CRTC is allowing citizens to submit comments on the upcoming hearing.

SaveOurNet.ca is encouraging citizens to continue sending in comments to the CRTC through: http://www.saveournet.ca

SaveOurNet.ca is a coalition of citizens, businesses, and public interest groups fighting to protect our Internet's level playing field.

Contact: Steve Anderson

Co-founder
SaveOurNet.ca
steve@democraticmedia.ca

604-837-5730