SaveOurNet.ca: Protecting Canada's Open Internet June 24, 2008

SaveOurNet.ca: Protecting Canada's Open Internet

An open forum for Toronto's tech/web/media communities hosted by:
Matt Thompson, SavetheInternet.com and SaveOurNet.ca
Steve Anderson, SaveOurNet.ca and The Campaign for Democratic Media
Mark Kuznicki, Remarkk.com, Open Community Evangelist, TorCamp

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 24th, 6:00pm
Location: Fionn MacCool's, 181 University Avenue @ Adelaide, Toronto
Snacks will be provided, cash bar
Your donation/sponsorship to help cover costs can be made on the registration page: http://saveournetjune24.eventbrite.com/

Canada's digital future is at a crossroads, and our community has an historic opportunity to help protect and shape that future for the next generation.

Bell Canada's bandwidth throttling of third party ISPs has thrust the political battle over Net Neutrality and related issues, which have raged for some time in the United States, onto the front-page in Canada. The stakes are high. Canada's digital future must be shaped by citizens, entrepreneurs, Internet innovators and the free market. We will work together to prevent that future from being negotiated by a handful of lobbyists for monopolist carriers and major media conglomerates behind closed doors.

This forum will be introduced by Matt Thompson, campaign strategist for SavetheInternet.com and co-founder of the new Canadian coalition SaveOurNet.ca. Matt will sketch out the two opposing visions and plans for the future of Canada's Internet and innovation economy. He'll report back on his meeting last week with MP Charlie Angus on Parliament Hill, who just launched a private member's bill to protect the open Internet and guarantee more competition, transparency and choice in Canada's broadband space. He'll also brief us on recent victories for the U.S. Net Neutrality campaign, and what they may mean for Canada.

Also on hand will be SaveOurNet.ca co-founder Steve Anderson, to report on the trajectory of Saving Our Net in Canada, his recent meetings with industry and public interest groups and highlight the newest additions to the SaveOurNet.ca Coalition.

Mark Kuznicki will serve as moderator and facilitate a town hall-style conversation on a number of key questions afterward, including:

1. What are the Toronto tech/web/media communities' values, interests and principles regarding the future of the Open Internet?
2. How can we tap these shared values, interests and principles to protect openness, the common carrier principle and advocate for an improved broadband infrastructure for Canadians?
3. Who are the strategic partners we can bring together to move this agenda forward? How can we work together?
4. What does an effective made-in-Canada awareness and advocacy campaign look like? What resources are needed for it to be effective?
5. What actions can Toronto's web/tech/media communities take to help? How do we mobilize similar communities across Canada?

Official Website: http://saveournetjune24.eventbrite.com/