We need a safe, secure, and stable Internet infrastructure in Canada. And more than $1 million dollars is being invested in projects designed to bring us all exactly that.

The implication is that we do not have such a safe secure and stable ‘Net here now – and there’s plenty of news reports and tech studies that seem to support that conclusion, looking as they do at issues of cyber bullying, unwarranted surveillance, even broadband speeds and data costs.

At the very least, Canada can do better, and that’s why more than two dozen groups, both large and small, both private and public, are being funded in their efforts to make the Internet more accessible, more manageable and more affordable for all Canadians.

Twenty-eight initiatives are to be funded under the new Community Investment Program (CIP) created by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA).

They will tackle important issues like increasing or enhancing the number of IXPs in Canada (Internet Exchange Points are those places where Internet traffic is routed, directed and redirected, oft-times across international borders, on the way to its intended destination); or how to defray if not eliminate privacy concerns over online surveillance (be it by the state or the marketplace, and the need to establish lawful data interception standards); or simply how to get low income housing residents access to high speed broadband (perhaps, as some have suggested, with the establishment of a publicly-owned Internet utility).

“Canada faces a number of challenges to ensure the rights and freedoms of Canadians are protected online, and that each and every Canadian has the same opportunity to take advantage of what the Internet has to offer,” Byron Holland, CIRA President and CEO, said when announcing the first funding recipients. “The outstanding response we have had so far shows there is no shortage of great ideas that can make a positive difference.”

CIRA manages the .CA top-level domain, Canada’s online identifier, on behalf of all Canadians. The not for profit member driven agency, collects certification fees from Internet registrars in Canada, and it collects registration fees from those that hold a dot CA domain name.

Last year, CIRA’s Board set up a special committee (members included CIRA Board and community representatives) to identify, select and support community projects designed to enhance the Internet for Canadians, and to make sure its social, economic and culture benefits are equally open to all.

From the committee’s work came Community Investment Program, and more than a million dollars in first round funding for community groups, not-for-profits and academic institutions across the country, put up to drive projects that enhance the Internet and allow all Canadians to take full advantage of its social and economic benefits.

From nearly 150 submissions and applications, the Community Investment Committee deemed more than two dozen proposals as worthy initiatives to be funded under the new Program.

(By the way, CIRA and its Board and staff regularly hold public meetings and member events, in which the Net community can gather to learn more about CIRA and share different views about Internet issues in Canada and around the world; one such meeting is coming up in Ottawa, where on June 17^th a member’s networking event will be held.)

Common themes at the meetings show that Internet surveillance is key concern, and so helping individual Canadians manage their privacy online is an underlying goal among the CIP funding recipients.

So, too, proposals to help improving the digital literacy of all Canadians, and in particular to support develop of digital skills among young people.

Access to, and the affordability of, the Internet for all Canadians is another key goal, one that references both rural and northern communities and well as the ‘digital divide’ faced by low income Canadian in rural or urban settings.

CIRA is moving forward on its CIP-driven Internet initiatives even as the federal government moves forward on its own plan, called Digital Canada 150, which seeks to boost Canada’s digital competitiveness.

It’s a good effort, says CIRA, but not a complete one:

“There are a number of activities outlined in Digital Canada 150 that are important to building a strong digital economy for Canada,” said Holland, noting the government’s pledges regarding broadband access, digital security and helping small businesses adopt digital technologies.

But he notes a lack of vision in the government stance, one that seems to limit the participation and community engagement the Internet itself is known for: “Building a strong digital economy will involve many partners, from the private sector to governments, not-for-profits and academics. What I don’t see (in the plan) is any engagement of or with these partners and the common goal they are supposed to work toward.”

The full list of CIP recipients (a summary of their individual projects can be found on CIRA’s website) includes:

· Academos Cybermentorat

· Ashlu Creek Foundation

· British Columbia Technology for Learning Society

· Canadian Civil Liberties Association

· Career Skills Incubator

· Chebucto Community Net Society

· Civil Law Section, Ottawa University

· Consumers Council of Canada

· Faculty of Information, Information Policy Research Program, University of Toronto

· Framework Foundation

· Free Geek Toronto

· Governing Council of the University of Toronto

· Halifax Internet Exchange Inc.

· Indigenous Law Research Unit, Faculty of Law, University of Victoria

· International CyberCrime Research Center, Simon Fraser University

· Kids Code Jeunesse

· Kitikmeot Heritage Society

· Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council

· MakerKids

· MediaSmarts

· Mozilla Foundation

· Nipissing University

· Open Democracy Manitoba

· Open North Inc.

· Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library, c/o Nova Scotia Community Access Program

· Schulich School of Business, York University

· Textile Museum of Canada

· The Vancouver Community Network

 

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submitted by Lee Rickwood