Net Neutrality Panel Discussion – Ottawa – Feb. 6th

There will be a panel in Ottawa early next month entitled Net Neutrality: A Public Discussion on the Future of the Internet in Canada:

“Please join us for a an important public discussion on the future of the Internet in Canada. Network neutrality recently became a major issue in the United States when telecommunications companies issued public statements asking for the ability to charge Internet content-providers for preferential access to Internet users. That meant that big corporations, especially media conglomerates, would get to Internet users fastest while smaller ones, which would be unable to pay the ‘tolls’, would be left trailing. Meanwhile, Internet users could be restricted from using certain applications, and would likely have to pay more to access content of providers that weren’t part of the telecommunications company’s exclusivity deals”.

“Net neutrality has been an issue in Canada for at least two years, but the release in March 2006 of the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel’s Final Report renewed both corporate and public interest in the topic. In the United States, net neutrality is currently on hold as legislators debate the issue; in Canada, the federal government is considering major changes to telecommunications regulation and its commitment to network neutrality is uncertain – hence the need for public debate before more decisions are made”.

The discussion will take place at the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library (main auditorium), Feb. 6th at 7PM.

Participants include University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist, Electronic Frontier Foundation Policy Coordinator Ren Bucholz, and Andrew Clement, Professor, Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto.

Cross-posted to Library Boy.