Internet access key to protecting threatened Indigenous languages: Toronto Star

By Crystal Gail Fraser and Mark Buell “An Act Respecting Indigenous Languages has good intentions, but we can’t ignore a critical piece of the puzzle missing from its fine print. Bill C-91’s goal to protect, promote and revitalize the nearly 90 Indigenous languages left in Canada can’t be fully realized until rural, remote and northern[…]

Community-owned & operated Broadband: Rural Spark Podcast

Select the PLAY link at the link above or DIY Broadband: a solution for remote communities? onRural Spark Learn how some remote communities are becoming their own internet service providers. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/diy-broadband-a-solution-for-remote-communities/id1449859399?i=1000437617949

Government of Canada proposes new CRTC direction to put Canadians at the forefront of future decisions

From: ISED News release The proposed order aims to improve the affordability of Internet and cellphone services for Canadians February 26, 2019 – Ottawa, Ontario Good and affordable access to telecommunications services is increasingly important for Canadians to participate and thrive in a digital economy and society. Canadians are concerned about the cost of their Internet and cellphone plans[…]

Empowerment through Connectivity: 2018 Indigenous Connectivity Summit Community Report

From https://www.internetsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/2018-Indigenous-Connectivity-Summit-Community-Report_EN.pdf Recommendations to ensure access for all One of the biggest connectivity challenges in Canada, for those who have access, is that its broadband prices are among the highest in the world. When the CRTC declared all Canadian households should have high-speed broadband as a basic telecommunications service in 2016, it called on the[…]

Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review

ONE WEEK LEFT before submissions are due .. From their web site at https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/110.nsf/eng/home .. The Panel is committed to providing relevant, practical and implementable recommendations to government and invites written submissions in response to its review of the Canadian Communications Legislative Framework. In response to comments from several parties, the Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review[…]

First Mile partners featured in this year’s Global Information Society Watch report on Community Networks

First Mile partners featured in this year’s Global Information Society Watch report on Community Networks as the Canadian contribution. The chapter is found at https://www.giswatch.org/node/6034 and can be downloaded at https://giswatch.org/sites/default/files/gw2018_canada_0.pdf From https://www.giswatch.org/community-networks Global Information Society Watch Global Information Society Watch (GISWatch) is a collaborative community committed to building an open, inclusive and sustainable information society. 2018[…]

Social Finance program receives $805M investment from federal gov’t

From https://ccednet-rcdec.ca/en/new-in-ced/2018/11/22/government-canada-invests-805m-social-finance Government of Canada Invests $805M in Social Finance Posted: November 22, 2018 Since the creation of a Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy for Canada was included in the 2015 Ministerial mandate letters, the federal government has taken steps to develop a strategy, culminating in the release last August of the recommendations of the Co-Creation[…]

ISED Connectivity in Rural and Remote Areas gets poor grades from Auditor General

From http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_201811_01_e_43199.html 2018 Fall Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada Report 1—Connectivity in Rural and Remote Areas Table of Contents Introduction Background Rural and remote connectivity 1.1Accessibility to broadband high-speed Internet continues to lag behind for certain population groups in Canada, notably communities in rural and remote areas. This is despite[…]

Internet Society’s Indigenous Connectivity Summit 2018 – Blog post

From https://www.newamerica.org/oti/blog/internet-societys-indigenous-connectivity-summit-2018/ Chris Ritzo produced this Blog Post highlighting FMCC and its partners after attending ISOC’s conference in Edmonton and Inuvik. Chris works with M-Lab and he delivered a passionate presentation about their work at the conference. Check it out at https://livestream.com/internetsociety/indigenet2018/videos/181775428 Internet Society’s Indigenous Connectivity Summit 2018 BLOG POST Photo credit: Chris Ritzo. By  Chris Ritzo[…]

CRTC invites Canadians to share their views on the creation of an Internet Code

From https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/internet/code.htm Internet Code: have your say! The CRTC is taking action to address consumer complaints about Internet services. Canadians rely on Internet services to connect with friends and family, to find jobs, pursue education and more. As more Canadians are using Internet services and with complaints on the rise, a new code of conduct is[…]