rabble.ca joins the Open Internet Coalition to Launch a Series of Town Hall Events

The Future of the Internet: Access, Openness, and Inclusion, A Town Hall Discussion

Until now, Canada’s Internet has been an open network — and a level playing field for free speech, innovation, and free market competition. All that is now under threat.

A handful of companies are threatening to change the way Canada’s Internet works. They want to replace the open network Canadians enjoy today with a discriminatory or “gatekeeper network” — where they decide which content and services get the fastest access to our homes.

These companies have been caught:

– throttling or slowing Internet traffic to businesses and consumers;
– blocking access to web sites that criticized them;
– crippling consumer devices and applications.

This threatens Canada’s free speech and economic competitiveness.

SaveOurNet.ca has launched a series of Open Internet Town Halls across the country to engage citizens in discussions about the future of the Internet. rabble.ca has joined as sponsor for events in Toronto and Ottawa.

Open Internet Town Hall Meeting (TORONTO)
Monday June 8, 2009, 7:00pm – The Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. West)

Speakers include:
Mark Surman – Executive Director, Mozilla Foundation
Steve Anderson – Co-founder, SaveOurNet.ca
Rocky Gaudrault – CEO, Teksavvy Solutions Inc.
Derek Blackadder – National Representative with CUPE
Olivia Chow (Member of Parliament (NDP))

Special Guests:
* David Skinner – Prof, York U
* Kim Elliott – Rabble.ca
* Mark Kuznicki – remarkk consultant

REGISTER TO RESERVE A SEAT: http://saveournet.ca/toronto

Open Internet Town Hall Meeting (Ottawa)
Wednesday June 10, 2009, 7:00pm – Ottawa Public Library Main Branch (120 Metcalfe St)

Speakers include:
Michael Geist – law professor at the University of Ottawa where he is Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law, blogger
Charlie Angus – NDP MP, Heritage and Culture
Rocky Gaudrault – CEO, Teksavvy Solutions Inc.
Bill St. Arnaud – Chief Research Officer for CANARIE Inc.

Introduction by Steve Anderson – Co-founder, SaveOurNet.ca

Discussion Facilitator: Marita Moll – TeleCommunities Canada

REGISTER TO RESERVE A SEAT: http://saveournet.ca/ottawa

For more on events in Vancouver, and to learn about and join the Save Our Net campaign, see: http://saveournet.ca