Internet Society establishes lobby footing in Canada

A decades-old organization that is pushing for a multilateral approach to decision-making on the future of the internet has registered to lobby the government for the first time. The Feb. 20 registration under consultant Kathleen Monk of Earnscliffe Strategy Group is on behalf of the U.S. Chapter of the Internet Society, a 26-year old not-for-profit organization advocating for an open internet that claims some of the internet’s creators as its founding members. The registration intends to bolster its brand, profile and messaging for the Canadian market, according to the federal lobbyist registry. As part of its goal of achieving an open internet, the organization focuses on advancing “the development and application of Internet infrastructure, technologies, and open standards,” according to its website. “Governmental efforts at control, self-serving business models, unilateral security communiques are not going to be successful,” Kathryn Brown, president and CEO of the Internet Society, said during a February conference in Ottawa to discuss a multistakeholder approach to steering the internet’s future. The conference archived its sessions on Alphabet Inc.’s YouTube. “New models are required and we need to act now,” she said. That includes engaging with policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, scientists and the public, Brown wrote in an op-ed in The Hill Times, which is owned by The Wire Report’s parent Hill Times Publishing. Yet despite the timing of the event in relation to the registration, the organization’s North American regional bureau director Mark Buell said there was no impetus for the recent lobbying activity. “All we wanted to do with the and the minister’s office at was more of a meet-and-greet and to introduce ourselves,” Buell said in a phone interview. “We haven’t had a big presence as an organization in Canada to date.” In fact, in early February, the organization launched a new initiative called the Collaborative Governance Project. According to its website, the project intends to drum up support for “collaborative governance approaches globally,” provide training on how to organize and participate in multi-stakeholder convenings, produce academic research via the development of a network of academic experts in the field of collaborative governance, and to hold these gatherings to deliver “concrete and actionable outcomes.” The organization’s role is to push for an open and secure internet for all and provide policy, technology and communications support. It is also pushing for the security of Internet of Things (IoT) devices by working with players including Innovation Canada, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) and the University of Ottawa, Buell said, though he added they are not trying to influence legislation. The organization was founded by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn and has over 100,000 individual members, 149 organizational members and 130 chapters — including a separate Quebec chapter along with the Canadian one. It also intervened in the CRTC’s proceeding on a proposal to block websites with pirated material. The organization outlined its concerns with the website blocking proposal, including how it could impact the security and stability of the internet, the privacy of Canadians and how it could inadvertently block legitimate websites. In its submission it said that to combat illegal activities, international cooperation is needed. “These are cross-border issues and cannot be effectively solved on a country-by-country basis,” it said. “A continuing dialogue between national authorities and the Internet community can help.” Comments on the consultation are due Thursday. “There are pressures from certain sectors and nation states around the world to impose government control on the internet and we don't necessarily see that as a good thing nor does the Canadian government,” Buell said, adding Canada has the potential to lead the way this year and with the G7 Summit. The Internet Society’s registration also lists the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF), which was allocated $100 million over five years in this year’s federal budget focusing on low-earth orbit satellites and next generation rural broadband. Buell, however, could not confirm why the SIF is in the registration. Telecommunications lobbying activity was up 9.4 per cent to 58 total communications reports in February compared to the previous month. Meanwhile, broadcasting activity was down 15 per cent to 34 total reports compared to the same period. BCE Inc. led the way for major telecoms, reporting nine communications with eight under CEO George Cope. Communications were made with officials including Innovation Canada chief of staff Gianluca Cairo, deputy minister John Knubley and assistant deputy minister Fiona Gilfillan, Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly, CRTC’s vice-chairwoman of broadcasting Caroline Simard, and some members of parliament. Communication matters included lawful access obligations, the review of Canada’s private sector privacy law and the Copyright Act. Telus Corp. followed with six communications in the month. Those were under head Darren Entwistle and included communications with ISED’s Cairo, policy advisor to the PMO Maxime Dea and MPs. The subject matter has largely remained the same from last month, which included matters of cybersecurity, health and the upcoming reviews of the telecom and broadcasting acts. Meanwhile, Shaw Communications Inc. had five communications under CEO Brad Shaw with officials at ISED including Cairo, as well as officials from Global Affairs Canada and Public Services and Procurement Canada. Subject matter of the communications was also largely unchanged, with future legislation reviews among details outlined. Also communicating on prospective legislating amendments, including in copyright, broadcasting and telecom, Rogers Communications Inc. had four communications under president and CEO Joe Natale with ISED, including assistant deputy minister Eric Dagenais and policy advisor Parvinder Sachdeva and Heritage senior policy advisor Kelly Wilhelm. Xplornet Communications Inc., which Reuters sources said last week was exploring a sale of the company, filed three communications under lead Allison Lenehan with the CRTC commissioner Monique Lafontaine and executive director Chris Seidl, ISED director general Susan Hart and an MP and with subject matter related to rural broadband. Cogeco Communications Inc. filed two communications under president Louis Audet with ISED officials with matters on the file including the Connect to Innovate program and future spectrum auctions. Corus Entertainment Inc. filed three communications under head Doug Murphy with CRTC chairman Ian Scott, Lafontaine and with Heritage senior advisor Soraya Martinez. Included on the file is Senate Bill S-228, which would severely limit unhealthy food and drink advertising to children and was the subject of scrutiny from the company and the Association of Canadian Advertisers. With files including the food bill, the latter filed 10 communications in the month, five under its president and CEO Ron Lund with officials from ISED, Heritage, Health Canada, Finance Canada, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. It also lists discussions about enhanced consent with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. The Canadian Network Operators Consortium (CNOC) also had three communications under industry affairs director Christopher Hickey with a series of CRTC officials including Lafontaine, director general Ian Baggley and Seidl. Subject matter included legislative initiatives related to strengthening of Canadian content and the notice-and-notice system. CNOC’s last registered communication dates back to June. SecureKey Technologies Inc. also filed 10 total communications with subject matter related to funding of digital identity technologies. All communications were done with MPs. Finally, Aecon Group Inc. filed two communications. The company is the subject of a potential takeover from a Chinese construction company, which is undergoing a government review. It filed a communication in February under Earnscliffe consultant Robin Sears, with an initial registration date of Jan. 30, with NDP parliamentary leader Guy Caron and matters related to information “in the context of a financial transaction governed by the Investment Canada Act.” A Globe and Mail report last week, citing a source, said the deal could fall through because it could put Aecon’s telecom construction arm in the hands of the Chinese. — With reporting by Ahmad Hathout at ahathout@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Internet Society establishes lobby footing in Canada

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Internet Society establishes lobby footing in Canada

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