Deadline Friday --sign Open letter re Digital Policy Agenda and Sovereignty?
by Marita Moll
Hello Advisors. I am seeking your permission to have TC sign on to this
letter to PM Carney to strengthen Canada's digital policy agenda. Among
other things, it is seeking a public dialogue and public consultation on
digital policy -- something we have always supported and participated in
over the years. Please let me know ASAP. Deadline is Sept. 29.
Thanks
Marita
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Please sign this open letter to PM Carney - Strengthen
Canada’s Digital Policy Agenda and Sovereignty.
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:38:03 +0000
From: Andrew Clement <andrew.clement(a)utoronto.ca>
To: Bill Hearn <bill(a)hearnlaw.ca>
Hello,
I'm writing to ask for your support for an open letter calling on PM
Carney to *Strengthen Canada’s Digital Policy Agenda and Sovereignty*,
to be submitted to the PM and a large number of others in early September.
Attached you’ll find the official letter in English and French as well
as a draft briefing note.
*_If you would like to sign on, please reply all _*_(i.e. to me and my
co-author, Bill Hearn)_
The letter is a revised update of an open letter sent to the PM Canada
Day on the same topic that has subsequently benefited from rich feedback
and thoughtful exchanges with a wide range of concerned experts. We’ve
worked hard to maintain a consensus among those who are generally
supportive of the broad goal of advancing Canadian digital sovereignty,
while respecting nuanced differences in perspective.
We are keen to get this letter to federal officials well before
Parliament resumes sitting on September 15 and are pleased that we are
already receiving excellent support, as you can see from the list of
signatories to date.
We're aiming to send the letter on September 2. While there will be
provision for signing after submission, we hope that you can sign on as
soon as possible, preferably by the end of the month. If you need more
time than this, it would be helpful to us if you could let us know by
Thursday, August 28.
Thanks,
Andrew
PS. Please feel free to pass this on to anyone else you think may be
interested in signing, or let me know how I might contact them myself.
Andrew Clement
Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Information
University of Toronto
2 weeks, 4 days
support in CIRA elections
by Marita Moll
Hello advisors. This to let you know that I am once again taking a run
at the members slate in the CIRA elections. The endorsement period will
be from Sept. 4 to 11. I will be needing 20 people to endorse my
candidacy in order to stay on the list for the actual vote. If you or
your organization has a .ca domain name and you (or your network
administrator) are NOT yet a .ca member please apply. It is free and
easy. You have to do this before Sept. 3 to be able to vote. If you get
newsletter from CIRA occasionally it means you are a member. No need to
reapply.
CIRA should be sending a notice around about the endorsement period
fairly soon. If you are a member and don't get anything, let me know. I
can try to troubleshoot. Here's my 250 word pitch:
/Elbows up! CIRA needs to ramp up activities addressing digital
resilience. These could include exploring opportunities to transition
from American to Canadian service providers (as noted in the //Feb. 2025
Board minutes
<https://www.cira.ca/en/meetings/february-25-26-2025-agenda/>//),
prioritizing projects that address digital resilience in the //Net Good
<https://www.cira.ca/en/grants/>//program, maintaining and expanding the
//Canadian Traceroot Database (CTRD)
<https://www.cira.ca/en/net-good/ctrd-psc/>//to assist Canadians in
mapping their data flow while //revealing exposure to US based
surveillance and dependence on American services//. //Prominently
highlighting projects and products designed to improve digital
resilience is a sure way to accelerate .ca growth at a time when
Canadians are looking for this kind of leadership. /
//
/CIRA also needs to be more accessible and responsive to members. At
ICANN, the Board actively seeks input from the community at every public
meeting. These public fora are a normal part of the multistakeholder
process at ICANN. It is time that every CIRA Board meeting include a
virtual session where members can speak directly to the Board about
their issues and concerns./
/
/
/My name is Marita Moll. I have been a CIRA member for more than 15
years.
<https://www.cira.ca/en/resources/news/about/keeping-the-community-spirit-...>
I have served on the CIRA board (2015-2018) and have held leadership
positions in the ICANN enduser community (At Large Advisory Council). I
am a member of the Canadian Internet Governance Forum steering
committee, and, through my work with Telecommunities Canada
<https://tc.ca/>, have contributed community input to various national
and international WSIS+20 documents. I have the background, knowledge
and experience to be a productive member of the CIRA Board.
/
Marita
//
//
/
/
//
3 weeks