[Announce] New Canadian Voice in Digital Rights Issues: Online Rights Canada (ORC)

[Russell McOrmond]

(Please widely circulate!)

December 09, 2005
New Canadian Voice in Digital Rights Issues

Online Rights Canada Launches with EFF, CIPPIC Support

Toronto - Online Rights Canada (ORC) launched in Canada Friday, giving 
Canadians a new voice in critical technology and information policy 
issues. The grassroots organization is jointly supported by the Canadian 
Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) and the Electronic 
Frontier Foundation (EFF).

"Canadians are realizing in ever-greater numbers that the online world 
offers tremendous opportunities for learning, communicating, and 
innovating, but that those opportunities are at risk as a result of 
corporate practices, government policies and legal regimes that hinder 
online privacy and free speech," said Philippa Lawson, Executive Director 
and General Counsel of CIPPIC. "Online Rights Canada provides a home on 
the Internet for grassroots activism on digital issues that are important 
to ordinary Canadians."

"With the Canadian government preparing for a January election, all of 
last year's legislation is back on the drawing board. Canadians now have 
another chance to present a public interest perspective on issues like 
copyright reform and increased government surveillance," said Ren Bucholz, 
EFF's Policy Coordinator, Americas. "We are happy to be launching ORC at 
such a critical time."

One of ORC's first actions is a petition drive against unwarranted 
surveillance law. A bill proposed in Parliament last month would have 
allowed law enforcement agencies to obtain personal information without a 
warrant and forced communications providers to build surveillance 
backdoors into the hardware that routes phone calls and Internet traffic. 
The petition asks Canadian lawmakers to protect citizens' privacy rights 
when the new government convenes in 2006. Other important issues for ORC 
will include copyright law, access to information, and freedom from 
censorship.

"Today, ORC focuses on digital copyright and lawful access. But there is 
no reason to restrict the site to those two issues," said CIPPIC Staff 
Counsel David Fewer. "Our hope is that ORC will evolve into the first 
place to go for Canadians looking for opportunities to protect their 
online rights. Anyone can be an activist - Online Rights Canada will give 
you the tools you need."

Online Rights Canada is the latest group to join the global fight for 
digital rights. Digital Rights Ireland launched earlier this week, and the 
Open Rights Group launched in the United Kingdom last month.

For Online Rights Canada:
http://www.onlinerights.ca

Contacts:

Ren Bucholz
Policy Coordinator, Americas
Electronic Frontier Foundation
ren -at- eff -.- org

Philippa Lawson
Executive Director
Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic
plawson -at uottawa -.- ca

-- 
  Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/>
  2378+ Canadians oppose Bill C-60. This bill protects antiquated Recording,
  Motion Picture and "software manufacturing" industries from modernization.
  http://KillBillC60.ca    Sign--> http://digital-copyright.ca/petition/