[Advisors] Telecommunities Canada -- are we letting it go?

Sun Sep 28 18:08:44 PDT 2014

I agree with James' comments below. 

And to add a bit to the mix I'm not sure if I circulated this to this group
but here is an initiative with which I'm involved that is in progress at the
global level which may provide us with some inspiration 

http://justnetcoalition.org/

and particularly this

http://justnetcoalition.org/delhi-declaration

M

From: advisors-bounces at tc.ca [mailto:advisors-bounces at tc.ca] On Behalf Of
James Van Leeuwen
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2014 6:31 AM
To: Marita Moll
Cc: TC Advisors
Subject: Re: [Advisors] Telecommunities Canada -- are we letting it go?

For my part... 

I think we lack a clear sense of purpose for TC at this point.

It's not that we couldn't have a strong mandate, it's that we haven't taken
time to take stock and engage properly around defining a new mandate. 

There is still an acute need for much stronger policy advocacy in Canada,
but it needs to be far more strategic than anything we're presently
providing. 

Advocacy for digital inclusion and level playing fields doesn't get very far
if it's not backed up by a strong chorus of digital leadership singing from
the same song sheet.

I think our logical next step is a robust conversation around effective
digital leadership, specifically, what it looks like and how best to foster
it.

For now, it seems practically futile to direct any energy at our federal
government. 

They have not grasped the significance of what is happening, and cannot
formulate an appropriate response. 

Digital Canada 150 is a naked committed to political expedience and band-aid
solutions, in the face of technology-driven economic and social disruption
and transformation the likes of which we only see once or twice a century. 

It is a strategy in name only, and I have absolutely no confidence that the
current federal government will ever serve up anything better. 

They aren't going to lead, because... they just can't.

I maintain that actively fostering municipal/community leadership is the
most fruitful strategy.

This is where leadership is most needed, and where it can (and does) make
the biggest difference. 

The footprint of municipal/community leadership is now growing rapidly
across Canada, especially by way of regional collaborations like EORN and
SWIFT in Ontario. 

These municipal collaborations are now driving policy discussions in some
provincial governments, as they wake up to the reality that the telecom
landscape is evolving in their favour. 

For a good sense of where things are going, look at how we manage road,
street and highway infrastructure across the country. 

The systemic parallels are strong, and when community/municipal leaders 'get
it', they reflexively turn to provincial government for help. 

>From the standpoint of communication strategy, this is a powerful and
defensible narrative. 

I recently attended the GigaBit Highway event in Minneapolis, hosted by the
FTTH Council of North America.

A few key takeaways:

1) The access technology debate is now over in the U.S., and the champion is
'Gig Fibre'. 

This outcome was echoed by people who oversee federal and state funding
programs for broadband, including the border-to-border fibre initiative that
is now taking shape in Minnesota. 

2) Open access municipal/community fibre is now widely recognized as a
preferred solution to private fibre, especially in non-competitive rural
markets. 

The open access discussion has now penetrated the FCC, and has become
strongly connected to the exploding discussion around net neutrality. 

I just saw the same thing emerge at the Cybera Summit in Banff last week,
where a panel discussion that started on the topic of net neutrality
concluded on the topic of open access.

3) The Minneapolis-based Blandin Foundation has been doing a ton of work on
community engagement and capacity building.

The key message they served up during the closing plenary panel was 'stop
talking about broadband, and start talking about impact'.

I'll finish here, because I think it's where we might want to start...
changing the conversation.

JvL

On Sep 28, 2014, at 5:47 PM, Marita Moll <mmoll at ca.inter.net> wrote:

So this seems to indicate that very few people on this list read and/or
signed the documents that Anthony sent around.  Was it because you were
unclear on what to do here, or because you really thought we should let the
NGO status go.  

I'd be interested in any feedback.

Marita

On 9/23/2014 2:53 PM, Anthony Niiganii MBE wrote: 

Good day Everyone 

A quick update, as our deadline has passed. We have physically received 3
members signatures and required 9 to for the directors to begin
transitioning TC to the NFP Act.  The deadline to transition to NFP is
October 17, which means we need our paper work in by the end of September.

Here is where we currently stand:

*	Chair of meeting: C. Leader
*	Secretary of meeting: M. MOLL
*	Resolution mover: A. Niiganii
*	Resolution Seconder: G. Graham
*	 

We have 18% in favour (based on submissions), which seems to indicate over
82% of the members are not in support of the transition (due to lack of
submissions). Motions cannot carry without 50% plus 1 in favour.

At this point, it appears without the required signatures, TC Directors will
not be able to move forward with the transition paperwork, and will need to
begin looking at the process to dissolve the corporation.

Should members wish to support the transition, please submitted your signed
resolutions by no later than September 26.  I will send out an email to
indicate the final decision of the members.

Quick note to Members and Directors, I can email the forms directly to you,
if you had not been able to access them in the original postings.

Thank you to those who submitted their signed forms.

Kindest regards,

Anthony

On Mon, Sep 8, 2014 at 1:00 PM, Anthony Niiganii MBE
<aniiganii at mb.e-association.ca> wrote:

Hi Everyone, 

As you may be aware, organizations registered federally have been ask to
transition to the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act.

As part of this process TC is required to conduct two meetings, the first
begin the meeting of the memberships.

With the deadline to transition coming up next week, I have attach the
documents for everyone's review, feedback and acceptance.  Once you have
review the information, and if you have no questions, please digitally add
your signature to the documents or scan a copy with your signature and email
to aniiganii at mb.e-association. 

The deadline to have everyone's signatures is Friday September 12, 2014.  If
we do not receive the required support (50% plus 1) TC may risk losing it's
registration.

I will need a mover and seconder for each of the motions and resolutions,
and those willing to do so may indicate in their email.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for your attention
on this matter, and I look forward to receiving your signed forms.

Best regards,

Anthony

Anthony Niiganii

Executive Director
Manitoba E-Association

210-1600 Kenaston Boulevard, Suite #318 

Winnipeg, Manitoba 

R3P 0Y4

Web: mb.e-association.ca <http://mb.e-association.ca/> 

Email: aniiganii at mb.e-association.ca

BB PIN: 2B060C22

Phone:  (204) 771-0200 

"New technology is changing the way we can film. It's enabling us to get
fresh new images and tell brand new stories."" - Karen Bass

_______________________________________________
Advisors mailing list
Advisors at tc.ca
http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors

_______________________________________________
Advisors mailing list
Advisors at tc.ca
http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://victoria.tc.ca/pipermail/advisors/attachments/20140929/e4e57723/attachment-0001.html>