[Advisors] Helen McDonald for CIRA Board Director

[Garth Graham]

This is a call for  for those of you who own .ca domains, and are therefore members or potential  members of the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) to support a candidate, Helen McDonald, for election to CIRA’s Board of Directors.

CIRA is currently in the middle of its 2015 Board of Directors election process.  <http://cira.ca/election>   The process includes 2 different slates of director candidates; a Nomination Committee list, and a list selected by Members.  The voting period will be September 16 to 23, 2015.  Helen is on the Nomination Committee list.  She notes:

“I am one of six contenders shortlisted for three seats on the Board of Directors for the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA). I am a former executive at 
Industry Canada with many years of experience in managing telecommunications policy development, strategic planning and Internet access programs. I am seeking an opportunity to use my competencies on the CIRA Board to promote the continued strength of the .CA brand and domain name management system in Canada, the 
the right balance of security and privacy for Internet users, the capacity of the Canadian Internet community to be heard on public policy issues,  and the multi-stakeholder model for Internet governance at home and globally.   With growing security threats, the expansion of top-level domains and changing technologies and Internet use patterns, CIRA is facing significant changes in their operating environment.  I believe that my experience and collaborative working style could be helpful in such a context. “

 Her candidate statement and CV can be found at: http://cira.ca/sites/default/files/documents/election/helen_mcdonald_en.pdf

Helen doesn’t mention that her retirement  from the federal government is also a retirement to Victoria, BC.  Should the federal government ever embrace the need for an effective national strategy for the uses of ICTs for development, and for the role of community-based broadband ownership within it, BC is now lucky to have in its midst a person who knows the national policy making process because she designed it.

 She also doesn’t mention that, during her tenure as Assistant Secretary for Government Online, for three consecutive years, 2002-2004, the international consultancy firm Accenture singled out Canada as the world leader in e-government.