OTTAWA, May 11, 2004 — The Honourable Lucienne Robillard, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, today launched an action plan and announced the creation of a ministerial task force to combat unsolicited commercial e-mail, also known as spam. The plan includes a series of initiatives by government, industry, marketers and consumers, to be overseen by the new Spam Task Force, focused on identifying measures to reduce and control spam.
The announcement comes as a result of a partnership and consensus with key industry stakeholders and consumer organizations to identify ways of reducing junk e-mail. Today, spam has become an international annoyance for Internet users. According to current estimates, spam accounts for more than half of the world's e-mail traffic, resulting in significant losses in personal and commercial productivity, as well as decreased confidence in e-commerce.
"Today's announcement shows that the Government of Canada recognizes that spam is a complex and global issue. We are committed to working in partnership with industry and consumers to find innovative and appropriate solutions to address this problem," said Minister Robillard. "I would like to thank the task force members for joining us in tackling this problem. They will be important partners in taking the necessary steps to curtail this serious form of e-mail abuse."
The Spam Task Force will oversee the implementation of a six-point action plan, calling for specific initiatives by government and the private sector, including: the use of existing laws and regulatory measures; the review of regulatory or legislative gaps; the improvement of current industry practices; the use of technology to validate legitimate commercial communications; the enhancement of consumer education and awareness; and the promotion of an international framework to fight spam.
In fall 2004, Industry Canada will organize a round table meeting with key stakeholders to review progress on the implementation of its proposed collaborative plan to reduce and control spam. In spring 2005, the Task Force will present its findings to the Minister of Industry.
A detailed backgrounder on the action plan and biographical information on the Spam Task Force members are attached. The full text of the action plan is posted at http://www.e-com.ic.gc.ca.
A Web cast of the Minister's announcement is posted at http://www.ic.gc.ca/cmb/welcomeic.nsf/ICPages/Webcasts
For more information, please contact:
Daniel Grenier
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Lucienne Robillard
Minister of Industry and Minister responsible
for the Economic Development Agency of
Canada for the Regions of Quebec
(613) 995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
(613) 943-2502
Backgrounder
Unsolicited Commercial E-mail
In just a few years, unsolicited commercial e-mail, also known as spam, has gone from being a minor nuisance to a major economic and social issue. According to best estimates (from companies such as Brightmail and MessageLab), it now represents more than half of the world's e-mail traffic. Processing and managing spam creates costs that are ultimately paid for by businesses and personal e-mail users. Some are now reducing their use of e-mail as a communications tool, posing a significant impediment to the benefits of legitimate e-commerce.
Since 2002, Industry Canada has been holding discussions and consultations with key industry stakeholders and consumer organizations to identify possible means of reducing the volume of spam. These discussions have focused on possible legislative action, industry practices, technology and consumer education. As a result of these discussions, Industry Canada officials have formulated a six-point action plan, calling for specific initiatives by government and the private sector, including:
- using existing laws, such as the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, and regulatory measures;
- launching a review of existing laws to identify any regulatory or legislative gaps;
- improving network management practices and industry codes of practice;
- using technology to validate legitimate commercial communications;
- enhancing consumer education and awareness; and
- promoting an international framework to fight spam.
To oversee the implementation of this plan, the Government of Canada has created the Spam Task Force. This task force will facilitate collaboration between the Government of Canada, industry and consumer groups, and will be a source of advice to the government on how to best tackle the issue in the future.
Spam Task Force Members
- Lori Assheton-Smith, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel, Canadian Cable Television Association
- Michael Binder, Assistant Deputy Minister, Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications, Industry Canada
- Tom Copeland, President, Canadian Association of Internet Providers
- Bernard Courtois, President, Information Technology Association of Canada
- Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law, University of Ottawa
- Amanda Maltby, Senior Vice-President, Canadian Marketing Association
- Suzanne Morin, Assistant General Counsel, Bell Canada, and Internet Law Policy Forum
- Geneviève Reed, Head of Research and Representation, Option consommateurs
- Neil Schwartzman, President, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email Canada
- Roger Tassé, Associate, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP
Backgrounder
Spam Task Force Member Biographies
Lori Assheton-Smith
Senior Vice-President and General Counsel,
Canadian Cable Television Association
Lori Assheton-Smith is Senior Vice-President and General Counsel at the Canadian Cable Television Association (CCTA). She is responsible for a wide variety of legal and regulatory matters relating to broadcasting, telecommunications and the Internet. Prior to joining the CCTA, Ms. Assheton-Smith practiced in the legal directorate at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, where she was counsel on a number of major broadcasting and telecommunications proceedings. In addition, she is a member of the Steering Committee of the National Capital Association of Communications Lawyers and serves on the Board of Directors of Canadian Women in Communications.
Michael Binder (Chair)
Assistant Deputy Minister,
Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications, Industry Canada
Michael Binder is the Assistant Deputy Minister of Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications at Industry Canada. He is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the federal government's Connectedness Agenda, which commits to connecting all Canadians to an accessible and affordable high-speed Information Highway (broadband).
He is also in charge of telecommunications and electronic commerce policies, the allocation of spectrum licensing of the wireless industries, and the promotion of growth and international competitiveness of the information and communications technologies industries.
Mr. Binder holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Alberta.
Tom Copeland
President,
Canadian Association of Internet Providers
Tom Copeland is the President of the Canadian Association of Internet Providers, and has long been a prominent advocate of information technology in Canada. He has served on the working group of the National Broadband Task Force and is a founding member of the first Industry Canada-sponsored Community Access Program site in Northumberland. In 2001, he was recognized by the Information Technology Association of Canada and Industry Canada as a Community IT Hero for his work in promoting the use of information technology in the communities of Northumberland. In 2002, Mr. Copeland was named Cobourg's Business Person of the Year. He is frequently asked by industry and consumer groups to consult about Internet safety and business practices on the Internet.
Bernard Courtois
President,
Information Technology Association of Canada
Mr. Courtois was named President of the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) in January 2004, and has served on the ITAC Board of Directors since 1999. He is a lawyer with over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications sector. He served in a variety of regulatory, legal and executive roles with Bell Canada from 1991 to 2003. Prior to joining Bell Canada, Mr. Courtois practiced law in Montréal and Ottawa, and was an active participant in the many regulatory, public policy and judicial proceedings, which have shaped Canada's competitive communications marketplace. He has also served on the executive of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and is President of the International Institute of Communications.
Michael Geist
Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce Law,
University of Ottawa
Michael Geist is the Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa and serves as Technology Counsel to Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. Mr. Geist has written numerous academic and media articles, and writes extensively on information technology issues for news media. In addition, he is the founder of the Ontario Research Network for Electronic Commerce, and serves on the advisory boards of several leading Internet law publications, including the Electronic Commerce & Law Report, the Journal of Internet Law and Internet Law and Business.
Amanda Maltby
Senior Vice-President,
Canadian Marketing Association
Amanda Maltby, a Senior Vice-President at the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA), is one of Canada's leading experts and commentators on the impact of privacy laws on marketing. Ms. Maltby has over 15 years of experience in public affairs and strategic communications management. At the CMA, she oversees communications, research and government relations programs in addition to overseeing the work of the Association's Ethics and Privacy Committee and Special Interest Councils. She is also responsible for managing and advocating the CMA's position on privacy and has led its self-regulatory efforts in Internet and e-mail marketing, and marketing to children and teenagers.
Suzanne Morin
Assistant General Counsel, Bell Canada, and Internet Law Policy Forum
Since her call to the bar in 1992, Suzanne Morin has been working in the areas of privacy, copyright, telecommunications and electronic commerce. She is involved with many associations, including the Canadian Association of Internet Providers, the Internet Law & Policy Forum and the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce. Ms. Morin continues to be very active in the consultations relating to private sector privacy legislation taking place at the provincial level. She speaks frequently at national and international conferences, and has served on a variety of advisory groups dealing with personal information protection issues.
Geneviève Reed
Head of Research and Representation, Option consommateurs
Joining Option consommateurs as Coordinator of Media Services in February 2001, Geneviève Reed has headed the Research and Advocacy Service since May 2003. From 1998 to 2001, she was a research assistant, and editor-in-chief of the magazine, Objectif Terre, with the Observatoire de l'écopolitique internationale. Located at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), this is a centre for information, research and education on the development, implementation and effectiveness of international agreements on global environmental problems. After earning a Bachelor's Degree in Communications at UQAM in 1995, Ms. Reed completed a Master's Degree in Political Science in 2000.
Neil Schwartzman
President, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email Canada
Neil Schwartzman is a founding member and the President of the public advocacy group, Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email Canada (CAUCE Canada). He has been involved in anti-spam work since 1995, initially managing the anti-spam protection on e-mail systems at Concordia University in Montréal. Among his other activities in the sector, Mr. Schwartzman began publishing the industry journal spamNEWS in 1996 and has served on the boards of such organizations as the SpamCon Foundation and CAUCE International.
Roger Tassé
Associate, Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP
Roger Tassé practices law in Ottawa with Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP. Previously, Mr. Tassé had a long career in the federal government, serving as Deputy Solicitor General from 1972 to 1977, and as Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General from 1977 to 1985. He is a member of the Quebec Bar (1956) and the Ontario Bar (1986). Mr. Tassé retired from the Public Service of Canada in October 1985 to practice law in Ottawa. His areas of practice include telecommunications and broadcasting, the Internet and electronic commerce, native law, and federal administrative and constitutional law. Mr. Tassé was Co-chair of the Federal Task Force on Canadian Magazines Industry (1994) and member of the Direct-to-Home Satellite TV-Panel (1995).