Ex-Minister of International Trade Peter Van Loan confirmed June 2nd, 2011, that the Harper Government would be tabling a massive crime bill that Fall [1]. Included in this crime bill is lawful access legislation, previously known as bills C-50, C-51, and C-52 [2]. At the time this is being written (09/2011) it is unknown whether or not legislation such as the “Canadian DMCA” bill C-32 will be included in this crime bill. This lawful access legislation mandates the disclosure of Internet provider customer information to government and police without any warrant, in addition to requiring Internet providers to dramatically re-work their networks to allow for real-time surveillance. Lawful access legislation negatively affects the privacy of all Canadians.

The Pirate Party of Canada recognizes that Canadians want to be able to legally share information anonymously and securely, and in doing so preserve what should be their basic right to privacy. On this page we are providing a list and short summary of ways anyone can preserve this right, in addition to links to important documentation on how to use the programs involved. Read the documentation; learn how to use these programs correctly.

The Invisible Internet Project (I2P) can be used for anonymous and encrypted bittorrent downloads, and has a built in bittorrent client called I2PSnark. I2P also allows for anonymous browsing and hosting of “Eepsites” hosted in I2P. Another similar project is The Onion Router (TOR). TOR can be used for anonymously viewing websites, and has hidden services with .onion pseudo-top-level domains. It should be noted that while TOR allows for anonymous web surfing, using bittorrent over TOR is a bad idea and is bad for the network [3]. I2P should be used for bittorrent. Additionally, information sent over TOR can be plainly read at exit nodes and so using an additional layer of encryption with GNU Privacy Guard (GPG) is recommended. GPG can also be used in a variety of situations to preserve the users privacy (e.g. email, Facebook, etc…) While browsing Eepsites and .onion sites it is important to use tools such as the Firefox add-on NoScript to protect from malicious scripts in websites that could compromise your anonymity. Lastly, it should be noted that IRC can be used with both I2P and TOR for anonymous and encrypted communication. One should however, read the IRC anonymity guide linked to in this page.

I2P:
https://www.i2p2.de

Tor:
https://www.torproject.org

IRC anonymity guide:
http://ugha.i2p.to/HowTo/IrcAnonymityGuide

GNU Privacy Guard:
http://www.gnupg.org/

Windows installation instructions for I2P, TOR, and Freenet:
http://www.geocedes.com/c51.pdf

See also:
http://openmedia.ca/StopSpying

References:

1. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1001446–house-leader-lays-out-priorities-budget-term-limits-for-senators-and-libya?bn=1

2. http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/5451/135/

3. https://blog.torproject.org/blog/bittorrent-over-tor-isnt-good-idea

I want to take a moment to write candidly, simply because I felt it was too important to ignore.

I first encountered Jack Layton in the week before the 2008 Federal Election, at a rally in my hometown of Sudbury. I had snuck out of school at lunchtime with my friend Ryan, who had come to Canada two years previous from Connecticut. His exposure to Canadian politics was non-existent, and I wanted to showcase the high path that Canadian politics took. Jack was everything good in politics, and needless to say, we were both impressed by his firm but friendly handshake, the sincerity and confidence in his voice addressing the crowd that day, and hearing the roar of supporters fill the cavern of Science North. I feel this first real experience of the hustings will have forever changed my friend, and the sight of me trying to sneak back into history class with “Strong Leadership” signs in hand will affect others’ views about myself!

My second experience was very different. In the midst of the longest strike in Sudbury’s history, Jack had made the decision to visit the picket line of the Copper Cliff smelting complex. Despite warnings not to go, I was itching to see Jack. I was no longer a political waif, with the foundation of the Pirate Party less than a month previous. I hitched a ride with one of the USW Local 6500 members to the line, and listened as he praised Jack’s down-to-earth manner. When he arrived, I simply watched as this McGill-educated, former Toronto city councilor spoke on the terms of guys from the Nickel City. Mr. Layton channeled the frustrations of those locked out from their jobs in such a way that the energy and the passion he invoked made the anger and the hurt turn into a renewed confidence in their struggle. I had asked him about the New Democrats and their methodology on targeting the copyright industry, and without hesitation Jack discussed his own works and his belief in the accessing of those works. And while I was a Pirate, Jack remained my favourite politician in the nation.

It’s not easy to stay positive in this world, and especially in the field of politics. It seems that the portrayal of society is that of a never-ending approach of doom and gloom, with the political sphere taking more than its fair share of the cynicism and nonchalance from people. But there’s a reason he was known as Smilin’ Jack. His message was consistently positive, never straying far from a deep sense of commitment and ethics. It was never a show, but rather a continuous feeling that if good could prevail in politics, then democracy could live. He was finally rewarded with the trust of the people this past May, but somehow, Stornoway house was never part of the bigger blueprint.

But Jack went out with a bang. Not just in terms of his electoral success, but in his doggedness to finish his job. Cancer and a broken hip were simply bumps in the road for Jack as he pulled off a full campaign, things that would sap the life out of any person. And as he slowed down, his trademark confidence was still there. His message to Canadians? “I’ll return”.

But maybe, just maybe, this is a bigger message to Canada. It’s not too late to follow the example of the guy with the moustache and the orange tie. Follow some easy rules: Put in the work every day, follow through with your promises, fight for every mile, and never forget that you are simply the avenue for the people.

Mike Bleskie
Deputy Leader
Pirate Party of Canada

It has been two arduous years, but the Pirate Party of Canada is here to stay.

The Pirate Party of Canada started in earnest exactly two years ago today, hopping from webforum to social network to chat room and back again. From just a simple thought, holed up inside Canadian minds, into a full-fledged movement, at the forefront of protecting democracy, culture, information, and privacy. The sparked effort of a few university students and a teenager, has now become a 2,000-strong party. Together, we’ve rallied on the streets to show that we care about a fair copyright in Canada, and went to doorsteps armed with truth, freedom of speech, and passion for a better system.

And a month ago, you stood up for the digital and cultural rights of Canadians by hitting the polls to vote for our 10 candidates nationwide.

Where do we go from here?

That’s for you to decide.

Copyright remains at risk. Net neutrality is still on the verge of being lost in Conservative hands. And privacy issues persist as the whistle of the Privacy Commissioner is silenced by the grip of Stephen Harper.

Join with us as we grow into the next steps of our mission.

Our message is growing. We are building our own grassroots democracy here in Canada and worldwide with our VPN service, with accounts being given to those hardest hit fighting for freedom in the Arab Spring. At home, we are proud to say that dedicated members are planning on building our first provincial affiliate party, and the drive to build Electoral District Associations has begun. And all of this couldn’t have been done without your membership and support.

Where will we be in two years? You hold the key to how much we can do.

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

TRANSPARENT PUBLIC CONSULTATION NEEDED FOR CROSS-BORDER TALKS

June 5, 2011 – The public consultation on cross-border security ended on June 3rd, 2011. Unfortunately, the details of the consultation, and the relevant information needed to properly discuss the issues involved were not available in a transparent manner, and negotiations between Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama have continued behind closed doors. Among the topics on table is “Critical Infrastructure and Cybersecurity”. The Pirate Party of Canada firmly believes that any consultation on these topics requires the information to be fully public to ensure that people can utilize their right to free speech and discuss these topics.

Lobbyists from major U.S. Entertainment companies have been pressuring world leaders to create and enforce excessively restrictive copyright and cybersecurity laws. Wikileaks cables have shown that the U.S. government is directly involved in exerting pressures in these areas on governments world-wide. As a part of this pressure, the Harper Government seeks to pass “Lawful Access Legislation”, a wide scale Internet surveillance bill allowing monitoring without obtaining a warrant from the courts. David T.C. Fraser, Vice-Chair of the National Privacy and Access Law section of the Canadian Bar Association criticized the bill, “Think about what this means, given the laundry list of data to be provided with no threshold of probable cause … One request to the telcos can get the names and addresses of virtually everyone who was there [at a protest].” Following the widespread arrest of innocent civilians at Toronto’s G20 summit, such a scenario is not far-fetched. Given the existing pressures, it is essential for these cross-border negotiations to be transparent and to allow for the Canadian public to have their input.

The Pirate Party of Canada is a federal political party focused on thoughtful information policy reform, genuine democracy, civil liberties, and the freedom of the Internet. You can find out more online at www.pirateparty.ca

###

Media Contacts:    Shawn Vulliez     1-877-850-7722 x *130      pr@pirateparty.ca

And English-only version of the June 2011 newsletter is now available for viewing on the PPCA Wiki: Click to view .

In this edition:

* Travis McCrea, candidate for Vancouver Centre, talks about Campaigning
* Pirate Party of Canada Launches Secure VPN Services
* Statement from Pirate Party of Canada Leader on Piratenpartei Server Seizures
* Creative, Ambitious, and Motivated People Wanted!
* Consider a Tax Deductible Donation

Please take a few minutes to look over the newsletter. A French version will be made available once someone is available to translate. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Do you care about technology issues?

Do you have writing, coding, or graphic design skills, or some other talent that would benefit the Pirate Party?

Do you want to help make the Pirate Party of Canada the best?

http://blog.pirateparty.ca

The public relations committees are designed to provide a transparent and effective framework to fulfill the needs of a political party. We’re currently in the process of selecting representatives to spearhead new initiatives within the party.

The PR committees’ have a meeting on irc ( #ppcapr ) on the third monday of each month. Our next meeting will be on June 20th at 8PM EST. If you are interested in joining a committee or applying to be a regional representative or project lead please contact us via e-mail ( directors@pirateparty.ca ) or in the pirate party forums.

If you know someone who may be interested, please pass this on to them. If we work together, we can make a difference.

Shawn Vulliez
Director-at-Large, Press Relations
Pirate Party of Canada

Statement from Pirate Party of Canada Leader on Piratenpartei Server Seizures

Dear “The Media”

The members of the Pirate Party of Canada are troubled to learn that the German Pirate Party (Piratenpartei), the sixth-largest political party in Germany, has been targeted at the request of French police. The seizure of several servers is disproportionate to allegations that one service hosted by Piratenpartei may have been abused by a third party.

This timing is especially unfortunate as Piratenpartei is preparing for an election in two days. The seizure has effectively severed their lines of communication, a crippling blow for a party that conducts much of its day-to-day business online. I stand with many others in condemning this action.

In response to German requests, we will be making our own technical resources available to them until such a time as they are able to recover their seized assets. Around the world, we are all fighting the same fight in different forms and different places, and we stand or fall together.

The Pirate Party of Canada is a federal political party focused on thoughtful information policy reform, genuine democracy, civil liberties, and freedom of the internet. You can find out more online at www.pirateparty.ca.

Sincerely,
Mikkel Paulson

—- Press Release Below—

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

German Pirate Party Crippled by Government Seizures, Pirate Party of Canada Gives Aid

OTTAWA, ON – May 21, 2011 – On the morning of May 20th, Piratenpartei, the German Pirate Party and sixth-largest party in Germany, had its servers seized by police. The Party was accused of hosting a service that may have been abused by a third party in France. With the German election occurring in two days, this has dealt the party a severe blow. The Pirate Party of Canada has stepped forward, offering to assist Piratenpartei with hosting during this distressing time.

“Seizing these servers for what someone unrelated to the party used them for in another country would be like seizing all the computers belonging to a major corporation because someone exploited a security flaw in Internet Explorer,” says Shawn Gray, a director for the Pirate Party of Canada. “It’s outragous, and should not be tolerated.”

The Pirate Party of Canada is a federal political party focused on thoughtful information policy reform, genuine democracy, civil liberties, and the freedom of the Internet. You can find out more online at www.pirateparty.ca .

-30-

Media Contacts: Shawn Vulliez 1-877-850-7722 x *130 pr@pirateparty.ca

During the 2011 revolution in Tunisia, internet access was monitored and censored, and popular networking sites like Facebook and Twitter were blocked. Dissidents relied on secure browsing services to access the full internet. In support of the people of Tunisia, the Pirate Party of Canada launched its own VPN service to provide them with free and secure uncensored web browsing. After the internet filters were removed, the services were continued, making them available to citizens of other countries subject to censorship and monitoring.

If given a majority government, the Conservatives are promising to ram through a bill that would provide unprecedented systematic interception and monitoring of Canadians’ personal communications. In short, Canada will soon join the growing list of countries subject to invasion of privacy and internet censorship. Therefore, the Pirate Party is preparing to extend the services presently offered to residents of repressive regimes to protect the people affected by the aspiring dictator right here at home.

“We will provide VPN service to Canadians at a rate of $10 / 200GB. For every paid account we open, we will also provide a free VPN account to a citizen of a nation with censored internet,” said party leader Mikkel Paulson today. “This allows us to simultaneously provide protection to Canadians and expand our humanitarian support abroad. We won’t keep logs of the activity, although we will of course cooperate with law enforcement in the event of abuse of our services.”

Until such a time those in power begin to respect the rights of those they claim to represent, the Pirate Party will work to defend Canadians from the abuses of their government. Interested parties can send an e-mail to vpn@pirateparty.ca for information on how to pre-order.

The Pirate Party of Canada is a federal political party focused on open government, copyright and patent reform, and defending Canadians’ right to privacy. We support genuine democracy, civil liberties, and freedom of the internet. You can find us online at www.pirateparty.ca.

It was reported in the National Post that Elizabeth May was “snubbing the fringe debate” and not participating in the small parties debate that was being organized.

I found out about this allegation in an unpleasant way. I was jerked from sleep to answer the phone. A reporter from the National post asked me what I think of the Greens turning down our invitation. I was sleepy enough that I began a rambling condemnation of the Greens claiming that they were hurting themselves by not participating. It was significantly less coherent than my recent op-ed.

Today I met Elizabeth May and several Green candidates from the Vancouver area. They were all pleasant and friendly, and I got the opportunity to bring up the all party panel.

It seems that the National Post reporter had called and asked the Greens if they were planning on attending the “fringe debate”. In response, the representative looked to assert that the Green party wasn’t a “fringe” party at all, looking to distance the greens from the radical political extremism implied by the term “fringe”.

I’m pleased to announce that the National Post story is incorrect, and the Greens will be represented at the meeting.

If you live in the Toronto area, please consider attending our panel.

Date: Saturday, April 23, 2011
Time: 2pm – 5pm
Place: O.I.S.E. – Auditorium G162
252 Bloor Street W.
Toronto, Ontario

Shawn Vulliez
Director-At-Large
Pirate Party of Canada