In 2000, the Canadian Chapter initiated an annual Canadian Chapter conference in Ottawa where the speakers included the Minister of Heritage Canada (now Canadian Heritage), the Minister of Industry (now Industry, Science and Economic Development) and the Chair of the CRTC. This conference (other than in years affected by the Covid-19 pandemic) generally attracts 200 – 250 participants. Speakers address broadcasting and telecommunications issues and, more recently, related issues like privacy, copyright, competition, artificial intelligence, 5G, social media, cybersecurity etc.
It is the neutral, non-political nature of the forum, in line with the values of the IIC, which has been one of its underlying strengths. The IIC Canadian Chapter board continues to have representatives of Canadian Heritage, ISED and the CRTC as well as private sector members. In recent years, the IIC Canadian Chapter has also taken over the operation of a biennial conference formerly put on by the Law Society of Upper Canada (now the Law Society of Ontario).
Further information can be found here.
