Before the internet existed as we know it today, there were “freenets” across Canada and the U.S., circa 1994. These were small, community-based connected networks, providing people with free public access to information and databases.
To Marita Moll, a founder of Ottawa’s Freenet movement, this early internet represented a whole new universe of possibilities. People could communicate with other Freenets across the country in real time and even create themed “bulletin boards” catered to their interests where files, games and messages could be posted.
As internet service providers and governments began jostling for their piece of the early internet pie, Marita dedicated herself to keeping that initial community spirit alive and thriving.
Not only is Marita one of our longest-tenured CIRA members, but she’s a researcher, policy analyst and public interest advocate who has worked to ensure local community voices are being heard whenever policy discussions around Canada’s internet take place.
One of the internet policy areas that Marita is most passionate about is issues of community access. This led to her serving for the first six years of CIRA’s Community Investment Program (known today as Net Good!) on a committee, helping support dozens of small but impactful community-based internet projects.
Today, Marita is president of TeleCommunities Canada, a non-profit dedicated to supporting and promoting local community network initiatives.
What’s local is also global
During her three years as a CIRA board member, Marita was introduced to the broader world of internet policy discussions, which would eventually lead her to becoming involved with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
They’re a non-profit organization responsible for maintaining the world’s repository of IP addresses, as well as the domain name system and root servers.
Marita is part of a multi-stakeholder group made up of individuals, industry, governments and other non-commercial stakeholders who weigh in on a variety of policy issues that are actively shape and govern the global internet.
In addition to her ongoing work with ICANN, Marita serves on the Canadian Internet Governance Forum’s (CIGF) steering committee. The CIGF, says Marita, allows stakeholders from across Canada’s internet community to discuss many of the most pressing public policy issues and represent Canadian priorities globally.
Thank you, Marita, for your many years of dedication to Canada’s internet community!
Have you been a CIRA member for over 10 years? We’d like to hear about your .CA domain and membership journey—submit your story!
About CIRA membership
CIRA is a member-based organization that values the input of its members and their contributions to enabling a trusted internet. Having a .CA and being a CIRA member supports the great work we do for Canada’s internet.
Membership is free and exclusively for .CA holders. It remains active as long as your domain remains registered—there’s no additional renewal process beyond renewing your .CA domain name!
If you’re not a member and have a .CA domain name—become one! Don’t have a .CA domain name? What are you waiting for—register yours today.
As the Manager of Membership Relations at CIRA, Julie manages the development, planning and delivery of CIRA’s membership and Member-related activities and engagement. She strives to create opportunities for Members and consumers, and partners to share, connect, and learn and get the most out of their relationship with CIRA.
