[CIRA is a Thornley Fallis client]

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) has been hosting the second Canadian Internet Forum (CIF), a national forum for dialogue on the development, deployment and governance of the Internet in Canada since November 2011.

CIRA will be closing the online forum for the 2012 CIF on February 12, 2012 to prepare for the CIF national event. This means that you only have four days left to have your voice heard about the Internet in Canada!

We want to hear from you. Please visit http://cif.cira.ca and comment on one of our topics or start your own topic for discussion. Are you interested in security? Cost and speed of broadband? Digital literacy? The sovereignty of the Canadian Internet? Let us know today at http://cif.cira.ca.

This is the second year CIRA hosts a national dialogue on the development of the Internet with the CIF. The 2011 CIF was the first opportunity of its kind for Canadians to have a say on how they would like to see the Internet develop.

On February 27, the results of the online discussion forum will be presented at a national event in Ottawa. The event will also be webcast. We are very excited that star of CBC’s The Dragons’ Den Robert Hejavec will be delivering the keynote presentation at the CIF event. A panel that draws from a diverse section of the Internet community will also be part of the event. Panellists include Micahel Geist (University of Ottawa), Steve Anderson (Open Media), Bill Graham (Internet Society), Bertrand de la Chapelle (OpenWSIS Initiative), and Frédérick Gaudreau (Sûreté du Québec).

Registration for the CIF national event is free and open to all Canadians. More information is available athttp://www.regonline.ca/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventId=1049659.

The result of the 2012 CIF will be a white paper for presentation to the international Internet Governance Forum (IGF), a United Nations entity where nations, the private sector and non-governmental organizations convene to discuss Internet-related issues.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at mark.buell@cira.ca.

The future of Communications and Growing Influence of media

When two worlds collide…

Communicators and journalists tell stories, exchange information and connect with audiences. On one hand, journalists, reporters, publishers, editors and producers are (and have to be) critical of the information they receive in order to do their job well. Communicators on the other hand, must understand the opportunities and limitations to engaging in the journalistic process of story creation.

Furthermore, the communications landscape has changed; all companies need to become publishers and content creation and curation is the marketing of the future. No one understands this better than journalists.

Whether you’re working with the media, or work for a company engaged in ‘brand journalism’, this panel is for you. Join past and present broadcast and print media professionals for an engaged conversation about their experiences, advice and insight between the two worlds of communications and journalism.

Panelists for the evening are:

• Paul Brent, former CTV Ottawa technology specialist and Tech Now Reporter/Producer and currently Senior Communications Strategist for market2world communications inc.
• Janet Eastman, former host and producer of the only independent Canadian Business Television program: Ottawa Citizen Business TV and currently Director of Media and Communications fordrive2 Inc.
• Sandra Blaikie, former anchor of ‘A News at Six with Sandra Blaikie’ and currently an independent consultant for her own company Sandra Blaikie Consulting Inc.

View the speakers’ bios

When: Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Where: Maxwell’s Bistro & Pub, 340 Elgin Street (upstairs)

Early Bird Registration (no later than midnight on Sunday, February 12, 2012):
$40 – members │$25 – students │$50 – non-members

Late and on-site registration, add $10.

REGISTER HERE

Take the Leap…from Good to Great! 2012 Forum is back and it’s happening on February 29, 2012 at the Ottawa Convention Centre.

We’ve gathered the best and brightest PR and media relations professionals in English and French to present you a stellar event! You will learn best practices from communicators at these top organizations:

• New Democratic Party (NDP) ; Brad Lavigne
• Canadian Olympic Committee ; Dimitri Soudas
• Canada Post ; Anick Losier
• McDonald’s Canada ; Jason Patuano
• NATIONAL Public Relations ; Bruno Guglielminetti

Join us and our Master of Ceremony, Christina Lawand, for this intensive one-day event, the #PRMixer after party, and, of course, a great networking and professional development experience! You’ll walk away with the tools you need to put your organization ahead of the competition.

Registration is now open at taketheleap2012.ca. Hurry up while seats are still available!

[The following is the event notice from Third Tuesday Ottawa]

Third Tuesday is back with another blockbuster speaker: President of the Treasury Board, Tony Clement on Tuesday, February 7^th at the National Arts Centre.

Tony Clement is well-known as a politician who maintains an active Twitter presence, sharing what is on his mind and what he’s doing, and engaging in conversations with Canadians.

Tony Clement is also the President of the Treasury Board of Canada. That puts him in charge of Canada’s public service and makes him responsible for setting the standards and rules by which social media is being introduced into the Government of Canada.

As a Minister, Clement has pushed forward with initiatives to enable Canada’s public servants to use social media in the workplace and a broader initiative to introduce open government principles to the Government of Canada.

In just the past three months, Mr. Clement

• unveiled the Guideline for External Use of Web 2.0, the reference document that will be used by Canadian Public Servants in determining whether and how they should use social media in the workplace.
• announced that completed access to information requests now will be posted online.
• announced the addition of 4,000 data sets to the Open Data Portal.
• initiated a public consultation on Open Government. (The consultation closed in mid-January and the Treasury Board site promises that a final report on the findings will be posted in March 2012.)
• participated in a Twitter Chat on Open Government to give people a chance to raise issues, ask questions and engage with him online.

That’s a lot of action in a short period of time. But, what’s happening now? How are the Web 2.0 Guidelines being applied by Canadian public servants? What did Canadians tell the Minister during the consultation? What’s on the agenda for 2012?

Third Tuesday participants will get a chance in February to ask these questions and talk directly to the Minister when he appears as our featured guest.

If you’re interested in open government and the use of social media by government, this session will be of real interest to you. I’m looking forward to a great evening of discussion with a man who has matched his actions to his convictions. I hope to see you there.

Thank you to our sponsors

Third Tuesday is a community-oriented, volunteer-driven event. And we wouldn’t be able to bring great speakers to Third Tuesdays across the country without the support of some like-minded sponsors. We’ve been lucky to have some great companies step up over the past several years to help us make Third Tuesday happen. Big thanks are due to CNW Group, Rogers Communications, Canadian Internet Registration Authority, Radian6 and Cision Canada for making the 2011/12 Third Tuesday season possible.

Student Admission

We want students to be able to participate. So, if you’re a student, simply present your valid student ID at the registration desk and we’ll refund your admission fee. Courtesy of Thornley Fallis.

As per my previous post, on January 27th, my son Peyton and I will be participating in the Ottawa Senators Foundation first ever Energizer Night Skate along the Rideau Canal as part of the NHL All-Star Weekend. Thousands of skaters wearing Energizer LED Headlights will light up the Canal as they skate 5km from Somerset Street to Bank Street and back.

All funds raised from this event will assist the Senators Foundation (the sole benefactor) with their plans to construct outdoor, NHL sized ice rinks in priority neighbourhoods throughout eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

So far, thanks to the generous contributions of friends, family and colleagues, Peyton has raised $505 and is listed as the second highest fundraiser on the Energizer Night Skate website. Having raised roughly half of that amount ($275), I am accepting defeat and throwing support behind my 3 year old. I encourage you to do the same.  You can donate to the Sens Foundation through Peyton here:  http://energizernightskate.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1003640&supId=350029343.

This is a great project targeted at providing under privileged children and youth in our region with access to the sport of hockey and increased recreational opportunities in their neighbourhoods.

Any amount you are able to contribute would be greatly appreciated and help the Sens Foundation achieve their goal for this fundraiser.

On January 27th, my son Peyton and I will be participating in the Ottawa Senators Foundation first ever Energizer Night Skate along the Rideau Canal as part of the NHL All-Star Weekend. Thousands of skaters wearing Energizer LED Headlights will light up the Canal as they skate 5km from Somerset Street to Bank Street and back.

All funds raised from this event will assist the Senators Foundation (the sole benefactor) with their plans to construct outdoor, natural NHL sized ice rinks in priority neighbourhoods throughout eastern Ontario and western Quebec.

The Senators Foundation believes in creating community resources, delivering programs and funding charitable organizations that provide healthy and safe sport & recreation opportunities to children and youth so they learn and grow outside of school hours.

You can show your support for this initiative by sponsoring me here: http://energizernightskate.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1003640&supId=350029343

If you don’t like me (highly possible), but still want to support the initiative, you can sponsor my son Peyton, who is 3 and will spend more time in a stroller than skating, here: http://energizernightskate.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1003640&supId=350029344

Any contribution you can make is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for supporting this great community initiative by the Senators Foundation.

[Notice from CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau]

When:   Thursday December 15th 2011, 5:00pm-7:30pm
Where: The Grand Pizzeria & Bar, 74 George Street, Byward Market
Cost:    FREE!

It’s Holiday time!! Can you believe 2011 is almost over?? What a year it has been, time to kick up our heels and have a few laughs at this year’s CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau Holiday Social!

The Canadian Public Relations Society’s Ottawa/Gatineau holiday social will be held on Thursday December 15th at The Grand Pizzeria & Bar, in the Byward Market.

As part of our on-going community involvement, the chapter has extended a special invitation to our friends at the Ottawa Food Bank. We strongly encourage all of you to bring non-perishable food items to donate for people in need during the holiday season.

For a second social in a row, we are happy to host Public Relations Without Borders and it’s volunteers, who are raising awareness about their international aid missions. Cash donations are appreciated to help this most important cause!

Wait there’s more! We will also be making special announcements in regards to our day-long conference, slated for Wednesday February 29th 2012. 

Of course, DELICIOUS finger food will be distributed.

This is a FREE event. Add it to your agenda, bring a friend and your smile and help us make this Holiday Social the best one ever! We also extend a warm welcome to student members to come out and network with seasoned communications professionals. Not yet a student member? Check out the benefits on our website!

Sign up now via EventBrite at http://cprsholidaysocial2011.eventbrite.com/

Hope to see you there!

CPRS Ottawa/Gatineau would like to thank its generous sponsors:

• CNW Group
• .CA, Canadian Internet Registration Authority
• Thornley Fallis Group
• News Canada
• Marketwire
• Frischkorn Audiovisual
• Jana Chytilova Photography

This should be a great event! See you there…

When ? Wednesday, November 30th, 2011 at 11:45am-1:15pm
Where ? Sheraton Ottawa Hotel, 150 Albert Street – Rideau Room
Cost ? $35 for members, $60 for non-members

About the presentation:
The social media wave has taken all communicators by storm. Each sector and industry has felt it to different degrees, but none have been riding it bigger and better than the Sports sector. International competitions, the Olympic Games, all garner worldwide attention and the hopes of millions of fans. Who better than to educate the NCR’s communication and PR professionals than the people working in the sector themselves??

The CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau chapter is proud to host a panel discussion on the use of social media by representatives from the Ottawa Senators, CanoeKayak Canada, and the Canadian Soccer Association.

Join us for lunch for what should be a truly remarkable session, whether you are a sports fan or not!

Moderated by: CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau

Agenda:
11:45am Registration and networking
12:00pm Lunch, standing buffet
12:15pm Panel discussion
1:00pm Q&A

This session will feature a brief presentation by each panel member, followed by a Q&A from the audience.

Panel members:
Jeff Kyle, Vice President Marketing, Ottawa Senators
Lorraine Lafrenière, Director General, CanoeKayak Canada
Michèle Dion, Communications Manager, Canadian Soccer Association

Spaces are limited, please register by Tuesday November 29th on the EventBrite website: http://cprsnovember2011.eventbrite.com/

CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau will be hosting a day-long Conference and Networking Event on Wednesday, February 29^th at the new Ottawa Convention Centre.

Save the date for a full day of professional development with thought-provoking speakers and great networking opportunities.

See you there!

IABC Ottawa’s Holiday Mixer is on Thursday, December 1^st. I will be there!

Here are the details….

A Merry Mix & Mingle

The holiday season is fast-approaching, which means it’s time for IABC Ottawa’s annual holiday mixer!

Please join your fellow communicators on Dec. 1st for an evening of festive cheer and networking in the nation’s capital. Make new connections, catch up with friends and colleagues you haven’t seen in a while, and spread good tidings while enjoying the Empire Grill’s chic atmosphere and extensive assortment of food and refreshments. Start getting into the holiday spirit now by inviting your friends and contacts to come learn about the volunteer and professional development opportunities available through your IABC Ottawa chapter.

We hope you can join us for some delicious food and refreshments as we kick off the holiday season!

Thursday, December 1, 2011
The Empire Grill, 47 Clarence Street, Byward Market
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

REGISTER HERE