Leading up to the Canadian elections, there was widespread concern that the Conservative Party would impose strict changes in the country’s Internet privacy laws. In response, Canada’s Pirate Party announced they would set up a VPN service so residents could buy an account to use the Internet freely and anonymously. Virtual private networks are used by individuals worldwide who live in counties that monitor their communication and censor their Internet usage, and now that the election results are in it appears as though Canada will be added to that list.
The recent victory of Stephen Harper’s Conservatives in the Canadian general election means that many changes are in store for the country – socially, politically, and economically. It is hard to predict when the newly elected Conservatives will propose their Internet privacy laws, but one thing is certain: a VPN service will be waiting in the wings. Pirate Party leader, Mikkel Paulson, explains that this service will give Canadians the protection they need against the Conservative’s Internet policies which include censorship and monitoring.
The Pirate Party is so committed to this cause that they plan on protecting Internet users elsewhere in the world, too. They say they will donate a free VPN account for every one they sell in Canada. Canadian residents and the Private Party will be glued to the news on the Internet as the changes brought on by the Conservative Party begin to unfold – whether they do so through a VPN service or not is to be determined.
