The Canadian Internet Registration Authority, which manages the dot-ca, has just commenced its annual board elections. This year marks an important change, as the organization underwent significant corporate governance reforms that has put half the board positions up for grabs. I served on CIRA's board for the past six years but declined to run again – it is time to give someone else a shot at addressing the myriad of issues. There are lots of great candidates on the election slate including current and former board members such as Bill Reid, Clyde Beattie, Ross Rader, Paul Anderson, and Ron Kawchuk. Moreover, new faces such as Jeff Rybak promise to bring new perspectives to the board. If you hold a dot-ca domain, take a few minutes to brush up on the candidates and vote.
Go Vote: CIRA Elections Underway
September 15, 2006
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Law Bytes
Episode 278: Ben Waldman on Gander Social and the Challenges of Building a Sovereign Social Network
byMichael Geist

August 10, 2026
Michael Geist
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The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 278: Ben Waldman on Gander Social and the Challenges of Building a Sovereign Social Network

CIRA Candidate
Michael
Let me offer sincere thanks for your many years of service to CIRA and for helping to make the organization what it is today – imperfect perhaps but light years ahead of an organization such as ICANN, so persistently fearful of on-line democracy or direct member involvement and control. If not for recent reforms and a renewed commitment to ordinary people with their personal dot-ca domains I wouldn’t be running in the first place, or involved with CIRA, and I hope to help carry that trend forward into the future.
Thanks again for all your insight and advice as I sought nomination, was accepted, and launched into this election. It’s been quite the experience already and a privilege.
Jeff Rybak
thanks for your good work !
thanks for your efforts on the CIRA board, especially in helping to introduce the new privacy policy which i think has been a valuable addition, especially in contrast with the u.s. whois situation.
that said, i\’m boycotting the vote as i\’m still irked at CIRA for reposessing my domain name just prior to the implementation of the new privacy policy. the office staff needs a makeover like the board is getting.
not sure I am glad to see that CIRA’s policies have irked more than just myself. my domain is getting terminated just because I tried to update my company name like a good citizen. You can not even reason with the office staff. I am starting to understand why some large canadian businesses do not have a registered .ca domain or have discontinued thier .ca domains.
Observer
Mr. Geist,
I find it ironic that you and Mr. Paul Andersen are no longer on the CIRA Board. What happened? Was it getting too hot? Were the hound dogs closing in on you guys? I’ll explain: Mr. Andersen and his “former” client Mr. J Chapnik (see email.ca)are guilty of GRAND THEFT DOMAIN. Under your nose (or guidence) these guys registered high quality domain names such as insurance.ca, travel.ca, email.ca (the list goes on and on) and you (and the CIRA Board) let them get away with it. You call yourself a law professor and you teach our young legal minds, but how much were you paid to look the other way? If you were not paid off, then you must be a complete idiot.
Lastly, did you help implement the CIRA Dispute Resolution Policy (DRP)? Well hear is some news….domains that were “stolen” from the former Registrant via the DRP and of which had pending Trade-mark applications (which the Panel chose to ignore), have been allowed by CIPO and the trade-mark applications have gone to advertisement in the Trade-mark journal. You guys are a bunch of crooks and you should be ashamed of yourself….do all of us a favour and stop teaching.