UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith has asked Tesla and Starlink owner Elon Musk if he could provide Alberta its own internet service provider (ISP) independent from federal censorship laws.."Hey @elonmusk I'm running to be the Premier of Alberta. We still value free speech here," said Smith on Twitter Monday afternoon.."Could Alberta setup an independent ISP using @starlink to bypass the new @JustinTrudeau internet censorship law?".Her idea follows the passing of Bill C-11 on June 21, a Liberal government online streaming bill that has many implications for the potential censorship of online content in Canada.."As Premier, I will protect the right of every Albertan to express their opinion, left, right and everything in between — without fear of Ottawa's censorship," said Smith on Twitter Monday..One of Musk's many business ventures, Starlink is a system of satellites by SpaceX and a new internet provider option since its launch in 2019..The constellation of satellites provides internet access across 36 countries and its basic package costs USD$110 per month with a $599 one-time equipment fee..Starlink internet connection cannot be monitored by government bodies, the only regulatory censorship could possibly involve penalties for the individuals using the service or blocking access to buying the technology, reported Space Explored..Musk sent thousands of Starlink satellite internet dishes to Ukraine to help with the disrupted internet service shortly after Russia invaded, reported CNBC..Reports from Ukraine say citizens and army members are able to send encrypted satellite messages through the Starlink system after the local cell phone network was severed weeks ago during heavy shelling, according to Politico..“I’m proud that we were able to provide the terminals to folks in Ukraine. It’s been enormously helpful, I think, to ensure people are still communicating,” said SpaceX CEO Gwynne Shotwell..Smith proposes the same encrypted messaging options for Albertans with the Starlink system..Bill-21 is an update to the Broadcasting Act and brings streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify, and YouTube within the regulatory regime..Critics of the bill have said the way the bill is currently worded means it could also apply to amateur videos and user-generated content posted on YouTube, potentially harming their revenues..READ MORE: Bill C-11 passes the House.Canadian Taxpayers Federation Ontario Director Jay Goldberg wrote a report right before C-11 was passed saying the bill could cause Canada to become "like China and North Korea.".READ MORE: CTF report warns Bill C-11 censorship might lead Canada to become 'like China and North Korea'.“Bill C-11 will hand unelected bureaucrats the power to influence what we say and see online, including on social media,” said Goldberg.
