CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, held its AGM yesterday. Because you’re reading this in a .ca domain, CIRA sent me an email explaining how I could listen online.

I knew nothing about CIRA. I learned my ignorance is not surprising: the firm I pay for this domain’s registration pays CIRA.

In yesterday’s presentations, CIRA people explained their research shows the .ca domain suffix is regarded highly around the world. That claim led to questions about possible nefarious .ca users. CIRA checks that .ca domain holders are in fact Canada-based. As for scammers and violence fomenters, CIRA opposes censorship, so takes down no websites, regardless of content, but supports authorities in their application of fraud and hate laws.

Pundit Terry O’Reilly, the featured guest speaker, entertained and informed. You want to really, really bother your competitors, he emphasized. One tool is the .ca domain, because it can differentiate you from them. He urged assessing every way potential and actual clients interact with a firm, and asked us to think about “What is stepping on your garden hose?”

CIRA urges all .ca holders to become members of the organization. It’s free. I haven’t joined yet, because I’m not sure how my membership would help either CIRA or me.

No Comments »