The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. December 23, 2016 Canadian Government Declares High-Speed Internet a Fundamental Right -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Canadian government has formally declared high-speed internet access a fundamental right, calling it "necessary to the quality of life" of all Canadians. The declaration came as Canada's telecommunications agency said this week it aims to provide broadband internet to 100 percent of Canadians, including those in rural areas and in First Nations communities. Meanwhile, in the U.S., proponents of the open internet say the incoming Trump administration is poised to do away with net neutrality--the principle that internet providers should not be allowed to charge media companies for preferential treatment, such as faster speeds for their products and content. Donald Trump's picks for the Federal Communications Commission transition team--former Sprint lobbyist Mark Jamison and former Verizon consultant Jeff Eisenach--both oppose net neutrality. .