Vancouver FreeNet (now called Vancouver CommunityNet) applied for
Charitable Status on July 29, 1993. Below is the Statement of Goals that
was attached to the application form. Also attached were a Certificate
of Incorporation, Constitution and By-laws, financial statements and
list of officers. Questions 15 to 18 were answered "no".
VANCOUVER REGIONAL FREENET ASSOCIATION
PREAMBLE
There is almost universal agreement that access to computers and
telecommunications is fundamental to the economic prosperity of
individuals and the country. As public libraries are the "people's
university"' FreeNet will become the "people electronic library", serving
as an extension to current libraries. The emphasis will be on educational
material that individuals can select so as to follow their program of
self-improvement and education and thus play a more active role in the
economic and political life in Canada.
The VRFA will provide a computer and telecommunications facility to
accomplish the following goals.
GOALS
1. To establish and operate a full FreeNet community computer utility in the
Lower Mainland of B.C.
VRFA will be available, free of charge, to all members of the
community regardless of financial circumstances. There is a
membership fee to join VRFA and an active Fundraising
Committee. Membership is however, voluntary and funds raised
through subscriber non-profit organization or through
corporate/foundations grants will be used to provide the free
service. Non-members will have the same access to information
and telecommunications resources as members.
FreeNet is non-commercial project which will neither pay for
the information it provides nor charge users for access to it.
There will be no material benefit to any corporation, profit or
non-profit entity.
2. To encourage the development of a wide range of community information
resources.
VRFA has established a Taskforce for the Disenfranchised to
work with community organizations which would not normally have
access to microcomputers or the skill to organize their
information or opinions to make them publicly available
electronically. The Taskforce will work with anti-poverty
organizations, Native groups, Women's health groups, groups
representing the disabled, etc.
Our objective is to make the provisions of the community
information a global reality to the Lower Mainland community
organizations.
3. To encourage the broadest possible participation of information
providers making their information available on the FreeNet.
The VRFA Fundraising Committee will attempt to raise funds
from service clubs and other organizations to provide
microcomputers to community groups that do not have that
resource. The System Design and Database sub-committee will
also provide training and support to community organizations
who do not have trained staff or volunteers.
In addition, an information provider support group will be
established to allow information providers in VRFA policy.
4. To work towards the widest possible public access to government and
other information through FreeNet and other non-profit organizations.
VRFA is working through the Fundraising Committee to get
microcomputers for public access in community centres,
neighborhood houses, senior centres, and other locations where
access is not currently available.
VRFA is also co-sponsoring a Fall educational conference on
Information Policy entitled "Partnership for Public Access"
with the British Columbia Library Association, the B.C.
Freedom of information and Privacy Association, and the SFU
Centre for Writing and Publishing. The conference will
explore, with a wide-range of community groups, the
issues associated with access to government information.
5. To work toward building a network of similar in services in cities
and towns internationally.
VRFA is actively working with other FreeNet organizations
across Canada and particularly the Ottawa FreeNet to develop
FreeNets across Canada so that access to community and
government information becomes a global reality in Canada
regardless of geographic location, income, age, gender, ethnic
group, or physical or mental capacity.
6. To work with other Canadian FreeNets create a Canadian free
computing network.
One of the prime objectives of VRFA is to create a link
between FreeNets across Canada. VRFA is participating, at
substantial cost, in the first national FreeNet organizing
meeting in Ottawa in August as part of our commitment to link
Canadian FreeNets.
7. To educate and encourage the public in the use of computer
telecommunications and information retrieval.
VRFA is currently holding monthly orientation meetings to
introduce the concept of FreeNet and computer
telecommunications. Special meetings have been held with
specific groups in the community such as seniors and the
cultural organizations. VRFA will also train individual users
in how to access FreeNet once it becomes an operational reality
in Vancouver.
8. To research ways to improve and expand public access to and use of
electronic information resources and facilities.
VRFA has a Hardware/Software Committee and a System Design
Committee which is exploring ways to provide easier interfaces
for public use. It is also exploring with other organizations
and companies the possibility of developing a new interface for
FreeNet. VRFA will own any software that is developed and will
distribute it free of charge to other FreeNet organizations.