I appreciate what the CIRA people are doing generally. But I do not think that asking ICANN to hire a consultant to evaluate itself constitutes a meaningful form of accountability. If ICANN selects and pays the consultant, the consultant is not independent and is not in any position to provide a truly independent assessment. It would be very easy for ICANN to select service providers who were unlikely to rock the boat. This is not a well thought out proposal. >>> [log in to unmask] 6/15/2006 6:17 PM >>> Fascinating... I did a similar proposal during the hot discussion times of WSIS but of course CIRA has far more leverage. :) My proposal called for an independent review working group, not a single consultant, but it is welcome anyway. --c.a. Robert Guerra wrote: > Thought this might be of interest to those on this list... > > http://www.cira.ca/news-releases/177.html > > June 15, 2006 > CIRA's response to ICANN's letter dated March 23, 2006 > > Thank you for your letter dated March 23, 2006, and for taking the time > to meet with us on March 29, 2006 at the ICANN Meetings in Wellington, > New Zealand. > > As discussed at our meeting, and to reiterate: ICANN is not losing > CIRA's Voice. CIRA has no intention of disengaging from ICANN. > > Rather, pending ICANN's resolution of the serious issues identified in > our open letter to ICANN dated March 17, 2006, related to > accountability, transparency and fair processes, we have limited CIRA's > continued participation in ICANN. We do this to underscore the gravity > with which we view the issues raised and the urgent need for ICANN to > take positive and identifiable steps to remedy them. > > The ICANN model of multi-stakeholder partnership in Internet governance > represents a bold experiment. It holds tremendous potential for the > long-term, stable management of the Internet. The issues identified by > CIRA and the manner in which ICANN responds to them will bear directly > on the ultimate success or failure of this model. > > Clearly there are numerous approaches that ICANN could take to address > the issues raised by CIRA. Choosing among these approaches is entirely > up to ICANN. Regardless of the particular approaches taken, ICANN must > demonstrate willingness to reform. Positive steps toward reform would go > a long way toward persuading CIRA that its ICANN participation should be > fully restored. > > To that end, and to demonstrate our commitment to moving the process > forward in a productive manner, we offer the following suggestion for > ICANN's consideration, which suggestion could be implemented without delay: > > CIRA recommends that ICANN engage a non-governmental, independent > consultant to conduct a wide-reaching, public review of ICANN's > transparency, accountability and the fairness of its processes and to > provide a road-map for ICANN's reform. > > This review can be conducted in a manner similar to the review of each > Supporting Organization Council, each Advisory Committee (other than the > Governmental Advisory Committee), and the Nominating Committee as set > out in Article IV, Section 4 of ICANN's Bylaws. > > CIRA puts forward this suggestion hoping that ICANN accepts it in the > constructive and positive spirit intended. We remain optimistic that > ICANN will emerge from any reform process stronger and better for it. We > continue to offer any assistance we can to ICANN and to the ICANN > Community in this regard. > > Yours very truly, > > Canadian Internet Registration Authority > > > > Clyde Beattie > Board of Directors, Chair > > Bernard Turcotte > President and Chief Executive Officer > ____________________________________________________________ > You received this message as a subscriber on the list: > [log in to unmask] > To be removed from the list, send any message to: > [log in to unmask] > > For all list information and functions, see: > http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance > > ____________________________________________________________ You received this message as a subscriber on the list: [log in to unmask] To be removed from the list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] For all list information and functions, see: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance