WiFi in some of Canada's national parks gets a fuzzy reception from campers

The call of the Wild could soon be interrupted by another form of technology. Parks Canada's intent to bring WiFi to 15 to 20 of its parks and sites by this summer has ignited a wave of criticism from some of the country's best known nature lovers. We've got the debate.

After a long week on the work treadmill, you get away to one of Canada's national parks to unplug, soak up the natural beauty and tranquility.

Or not.

Soon you can plug in to social media and all the videos you want on the internet since Parks Canada has plans for WiFi hotspots in many national parks and historic sites.

My thoughts can be expressed quite simply. I think it is a disastrous, quite stupid, idiotic concept, and should be eliminated immediately. I have very strong feelings that national parks. provincial parks, any kind of parks, that are theoretically set up to provide for the protection of nature, in some form or another, should be respected absolutely and ultimately and human beings should be kept out of them as much as possible.Farley Mowat, one of Canada's best known nature lovers

But ... on the other hand ....

I've been in the bush and I've spent weeks at a time surviving on the only fresh food being what I could catch and I think the idea of WiFi in the national parks is great. I think if its available to people who want it fantastic and if you don't want to partake just don't bring your phone. It might even get people out to the parks who otherwise wouldn't go....maybe that's all its takes is for them to know that they have access if they need it and they'll probably hopefully get distracted by all that nature.Kathy Daley, camping enthusiast from Winnipeg

To explain the move to give campers connectivity, we were joined by Francois Duclos. He is manager for Visitor Experience Planning with Parks Canada and he was in Quebec City.

Even people who dislike WiFi in the parks have to admit few people would enjoy the parks at all if they couldn't use their cars and the highways to get there -- or check a weather forecast to see if it's even worth visiting. It all raises interesting questions about wildness in the 21st century.

• Stephen Scharper is a columnist for The Toronto Star and an associate professor at the School for The Environment at the University of Toronto. He was in Toronto.

• Grant Lawrence is the host of Grant Lawrence Live on CBC Radio 3, and the author of the award winning book, Adventures in Solitude. He joined us from Vancouver.

Will you be bringing your tablet and smart phone to the campsite this summer or do you think WiFi in the parks ruins them?

Tweet us @thecurrentcbc. Or e-mail us through our website. Find us on Facebook. Call us toll-free at 1 877 287 7366. And as always if you missed anything on The Current, grab a podcast.

This segment was produced by The Current's Kristin Nelson, Sarah Grant and Lara O'Brien.