Broadband across Canada? - World Congress on Information Technology coming in 2012
Canadians 'doomed to be digital tourists' - Is Montreal ready to showcase itself as a leader in 2012's 18th World Congress on Information Technology?
By David Crane, Montreal Gazette July 2, 2010
MONTREAL - In something of a coup, Montreal was chosen to host the 18th World Congress on Information Technology in 2012, beating out the United States, which had expected to be the host.
This will be a big event, expected to attract about 2,500 delegates - including many of the biggest figures in the digital industry - to the city.
But the big question is whether Montreal and Canada will be ready to showcase themselves as leaders in the digital world and win recognition as prime destinations for investment and talent. Right now, Canada is somewhere in the middle ranks of digital nations. Fortunately, there is time - though not much - to upgrade to the top ranks, and recent federal initiatives could help.
One step is the recent publication of a consultation document from Industry Canada, Improving Canada's Digital Advantage. It was followed by draft legislation for a new copyright law to give greater incentives for creators of digital content. Other measures have included opening up the cellphone industry to greater competition with new players, along with measures to expand broadband access to all parts of Canada.
The challenge is that many other countries already have digital strategies and are moving faster than Canada. While Canada's plan is still in the consulting stage, more than 20 other countries already have digital plans.
In his consultation paper, Industry Minister Tony Clement identified the "key challenges" as: "The adoption of digital technologies in all parts of the economy; the competitiveness of Canada's digital industries; the state of our digital infrastructure; our ability to create Canadian content for the global marketplace; and ensuring that Canadians and businesses have the skills and knowledge to participate in Canada's economy of the future."
But after the clock runs out for public responses to the consultation paper, it's not clear how much longer it will take for Ottawa to actually bring forward new policies. Likewise, we don't know how long it will be before Parliament passes new copyright legislation.
A new report from the Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, A Plan for a Digital Canada, warns that "without stronger competition and better government policies, Canadians are doomed to be digital tourists in a century being shaped by digital communications."
The Senate committee wants a minister for digital policy to be responsible for Canada's digital plan. It also proposes: One year after the release of a digital strategy to make cabinet meetings paperless; development of major test projects for e-registration and e-voting by Elections Canada; consideration of digital IDs for a secure digital society by government; and development of digital literacy programs that can become an integral part of the education system by federal and provincial governments.
One problem is that our broadband infrastructure is slow compared with the leading nations, yet the prices we pay for access are high. Without affordable access to high-speed broadband as a platform for a digital nation, we are unlikely to be a leader in developing the digital technologies and applications that are expected to generate millions of jobs worldwide in the year ahead, as well as creating billions of dollars in new wealth creation.
In wireless, the Senate report says access has been under the grip of an oligopoly, represented by Bell Canada, Rogers and Telus. With Vidéotron and Shaw gaining cellphone licenses, they will be able to offer competing bundled services that include the Internet, TV, home phone and wireless.
This is important because smartphones are becoming computers and other wireless technologies, such as tablet computers, netbooks and laptops, are rapidly increasing in capabilities and use. As Larry Summers, chair of President Barack Obama's National Economic Council, explained recently: "Digital infrastructure will be a key source of competitive advantage in the knowledge economy." It's why the Obama administration plans to nearly double the amount of commercial spectrum - to "unleash the innovative potential of wireless broadband."
Yet while federal policies clearly matter, provinces and cities, as well as private industry, can do more without waiting for federal action.
Quebec, for example, can ensure that its education system takes full advantage of digital tools and content to help teachers improve learning and understanding, create incentives for digital content, pursue digital applications including user-friendly access to government services and the delivery of education and health applications, and experiment at the provincial or municipal level with e-voting.
We can put Montreal, and Canada, on the global digital map in 2012 if we act smartly now. It is a great opportunity, and accelerating our growth as a digital nation is vital in any event if we are to have good jobs and a competitive advantage in the years ahead.
David Crane can be reached at crane@interlog.com.
The Amsterdam Declaration which was an output of the 17th World Congress in Amsterdam...
http://doa.wcit2010.org/amsterdam_declaration.pdf
Declaration of Amsterdam and Call for Action to all stakeholders
We, the participants at WITSA’s 17th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT 2010) in Amsterdam between 25-27 May 2010, endorse the vision of a sustainable prosperous society, where information and communication technologies (ICT) empower each person to improve their quality of life, where every individual or organisation, if they so wish, can participate more fully in the economic and social dimension of society and where trust is at the core of social order and economic prosperity in a connected world.
To realize this vision we need to address a number of major global challenges such as:
· effectively regenerating economic growth and stimulating sustainable economic development,
· substantially improving energy efficiency, decreasing energy consumption and reducing production of greenhouse gases,
· significantly improving the quality of life and enhancing trust and confidence,
· constructively exploiting opportunities from globalisation.
To address these challenges in a full and timely manner, the intelligent use of information and communication technologies is an important enabler. We will, therefore, endeavour to make every effort possible to exploit the full potential of ICT for these ends. We encourage others to do the same.
The document goes on to outline a series of specific practical steps toward achieveing these objectives and concludes as follows:
Call for Action!
All organizations supporting the Declaration of Amsterdam undertake to participate in at least one major project in the spirit of this Declaration and to report back on its progress. At the 18th World Congress on IT in 2012 in Montreal, Canada, a general revision and overall assessment of what has been achieved can then be carried out.