January / February 2005
Time for a new National Dream
Recognizing the competitive advantage of connectivity
A group of Canadian technology leaders are calling on Canada to get behind a new National Dream. Just as building a railroad across Canada united the country over a century ago, the time has come for a national infrastructure project, this time moving information into every household in the country and getting people excited about uniting the country through advanced communication networks.
But if broadband connectivity is a competitive advantage in the emerging information economy, what needs to be done to make sure Canada doesn’t get left behind? As more of the global economy moves online, are Canadians going to be leaders, or followers?
Those were the questions tabled on January 26 at the first roundtable meeting of a new National Vision Working Group of Canada Connects, representing technology and economic development professionals from the public and private sectors who share the view that a more connected Canada means a more successful and prosperous Canada.
Moderated by Canada Connects publisher Phil Carr, thirty people from across Canada participated in person at OCRI offices in Ottawa, online or by phone in a wide-ranging three hour discussion about the importance of connectivity; the inadequate level of connectivity across Canada; who shoulders the blame; and what needsto be done.
There was a general consensus that a major problem was the general lack of awareness about the competitive advantages of connectivity. As a result, rural communities don’t demand it, politicians don’t push it and the private sector is understandably focused primarily on opportunities in urban markets.
Jerry Golick, a network consultant and trainer, spoke to the idea of creating a new National Dream, just as building a railroad across Canada united the country over a century ago.
Evoking similar national imagery, John Spence, Senior Researcher at the Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC), compared broadband connectivity to hard, fast ice in a hockey rink. It’s a question of who gets to play, learn the rules and become a better competitor, he says, suggesting we should think of it almost as a Canadian birthright.
Roy Brister, President of Brister Group of Companies argued that most Canadians still don’t understand the value of getting connected and they need to be educated; and while broadband “interest groups” understand the value, they need to agree on the issues, consolidate their message and their resources, and pull in the same direction.
He credits the meeting as being an important step toward making it happen:
“Getting the right people, agreeing on the right issues, deciding who is going to drive the damn bus and get somebody driving it,” said Brister. “We need to quit going off in twenty different directions, partner public funding with smart private money and get the job done.”
While a lot of work still needs to be done on consolidating the group’s messages, coming out of the meeting was the kernel of an education campaign that might include a conference, formalised lobbing, public awareness campaigns and materials, and the potential for private funding assistance.
A second roundtable meeting is planned for Toronto in early March that will also feature remote audio, video and text participation.
Learn more www.canadaconnects.ca/nationalvision. An archived stream of the three-hour session can be found at: http://breeze.knet.ca/p78044893/.
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