[Advisors] "digital strategy" canada?
James Van Leeuwen
jvl at ventus.ca
Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:40:46 -0700
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Gary,
what will help Canada the most is to have our community/municipal sector =
and our enterprise sector working in tandem to pull Canada in the =
direction it needs to be going.
A priority objective for iCANADA is to get these two sectors working =
together to mutual benefit and to broader societal benefit (they get it, =
Marita).
The under-representation of the community/municipal sector in i-CANADA =
is not a matter of preference on i-CANADA's part.=20
The condition reflects the availability and eagerness of leadership in =
the enterprise sector, and the widespread lack of committed leadership =
in Canada's community/municipal sector.=20
Most of our community leaders still either do not recognize the need to =
lead, do not care to lead, or do not think they have permission to lead.
Wanting permission is a quintessentially Canadian trait, but no =
community in Canada actually needs permission from anyone to meet its =
own broadband needs.=20
This crippling condition does not exist in the U.S., which helps to =
explain how community broadband has become such a robust and rapidly =
growing trend down there.
For i-CANADA, the critical need is not to weaken enterprise involvement, =
but to strengthen community involvement.
Our lack of community leadership is our single greatest obstacle in =
advancing the digital agenda in Canada... not industry, and not =
government.=20
To make the best progress, this is the challenge we should be =
channelling our available attention, time and energy into.
As an example of what i-CANADA is doing, co-founder Barry Gander will be =
travelling out to Calgary next month to engage an audience of municipal =
and corporate CIOs.=20
I will helping to coordinate and deliver the event, because this is my =
'turf'.
i-CANADA needs all the help we can get right across Canada, especially =
volunteer support at the community level.
Why waste time engaging federal government when they are so far out of =
their depth and their priorities lie elsewhere.
Our telecom and broadcast industries also have different priorities, =
which often conflict directly with the needs of communities.
Both industries want to own our business rather than earn it, because =
it's the only way they know how to do business. It is their business =
DNA.
I have said this before...
If industry or government were actually capable of responding =
meaningfully and effectively to the grand opportunities we are facing in =
the 21st century, we would have had a digital strategy years ago.=20
The notion of Gbps residential Internet connectivity for $70/month =
simply does not reconcile with their mental models of reality.=20
They cannot provide the leadership we need.=20
Virtually all of my consulting and volunteer activity today is directly =
focused on addressing this community leadership challenge.
On the consulting front, I am about to commence work on a study that =
will produce a comprehensive assessment of economic benefits associated =
with community broadband deployment in rural and remote communities.
The purpose of the study is to rationalize the costs of deployment for =
key potential stakeholders, including communities-at-large, local =
governments, senior governments, academia and industries.
On the volunteer front, our local government here in Pincher Creek has =
an Economic Development Committee to advise elected officials on where =
they should be taking initiative.=20
I have just been accepted on to the Committee, and I will be presenting =
to the Committee next week on the merits of community broadband.=20
I have been advocating for community broadband throughout southwest =
Alberta for the last eight years, ever since the Alberta SuperNet went =
into operation.=20
This will be the first time in eight years that I have been invited to =
give a presentation on the relevance of broadband to community economic =
development and community sustainability.=20
My sense is that a few of our younger community and business leaders are =
finally beginning to accept that neither industry nor government has the =
motive or the mandate to meet the longer-term broadband needs of our =
community.=20
It might just be wishful thinking on my part, but my point is to =
illustrate just how acute this lack of leadership is.
Considering that we have had the SuperNet for eight years, you would =
think that by now all of rural Alberta would be a showcase for =
leadership in community broadband and digital economic development.=20
We have only one serious initiative (Olds Fibre), and a tiny handful of =
less ambitious initiatives.=20
This is the reality of Alberta... the place our current Prime Minister =
hails from.=20
JvL
On 2013-02-22, at 11:56 AM, Gary W Kenward <garykenward@eastlink.ca> =
wrote:
> There's a lot of ironic humour in your comment.
>=20
> Thank you.
> Gary
>=20
>=20
>=20
> THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PRIVATE AND =
CONFIDENTIAL.
>=20
> On 2013.02.22, at 1:58 PM, Marita Moll <mmoll@ca.inter.net> wrote:
>=20
>> Ken, I don't have the answer to this question. James has been =
working really hard on getting i-Canada to understand the concept of =
community.
>>=20
>> I'll pass this to him.
>>=20
>> Marita
>>=20
>> On 2/21/2013 11:42 PM, imaginit wrote:
>>> Marita:
>>>=20
>>> Please clarify for me: the strategy outlined in Michael's posting =
lines up with iCanada's "Innovation Nation" objectives, which focusses =
on investment incentives for internet businesses? An agenda that the =
current government (that is, Prime Minister Stephen Harper) can easily =
align himself with?
>>>=20
>>> I am all for promoting investment in high tech in Canada (although =
not a fan of some of the stimuli, such as SR&ED tax credits, another =
component of iCanada's 'platform"). However, based upon the information =
provided on iCanada's web site and it's prolific LinkedIn postings, I =
find the proposition that iCanada is working for the community to be =
misrepresentative.
>>>=20
>>> Do you know of activities by iCanada that are aimed at directly =
engaging Canadian communities, particularly rural, aboriginal, elderly =
and other communities in need?
>>>=20
>>> Regards,
>>> Gary
>>>=20
>>> -----------------------------------------------
>>> "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;
>>> the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to =
himself.
>>> Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
>>> - George Bernard Shaw
>>>=20
>>> THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PRIVATE AND =
CONFIDENTIAL.
>>>=20
>>> On 2013.02.21, at 6:43 PM, Marita Moll<mmoll@ca.inter.net> wrote:
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>> The elements of the govt's digital strategy listed in the letter -- =
see link below -- are laughable. Maybe we should send the minister a =
letter with some suggestions of what a real digital strategy might =
consist of. Actually there are several articles in the collection "The =
Internet Tree" which would suffice very well. One is by our very own =
Garth Graham, another by Michael Geist.
>>>>=20
>>>> Marita
>>>>=20
>>>> On 2/19/2013 7:05 AM, michael gurstein wrote:
>>>>=20
>>>>> I don't know which is worse... Not having a digital strategy for =
Canada or
>>>>> having the kind of digital strategy that we are likely to get from =
a Harper
>>>>> Government :(.
>>>>>=20
>>>>> The government's response to digital strategy critics
>>>>> <http://wordsbynowak.com/2013/02/15/digital-strateg/>
>>>>>=20
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Advisors mailing list
>>>>> Advisors@tc.ca
>>>>> http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors
>>>>>=20
>>>>>=20
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Advisors mailing list
>>>> Advisors@tc.ca
>>>> http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors
>>>>=20
>>>=20
>> _______________________________________________
>> Advisors mailing list
>> Advisors@tc.ca
>> http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors
>=20
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">Gary,<div><br></div><div>what will help Canada the most is to have our =
community/municipal sector and our enterprise sector working in tandem =
to pull Canada in the direction it needs to be =
going.</div><div><br></div><div>A priority objective for iCANADA is to =
get these two sectors working together to mutual benefit and to broader =
societal benefit (they get it, Marita).</div><div><br></div><div>The =
under-representation of the community/municipal sector in =
i-CANADA is not a matter of preference on i-CANADA's =
part. </div><div><br></div><div>The condition reflects the =
availability and eagerness of leadership in the enterprise sector, =
and the widespread lack of committed leadership in Canada's =
community/municipal sector. </div><div><br></div><div>Most of our =
community leaders still either do not recognize the need to lead, do not =
care to lead, or do not think they have permission to =
lead.</div><div><br></div><div>Wanting permission is a quintessentially =
Canadian trait, but no community in Canada actually needs permission =
from anyone to meet its own broadband =
needs. </div><div><br></div><div>This crippling condition does not =
exist in the U.S., which helps to explain how community broadband has =
become such a robust and rapidly growing trend down =
there.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div>For =
i-CANADA, the critical need is not to weaken enterprise =
involvement, but to strengthen community =
involvement.</div><div><br></div><div>Our lack of community leadership =
is our single greatest obstacle in advancing the digital agenda in =
Canada... not industry, and not =
government. </div><div><br></div><div>To make the best progress, =
this is the challenge we should be channelling our available attention, =
time and energy into.</div><div><br></div><div>As an example of what =
i-CANADA is doing, co-founder Barry Gander will be travelling out to =
Calgary next month to engage an audience of municipal and corporate =
CIOs. </div><div><br></div><div>I will helping to coordinate and =
deliver the event, because this is my =
'turf'.</div><div><br></div><div>i-CANADA needs all the help we can get =
right across Canada, especially volunteer support at the community =
level.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Why waste time engaging =
federal government when they are so far out of their depth and their =
priorities lie elsewhere.</div><div><br></div><div>Our telecom and =
broadcast industries also have different priorities, which often =
conflict directly with the needs of =
communities.</div><div><br></div><div>Both industries want to <i>own</i> =
our business rather than <i>earn</i> it, because it's the only way they =
know how to do business. It is their business =
DNA.</div><div><br></div><div>I have said this =
before...</div><div><br></div><div>If industry or government were =
actually capable of responding meaningfully and effectively to the grand =
opportunities we are facing in the 21st century, we would have had a =
digital strategy <b><i>years</i></b> =
ago. </div><div><br></div><div>The notion of Gbps residential =
Internet connectivity for $70/month simply does not reconcile with their =
mental models of reality. </div><div><br></div><div>They cannot =
provide the leadership we =
need. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Virtual=
ly all of my consulting and volunteer activity today is directly focused =
on addressing this community leadership =
challenge.</div><div><br></div></div><div>On the consulting front, I am =
about to commence work on a study that will produce a comprehensive =
assessment of economic benefits associated with community broadband =
deployment in rural and remote communities.</div><div><br></div><div>The =
purpose of the study is to rationalize the costs of deployment for key =
potential stakeholders, including communities-at-large, local =
governments, senior governments, academia and =
industries.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>On the volunteer =
front, our local government here in Pincher Creek has an Economic =
Development Committee to advise elected officials on where they should =
be taking initiative. </div><div><br></div><div>I have just been =
accepted on to the Committee, and I will be presenting to the Committee =
next week on the merits of community =
broadband. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I have been =
advocating for community broadband throughout southwest Alberta for the =
last eight years, ever since the Alberta SuperNet went into =
operation. </div><div><br></div><div>This will be the first time in =
eight years that I have been <b>invited</b> to give a presentation on =
the relevance of broadband to community economic development and =
community sustainability. </div><div><br></div><div>My sense is =
that a few of our younger community and business leaders are finally =
beginning to accept that neither industry nor government has the motive =
or the mandate to meet the longer-term broadband needs of our =
community. </div><div><br></div><div>It might just be wishful =
thinking on my part, but my point is to illustrate just how acute this =
lack of leadership is.</div><div><br></div><div>Considering that we have =
had the SuperNet for eight years, you would think that by now all of =
rural Alberta would be a showcase for leadership in community broadband =
and digital economic development. </div><div><br></div><div>We have =
only one serious initiative (Olds Fibre), and a tiny handful of less =
ambitious initiatives. </div><div><br></div><div>This is the =
reality of Alberta... the place our current Prime Minister hails =
from. </div><div><br></div><div>JvL</div><div><br></div><div><br></di=
v><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><di=
v><div>On 2013-02-22, at 11:56 AM, Gary W Kenward <<a =
href=3D"mailto:garykenward@eastlink.ca">garykenward@eastlink.ca</a>> =
wrote:</div><br class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote =
type=3D"cite">There's a lot of ironic humour in your =
comment.<br><br>Thank you.<br>Gary<br><br><br><br>THE INFORMATION =
CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.<br><br>On =
2013.02.22, at 1:58 PM, Marita Moll <<a =
href=3D"mailto:mmoll@ca.inter.net">mmoll@ca.inter.net</a>> =
wrote:<br><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">Ken, I don't have the answer to =
this question. James has been working really hard on getting =
i-Canada to understand the concept of community.<br><br>I'll pass this =
to him.<br><br>Marita<br><br>On 2/21/2013 11:42 PM, imaginit =
wrote:<br><blockquote type=3D"cite">Marita:<br><br> Please clarify =
for me: the strategy outlined in Michael's posting lines up with =
iCanada's "Innovation Nation" objectives, which focusses on investment =
incentives for internet businesses? An agenda that the current =
government (that is, Prime Minister Stephen Harper) can easily align =
himself with?<br><br> I am all for promoting investment in high =
tech in Canada (although not a fan of some of the stimuli, such as =
SR&ED tax credits, another component of iCanada's 'platform"). =
However, based upon the information provided on iCanada's web site and =
it's prolific LinkedIn postings, I find the proposition that =
iCanada is working for the community to be misrepresentative.<br><br> =
Do you know of activities by iCanada that are aimed at directly =
engaging Canadian communities, particularly rural, aboriginal, elderly =
and other communities in =
need?<br><br>Regards,<br>Gary<br><br>-------------------------------------=
----------<br>"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;<br>the =
unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to =
himself.<br>Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable =
man."<br> - George Bernard Shaw<br><br>THE INFORMATION =
CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.<br><br>On =
2013.02.21, at 6:43 PM, Marita Moll<<a =
href=3D"mailto:mmoll@ca.inter.net">mmoll@ca.inter.net</a>> =
wrote:<br><br><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">The elements of the =
govt's digital strategy listed in the letter -- see link below -- are =
laughable. Maybe we should send the minister a letter with some =
suggestions of what a real digital strategy might consist of. =
Actually there are several articles in the collection "The =
Internet Tree" which would suffice very well. One is by our very =
own Garth Graham, another by Michael Geist.<br><br>Marita<br><br>On =
2/19/2013 7:05 AM, michael gurstein wrote:<br><br><blockquote =
type=3D"cite">I don't know which is worse... Not having a digital =
strategy for Canada or<br>having the kind of digital strategy that we =
are likely to get from a Harper<br>Government :(.<br><br>The =
government's response to digital strategy critics<br><<a =
href=3D"http://wordsbynowak.com/2013/02/15/digital-strateg/">http://wordsb=
ynowak.com/2013/02/15/digital-strateg/</a>><br><br>____________________=
___________________________<br>Advisors mailing list<br><a =
href=3D"mailto:Advisors@tc.ca">Advisors@tc.ca</a><br>http://victoria.tc.ca=
/mailman/listinfo/advisors<br><br><br></blockquote>_______________________=
________________________<br>Advisors mailing list<br><a =
href=3D"mailto:Advisors@tc.ca">Advisors@tc.ca</a><br>http://victoria.tc.ca=
/mailman/listinfo/advisors<br><br></blockquote><br></blockquote>__________=
_____________________________________<br>Advisors mailing list<br><a =
href=3D"mailto:Advisors@tc.ca">Advisors@tc.ca</a><br>http://victoria.tc.ca=
/mailman/listinfo/advisors<br></blockquote><br></blockquote></div><br></di=
v></body></html>=
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