[Advisors] "digital strategy" canada?
James Van Leeuwen
jvl at ventus.ca
Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:22:48 -0700
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On 2013-02-22, at 3:04 PM, Gary W Kenward <garykenward@eastlink.ca> =
wrote:
> James:
>=20
> Thank you for your perspective. I find it interesting that you say =
iCANADA wants to get the two sectors working together. CATA started the =
iCanada initiative, and as far as I have been able to determine, have =
not tried to reach out to any community.=20
As just one member of i-CANADA's Advisory Council, I have personally =
reached out to at least twenty communities large and small here in =
western Canada over the last two years.
Elected officials from some of these communities now serve on the =
Governance Council of i-CANADA, and CIOs and IT Managers from some of =
these communities have joined the Advisory Council.=20
I have done the same with western Canada's major Research & Education =
networks, which are now also represented on i-CANADA's Governance Board.=20=
The Premier of New Brunswick is Chairman of the Governance Council, and =
Mayor Brad Woodside of Fredericton also serves on the Governance =
Council.=20
"We don't charge you to walk on our sidewalks. Why would we charge you =
for broadband?=94
[Mayor Woodside commenting on Fredericton=92s Frede-zone public access =
WiFi network, www.fred-ezone.ca]
> I disagree that there is no interest, and I disagree that there are =
not community groups wiling to interact. I think the major issue is more =
likely that the groups are local, small and numerous. A quintessentially =
Canadian behaviour is to engage governments under the assumption that =
they represent communities. Having worked with some of these communities =
locally, there seems to be a general experience that the governments are =
not very good at engaging community groups even with their government =
programs, never mind iCanada.
> =20
> As an example: I first heard of i-Canada when it created a LinkedIn =
group. I read the first postings, and then the web site. Interest was =
proclaimed and questions asked by a number of people (presumably mostly =
Canadian members of the LinkedIn community). iCanada did not respond to =
any inquiry at that time. And, a cursory perusal of the the iCanada =
group today shows that there continues to be no attempt at fostering =
discussion. The group simply serves as a platform for disseminating =
iCanada announcements. So how is this engaging the community?
>=20
> My professional background includes working in the =
telecommunications and data networking sectors. There's good reason to =
question CATAs motivations regarding iCANADA - they are an industry =
organization driven by profit opportunities for their members in select =
markets. The current flurry of announcements regarding mHealth is a =
perfect example. I do not have an issue with their motivations except =
when they attempt to disguise those motivations behind a facade of =
community service.
>=20
> Communities, governments and businesses working together is the =
ideal scenario for pretty well any issue Canada faces moving forward. =
Governments and businesses working together without communities is not =
an ideal scenario.
>=20
> I will begin to believe they are truly interested in communities when =
representatives are included in iCanada discussions and events (take a =
look at the January, 2013 announcement on http://icanada.nu/ - not one =
representative of the community appears in the list of people gathered =
to "create a plan to develop an equitable high-bandwidth regional =
community, bringing ultra-high-speed service to homes and businesses =
throughout the twin provinces." In an area where there are many =
communities and community groups.
>=20
> I wish you all the best in your endeavours to influence iCanada.
>=20
> Regards,
> Gary
>=20
I did not say there was no interest, Gary, I said there was a lack of =
committed leadership.
My local Economic Development Committee might be interested to hear what =
I have to say, but this does not imply that anyone is going to take any =
initiative in this community.=20
That said, you make a valid point.=20
If we could get all the committed community leadership we have in Canada =
supporting a single nationwide initiative, we would have a much better =
balance between community and enterprise agendas.
This is i-CANADA's objective, and it's why I volunteer for them.
I hope you will all consider doing the same.
As for our expectations of senior governments...
Whether these expectations are warranted or not, they are failing us =
badly.
The System - OUR System - is broken, and outliving its usefulness.=20
Despite this, an attitude of Ain't-Broke-Don't-Fix-It still prevails.
We may be reluctant to accept reality, because it means the burden of =
leadership now falls to us as individuals and communities.
I personally believe this is the essence of the challenge Canada faces =
at this point in its history.
If we fail to respond, we fail ourselves and we especially fail our =
children.
"The major advances in human civilization all but wreck the societies in =
which they appear." [Alfred North Whitehead]
More than anything, this is a commentary on the history of institutional =
change.
Historically, government institutions have always been the slowest to =
change in the wake of a technological revolution.=20
The truth of the matter is that our senior governments need external =
guidance to help them adapt to the new realities we are now facing.=20
They reflexively look inward, which is the worst possible thing to do.
There is always plenty of rhetoric and window dressing around 'engaging =
the citizen' and 'listening', but even if they hear what we were saying, =
they are still unable to respond.
The internal tensions in our senior governments today are unprecedented, =
and paralyzing.=20
They cannot respond effectively without a wholesale change of =
leadership, and this will not happen until WE make it happen.=20
I should mention that this will be the first technological revolution to =
seriously disrupt our academic institutions as well as our government =
and economic institutions.=20
If we end up giving this disruption a name, it might be something like =
The Great Decentralization.
JvL
P.S.: In case anyone is wondering, I am not a political revolutionary.=20=
I am a community sustainability consultant interested to help =
communities (and governments) to capitalize on the changes we are now =
experiencing.=20
There is a tremendous amount of good that will come of all this.=20
> =20
>=20
> THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PRIVATE AND =
CONFIDENTIAL.
>=20
> On 2013.02.22, at 4:40 PM, James Van Leeuwen <jvl@ventus.ca> wrote:
>=20
>> Gary,
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> 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).
>>=20
>> The under-representation of the community/municipal sector in =
i-CANADA is not a matter of preference on i-CANADA's part.=20
>>=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
>>=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.
>>=20
>> Wanting permission is a quintessentially Canadian trait, but no =
community in Canada actually needs permission from anyone to meet its =
own broadband needs.=20
>>=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.
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> For i-CANADA, the critical need is not to weaken enterprise =
involvement, but to strengthen community involvement.
>>=20
>> Our lack of community leadership is our single greatest obstacle in =
advancing the digital agenda in Canada... not industry, and not =
government.=20
>>=20
>> To make the best progress, this is the challenge we should be =
channelling our available attention, time and energy into.
>>=20
>> 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
>>=20
>> I will helping to coordinate and deliver the event, because this is =
my 'turf'.
>>=20
>> i-CANADA needs all the help we can get right across Canada, =
especially volunteer support at the community level.
>>=20
>>=20
>> Why waste time engaging federal government when they are so far out =
of their depth and their priorities lie elsewhere.
>>=20
>> Our telecom and broadcast industries also have different priorities, =
which often conflict directly with the needs of communities.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> I have said this before...
>>=20
>> 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
>>=20
>> The notion of Gbps residential Internet connectivity for $70/month =
simply does not reconcile with their mental models of reality.=20
>>=20
>> They cannot provide the leadership we need.=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> Virtually all of my consulting and volunteer activity today is =
directly focused on addressing this community leadership challenge.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>> 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.
>>=20
>>=20
>> 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
>>=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
>>=20
>>=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
>>=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
>>=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
>>=20
>> It might just be wishful thinking on my part, but my point is to =
illustrate just how acute this lack of leadership is.
>>=20
>> 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
>>=20
>> We have only one serious initiative (Olds Fibre), and a tiny handful =
of less ambitious initiatives.=20
>>=20
>> This is the reality of Alberta... the place our current Prime =
Minister hails from.=20
>>=20
>> JvL
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> On 2013-02-22, at 11:56 AM, Gary W Kenward <garykenward@eastlink.ca> =
wrote:
>>=20
>>> 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
>>=20
>=20
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"><br><div><div>On 2013-02-22, at 3:04 PM, 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"><meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html =
charset=3Diso-8859-1"><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><font =
color=3D"#0061ff">James:</font><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D"#0061ff"> =
Thank you for your perspective. I find it interesting that you say =
iCANADA wants to get the two sectors working together. CATA started the =
iCanada initiative, and as far as I have been able to determine, have =
not tried to reach out to any =
community. </font></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>As =
just one member of i-CANADA's Advisory Council, I have personally =
reached out to at least twenty communities large and small here in =
western Canada over the last two years.</div><div><br></div><div>Elected =
officials from some of these communities now serve on the Governance =
Council of i-CANADA, and CIOs and IT Managers from some of these =
communities have joined the Advisory =
Council. </div><div><br></div><div>I have done the same with =
western Canada's major Research & Education networks, which are now =
also represented on i-CANADA's Governance =
Board. </div><div><br></div><div>The Premier of New Brunswick is =
Chairman of the Governance Council, and Mayor Brad Woodside of =
Fredericton also serves on the Governance =
Council. </div><div><br></div><div><div style=3D"margin: 0px; "><i =
style=3D"font-size: 13px;"><b>"We don't charge you to walk on our =
sidewalks. Why would we charge you for broadband?=94</b></i></div><div =
style=3D"margin: 0px; "><span style=3D"font-size: 13px;">[Mayor Woodside =
commenting on Fredericton=92s <i>Frede-zone </i>public </span><span =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; ">access WiFi network, </span><span =
style=3D"font-size: 13px; color: rgb(4, 51, 255); "><a =
href=3D"http://www.fred-ezone.ca">www.fred-ezone.ca</a>]</span></div></div=
><div><br></div><div><br></div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div =
style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"> I disagree that there is no interest, and I =
disagree that there are not community groups wiling to interact. I think =
the major issue is more likely that the groups are local, small and =
numerous. A quintessentially Canadian behaviour is to engage governments =
under the assumption that they represent communities. Having worked with =
some of these communities locally, there seems to be a general =
experience that the governments are not very good at engaging community =
groups even with their government programs, never mind =
iCanada.</font></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: =
space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><font =
color=3D"#424242"> </font></div></div></blockquote><blockquote =
type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: =
space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff">As an example: I first heard of i-Canada when it =
created a LinkedIn group. I read the first postings, and then the web =
site. Interest was proclaimed and questions asked by a number of people =
(presumably mostly Canadian members of the LinkedIn community). =
iCanada did not respond to any inquiry at that time. And, a cursory =
perusal of the the iCanada group today shows that there continues to be =
no attempt at fostering discussion. The group simply serves as a =
platform for disseminating iCanada announcements. So how is this =
engaging the community?</font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D"#0061ff"> =
My professional background includes working in the telecommunications =
and data networking sectors. There's good reason to question CATAs =
motivations regarding iCANADA - they are an industry organization driven =
by profit opportunities for their members in select markets. The current =
flurry of announcements regarding mHealth is a perfect example. I do not =
have an issue with their motivations except when they attempt to =
disguise those motivations behind a facade of community =
service.</font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D"#0061ff"> =
Communities, governments and businesses working together is the ideal =
scenario for pretty well any issue Canada faces moving forward. =
Governments and businesses working together without communities is not =
an ideal scenario.</font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D"#0061ff"> I =
will begin to believe they are truly interested in communities when =
representatives are included in iCanada discussions and events (take a =
look at the January, 2013 announcement on <a =
href=3D"http://icanada.nu/">http://icanada.nu/</a> - not one =
representative of the community appears in the list of people gathered =
to "<span style=3D"background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: =
18px; text-align: left; ">create a plan to develop an equitable =
high-bandwidth regional community, bringing ultra-high-speed service to =
homes and businesses throughout the twin provinces." In an area where =
there are many communities and community =
groups.</span></font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D"#0061ff"> =
I wish you all the best in your endeavours to influence =
iCanada.</font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"><br></font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff">Regards,</font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff">Gary</font></div><div><font =
color=3D"#0061ff"><br></font></div><div><div =
apple-content-edited=3D"true"></div></div></div></blockquote></div><div><b=
r></div><div>I did not say there was no interest, Gary, I said =
there was a lack of committed leadership.</div><div><br></div><div>My =
local Economic Development Committee might be interested to hear what I =
have to say, but this does not imply that anyone is going to take any =
initiative in this =
community. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>That said, you =
make a valid point. </div><div><br></div><div>If we could =
get <b><i>all</i></b> the committed community leadership we =
have in Canada supporting a single nationwide initiative, we would have =
a much better balance between community and enterprise =
agendas.</div><div><br></div><div>This is i-CANADA's objective, and it's =
why I volunteer for them.</div><div><br></div><div>I hope you will all =
consider doing the same.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>As for =
our expectations of senior =
governments...</div><div><br></div><div>Whether these expectations are =
warranted or not, they are failing us =
badly.</div><div><br></div><div>The System - OUR System - is broken, and =
outliving its usefulness. </div><div><br></div><div>Despite this, =
an attitude of Ain't-Broke-Don't-Fix-It still =
prevails.</div><div><br></div><div>We may be reluctant to accept =
reality, because it means the burden of leadership now falls to us as =
individuals and communities.</div><div><br></div><div>I personally =
believe this is the essence of the challenge Canada faces at this point =
in its history.</div><div><br></div><div>If we fail to respond, we fail =
ourselves and we especially fail our =
children.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><i><b>"Th=
e major advances in human civilization all but wreck the societies in =
which they appear." </b></i>[Alfred North =
Whitehead]</div><div><br></div><div>More than anything, this is a =
commentary on the history of institutional =
change.</div><div><br></div><div>Historically, government institutions =
have always been the slowest to change in the wake of a technological =
revolution. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The truth of =
the matter is that our senior governments need <b><u>external</u></b> =
guidance to help them adapt to the new realities we are now =
facing. </div><div><br></div><div>They reflexively look inward, =
which is the worst possible thing to do.</div><div><br></div><div>There =
is always plenty of rhetoric and window dressing around 'engaging the =
citizen' and 'listening', but even if they hear what we were saying, =
they are still unable to respond.</div><div><br></div><div>The internal =
tensions in our senior governments today are unprecedented, and =
paralyzing. </div><div><br></div><div>They cannot respond =
effectively without a wholesale change of leadership, and this will =
not happen until WE make it =
happen. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I should mention =
that this will be the first technological revolution to seriously =
disrupt our academic institutions as well as our government and economic =
institutions. </div><div><br></div><div>If we end up giving this =
disruption a name, it might be something like <b><i>The Great =
Decentralization</i></b>.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>JvL</div=
><div><br></div><div>P.S.: In case anyone is wondering, I am not a =
political revolutionary. </div><div><br></div><div>I am a community =
sustainability consultant interested to help communities (and =
governments) to capitalize on the changes we are now =
experiencing. </div><div><br></div><div>There is a tremendous =
amount of good that will come of all =
this. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></d=
iv><div><br></div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><div><font =
color=3D"#424242"> </font></div><div><div =
apple-content-edited=3D"true"><div style=3D"font-family: Arial; =
font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; =
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-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><span =
style=3D"font-size: 10px; "><font face=3D"Trebuchet =
MS"><b><i><br></i></b></font></span></div><div style=3D"font-family: =
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-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
"><span><span style=3D"color: rgb(156, 24, 0); text-align: left; =
font-size: 12px; "><font face=3D"Trebuchet MS"><b><i>THE INFORMATION =
CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PRIVATE AND =
CONFIDENTIAL.</i></b></font></span></span></div>
</div>
<br><div><div>On 2013.02.22, at 4:40 PM, James Van Leeuwen <<a =
href=3D"mailto:jvl@ventus.ca">jvl@ventus.ca</a>> wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><meta =
http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html =
charset=3Diso-8859-1"><div style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; =
">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>____________________=
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c.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors</a><br><br><br></blockquote>_______________=
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c.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors</a><br><br></blockquote><br></blockquote>__=
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