[Advisors] social infrastructure for digital inclusion?

[Marita Moll]

I have been thinking that there is a lot of evidence that community 
networks really have done a lot to help immigrants integrate.  VCN has 
had a particularly well-documented program -- was studied by the CRACIN 
project.  And with the influx of refugees, there is an argument to be 
made that these facilities can be part of the infrastructure in place to 
help with language, cultural and job issues.

We should write a letter -- but who do we write to?  Industry, Heritage, 
Citizenship.  I am a bit lost on the new structures.

Marita

On 12/7/2015 7:58 AM, Peter Frampton wrote:
> In the red sweep we ended up with a guy nobody has seen in the community ......  Sigh
>
> Peter Frampton
> LEF
> (Pardon the thumbs please)
>
> On Dec 5, 2015, at 5:07 PM, Garth Graham<garth.graham at telus.net>  wrote:
>
>    
>>> And recognizing that public investment is needed to create and support economic growth, job creation and economic prosperity, the Government will make significant new investments in public transit, green infrastructure, and social infrastructure. Speech from the Throne: making real change happen. Dec. 4,2015. http://speech.gc.ca/sites/sft/files/speech_from_the_throne.pdf
>>>        
>> “Real change,” but not a single mention of a digital economy, or of broadband, Internet, networks, or telecommunications as infrastructure.  But would that reference to social infrastructure allow a municipality to advance an argument for community based broadband?
>>
>> There seem to be two definitions of social infrastructure, one that’s facilities oriented and one that’s process oriented:
>> 1. Social Infrastructure is a subset of the infrastructure sector and typically includes assets that accommodate social services. …… examples of Social Infrastructure Assets include schools, universities, hospitals, prisons and community housing. Social Infrastructure does not typically extend to the provision of social services, such as the provision of teachers at a school or custodial services at a prison.http://www.nzsif.co.nz/Social-Infrastructure/What-is-Social-Infrastructure/
>>
>> 2. Social infrastructure is the range of activities, organisations and facilities supporting the formation, development and maintenance of social relationships in a community. It can include provision of community facilities; community development; local networks, community groups and organisations; small scale funding to help fund local projects; personal learning and skills development to help develop community leadership and volunteering (both formally and informally). http://www.futurecommunities.net/glossary/term/26
>>
>> Community networking as a practice aimed at digital inclusion might be argued to fit into definition 2.  But the mention in the Throne Speech would seem to point to definition 1.  Here’s what the Liberal Party’s platform says:
>>      
>>> A Liberal government will provide a new, dedicated funding envelope for social infrastructure. We will prioritize investment in affordable housing and seniors facilities, early learning and child care, and cultural or recreational infrastructure. Our plan will renew federal leadership in affordable housing, help build more housing units, refurbish existing ones, renew existing co-operative agreements, and provide operational funding support for municipalities. We will also fund the creation of thousands of new child care spaces, enhance their quality, and ensure that affordable child care spaces are available to more families who need them. We will also boost investment in social infrastructure by nearly $6 billion over the next four years, and almost $20 billion over ten years.  https://www.liberal.ca/realchange/investing-in-social-infrastructure/
>>>        
>> So, I’m guessing that a well crafted request for a municipal broadband project framed in the context of essential social infrastructure for digital inclusion would fail.  But how would we know if the question’s never asked?
>>
>> Anybody who knows any Liberal MPs is welcome to pass this question along to them.  Vancouver Island where I live only exists in the present moment.  It doesn’t bother anticipating the future.  So every Riding on the Island went NDP, leaving me with nobody inside enough to ask.
>>
>> GG
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