[Advisors] social infrastructure for digital inclusion?

[Tracey Axelsson]

I think we're dealing with Ministry of Innovation, Science and Community 
Development.

Sounds like what we do.

all the best

Tracey
=============
Tracey Axelsson
Executive Director
Vancouver Community Network
T: 778.724.0241
C: 604.831.3793

On 2015-12-07 6:03 AM, Marita Moll wrote:
> 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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