[Advisors] budget consultations - v. 2

[Marita Moll]

So here is a new version incorporating some of the comments from Garth 
and James.

1. In your opinion how can we better support our middle class?

-- ICT and digital literacy are today's most powerful catalysts for 
social and economic innovation, and Canada is falling behind;

-- Ample, accessible and affordable broadband has become essential to 
supporting such innovation;

-- A world-class digital strategy has become essential to maintaining 
Canada's social and cultural relevance and economic competitiveness.

A national digital economy strategy is a vital part of federal policy 
that has been allowed to languish for too long. All Canadians will be 
supported by a committment to return to a leadership role in this 
sector. Growing evidence supports the connection between household 
income, jobs, and modern information and communications infrastructure. 
As Prime Minister Trudeau said in his speech to the Davos meetings, 
Canadians are resourceful. But to harness that resourcefulness, the 
government must lead with a digital strategy that will build capacity 
for social and economic innovation at the community level.

2. What infrastructure needs can best help grow the economy, protect our 
environment and meet your priorities locally?

Economic growth in the 21st century cannot occur without 21st-century 
tools. A program to support community-driven access and education 
initiatives across the country would help ensure prosperity is both deep 
and wide throughout the country. An effective national digital economy 
strategy will recognize that local/ municipal / community ownership of 
broadband infrastructure as a public utility is the only route to 
ensuring that communities are "smart" enough to take charge of their own 
digital futures. Over the years, this kind of initiative has created 
jobs and brought new businesses to many areas at very little cost. The 
government must improve Canada's communications infrastructure and 
facilitate access, use, and skills in this area by committing to 
effective broadband from coast to coast to coast that supports a full 
range of communications applications.

3. How can we create economic growth, protect the environment and meet 
local priorities while ensuring that the most vulnerable don't get left 
behind.

National programs that provide access, education, and support for the 
effective use of new communications technologies in communities should 
be considered essential investments that generate demand and build human 
capacity to meet that demand. We must ensure that all Canadians are able 
to participate in the new economy. Reintroduction and expansion of 
support for public access programs will boost local economies by 
encouraging them to use new technologies for community development and 
by offering collaborative tools. When Canadian communities suffer 
because of major job losses, these programs help provide support in an 
economic downturn.


4. Is the implementation of these new priorities and initiatives 
realistic? Will it help us grow our economy?

Affordable high-speed internet access is an indispensable asset for the 
economic health of communities of all sizes. It attracts businesses, 
encourages local entrepreneurship, and maintains high standards in 
education and health services, all of which support local 
sustainability. Some of the funds earmarked for infrastructure spending 
in this budget should be channelled into designing and implementing a 
digital strategy and into extending rural and remote connectivity 
programs. Supporting projects that lead to municipally owned fibre as an 
open public utility will ensure that the community can use ICT to 
bootstrap local development and to practice digital inclusion techniques 
so that everyone benefits from the changes. The federal government 
should work with provincial authorities to encourage the development of 
a digitally literate population, and the Minister of Employment, 
Workforce and Labour should review policies and programs to ensure that 
priority is given to training in digital skills.

Marita




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