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So, I hope you are planning to enter an intervention in the budget
consultations that expresses this -- or, you may rewrite mine if you
wish. There are not many ways for us to get our views on the table.
Got to start somewhere.<br>
<br>
Marita<br>
<br>
On 1/22/2016 6:38 PM, James Van Leeuwen wrote:
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Fulfilling the Government's stated or implied objectives is almost
entirely a matter of building capacity at the *community* level for
social and economic innovation.
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<div class="">Social innovation has become the principal catalyst for
economic innovation, and social innovation can only be driven
effectively from the bottom up - not from the top down.</div>
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<div class="">The most valuable role that local and senior
governments can play is to incentivize and invest in leadership in
social innovation at the community level.</div>
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<div class="">This is how Germany has managed to get so far down the
road in transitioning from an energy economy rooted in thermal and
nuclear energy to one that is rooted in renewable energy.</div>
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<div class="">Strategy came from the top down, leadership came from
the bottom up.</div>
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href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_transition_in_Germany"
class="">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_transition_in_Germany</a></div>
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<div class="">At this juncture, I think it’s safe to assume that the
Government already knows the following:</div>
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<div class="">1) ICT and digital literacy are today’s most powerful
catalysts for social and economic innovation, and Canada is falling
behind;</div>
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<div class="">2) Ample, accessible and affordable broadband has
become essential to supporting such innovation;</div>
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<div class="">3) A world-class digital strategy has become essential
to maintaining Canada’s social and cultural relevance and economic
competitiveness.</div>
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<div class="">What the Government doesn’t seem to know is how to
craft a strategy that will work with our kind of geographic realities
(huge landmass) and market realities (incumbents).</div>
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<div class="">For TC to be most effective in its advocacy, I think we
should be focusing all of our attention on the critical role of
community leadership in social and economic innovation, and what are
the most effective ways to cultivate and support such leadership.</div>
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<div class="">I think we should maintain a singular focus on these
issues until there is a chorus loud and strong enough to command the
attention of governments large and small.</div>
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<div class="">JvL</div>
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<div class="">On Jan 22, 2016, at 3:13 PM, Marita Moll <<a
moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:mmoll@ca.inter.net" class="">mmoll@ca.inter.net</a>>
wrote:</div>
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Well, I am sure this would cause some headscratching -- I will try to
insert by rewording. Probably, at the federal level they don't do much
municipal-speak.<br class="">
Marita<br class="">
On 1/21/2016 11:40 AM, Garth Graham wrote:> Somewhere in there,
(probably in No.2?), we have to make it clearer that broadband is
essential LOCAL infrastructure, and that the existing reliance on
market-based primary telecommunications companies is NOT going to get
us there. Say something like…>> 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. The provision of municipally owned fibre as
an open public utility will ensure that the community has the capacity
to understand how ICT use can be used to bootstrap local development
and to practice digital inclusion techniques to ensure that everyone
benefits from the changes.>> GG>>> >> On Jan
20, 2016, at 2:21 PM, Marita Moll<<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:mmoll@ca.inter.net" class="">mmoll@ca.inter.net</a>>
wrote:>>>> I have put together a few motherhood responses
to the budget consultation questions -- mostly cribbed from the last
Alternative Federal Budget paper that I contributed to because I don't
have time to do anything else. Please add, comment, delete.
Otherwise, I will just submit it. There is no deadline on the
consultation page -- but it must be soon.>>>>
----------------------------------->>>> 1. In your opinion
how can we better support our middle class?>> 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 the government must lead with a digital strategy to
move the economy firmly into the 21st century.>> 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. 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. 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>>
_______________________________________________>> Advisors
mailing list>> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Advisors@tc.ca" class="">Advisors@tc.ca</a>>> <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors" class="">http://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors</a>>>
> _______________________________________________Advisors
mailing <a moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:listAdvisors@tc.cahttp"
class="">listAdvisors@tc.cahttp</a>://victoria.tc.ca/mailman/listinfo/advisors<br
class="">
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