Legal Research

Digital Economy Consultation ? Our Moonshot

By David Canton

The Canadian government announced a consultation on the future of Canada’s digital economy at the Canada 3.0 conference this week. I encourage readers to add their thoughts to the consultation process – which is open for the next 60 days.

It is summarized as:

Digital technologies are critical to every aspect of our economy and society. That is why a strategy for the digital economy is needed to ensure that Canada is positioned to benefit from the opportunities that it presents.

All Canadians have a role to play in helping shape Canada?s digital future. Your perspectives, suggestions, ideas and submissions will be important inputs in the creation of our digital strategy. We appreciate your interest and participation.

This consultation, and the main message of the Canada 3.0 conference, is about building a digital media strategy for Canada so that by our 150th anniversary in 2017 everyone in Canada will be digitally connected. That’s both in the sense of connectivity, and how we use digital tools and media to work, learn, play, communicate,and manage our health. The organizers are calling this the ?Moonshot?.

The sentiment is that while Canada used to be a digital leader, we are falling behind. And that the future of our country and economy depends on the aggressive adoption of new technology

Of course, this is an issue that is easy to state – but not so easy to do something about. Questions include the roles of government vs business. And differences in attitude and perspective of old vs new media. 

Some thoughts about the conference and this issue from a couple of people I know that were there are here and here.

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on May 12, 2010 (boomark / email).