Industry Minister Christian Paradis paid a visit to the Economic
Club of Canada in Toronto last week to deliver a
speech focused on the digital economy. As has been the
case for months, the speech was short on specifics but filled with
platitudes about a forthcoming digital economy strategy that
"challenges our innovators" and "drives new technology."
Yet despite promises of a strategy by the end of the year, the issue
remains the government's "Penske File", a source of regular speeches
and much "work" but few tangible results (for non-Seinfeld watchers,
the Penske file is a reference to a non-existent work
project). In fact, with Paradis telling attendees that the
government's role " is to give our best and brightest the
opportunities they need to succeed and then get out of the way" the
strategy may be about as ambitious as the character George Costanza
was on the Seinfeld show.
My weekly technology law column (Toronto
Star version, homepage
version) notes that Canadians have waited years for a digital
economy strategy. Paradis should dispense with the well-worn cliches
and opt for an ambitious plan that generates genuine excitement and
broad public support.
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The Economist focuses
on new copyright rules for the digital age, rightly pointing to Bill
C-11 as "setting a new standard of permissiveness" (though it
neglects to mention the restrictive digital lock rules).
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Appeared
in the Toronto Star on September 2, 2012 as Canada Can't Afford to
Wait Any Longer for Digital Economy Strategy
Industry Minister Christian Paradis paid a visit to the Economic
Club of Canada in Toronto last week to deliver a speech focused on
the digital economy. As has been the case for months, the
speech was short on specifics but filled with platitudes about a
forthcoming digital economy strategy that "challenges our
innovators" and "drives new technology."
Yet despite promises of a strategy by the end of the year, the issue
remains the government's "Penske File", a source of regular speeches
and much "work" but few tangible results (for non-Seinfeld watchers,
the Penske file is a reference to a non-existent work
project). In fact, with Paradis telling attendees that the
government’s role " is to give our best and brightest the
opportunities they need to succeed and then get out of the way" the
strategy may be about as ambitious as the character George Costanza
was on the Seinfeld show.
Canadians have waited years for a digital economy strategy. Paradis
should dispense with the well-worn cliches and opt for an ambitious
plan that generates genuine excitement and broad public support.
If Canada is to re-emerge as a digital economy leader, the starting
point should be universal computer ownership combined with
affordable broadband Internet access. The government has supported
extending broadband access to rural communities in recent years, but
there still remain thousands of Canadians who do not have access to
affordable high-speed Internet services. Reliance on the private
sector has failed to provide universal affordable access and the
government should acknowledge the need for the public funds to
address the issue.
Mere affordable access is not enough, however. As millions of
Canadian students head back to school this week, it is worth
remembering that many do not have computers in their homes. The
solution lies in a digital economy strategy that brings together the
technology and telecommunications sector to develop a plan that
ensures universal access to computers and broadband Internet by
2015.
Ensuring Canadians have the necessary access is only the first step
in the strategy. They must also have the skills and digital literacy
to use the technology effectively. This will require a concerted
effort at working with provincial and local groups to provide the
necessary knowledge and tools. These programs should be integrated
into schools and available more broadly within local communities.
Once Canadians are online, the government can’t get out of the way
until it establishes the legal framework that fosters public
confidence in e-commerce and the online environment. Paradis should
bring the languishing anti-spam legislation into effect by
finalizing regulations that have been missing-in-action for the past
year and introduce tough privacy reforms that mandate disclosure of
security breaches backed by penalties for non-compliance.
Government also can’t get out of the way until it has established a
framework that fosters a fiercely competitive Canadian digital
economy. Paradis told the Economic Club that "we need to take more
risks, think more creatively and act more boldly to claim our place
in the global economy."
Exhorting business to take risks isn’t going to make Canada a
digital economy leader, however. Creating a competitive market will,
which necessitates removing foreign investment restrictions in the
telecom and broadcast sectors, rejecting persistent calls to
"regulate the Internet", enforcing net neutrality regulations, and
using the forthcoming spectrum auction to encourage new entrants and
greater competition.
There will be additional elements to the strategy - government
transitioning to electronic delivery of services, creating a digital
economy leader around the cabinet table, and finding ways to pay for
funded programs stand out - but after years of delays, Canada needs
fewer speeches on the digital economy and more substance.
Michael Geist holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and
E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law. He can
reached at mgeist@uottawa.ca or online at www.michaelgeist.ca.
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