CNET has posted an interesting interview with U.S. Federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra. In a week where the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission has called for an open Internet supported by net neutrality principles enshrined into law, Chopra gives a good sense of where the U.S. is headed on technology policy with openness – open data and open standards – at the top of the list. Chopra hedges on copyright reforms, but notes his experience with Creative Commons and the use of open textbooks with a track record of sharing and remixing. He affirms his strong support for net neutrality. He cites his three main deputies – Andrew McLaughlin, the former head of Google public policy, Beth Noveck, author of WikiGovernment and the inspiration behind the peer to patent project, and Scott Deutchman, who was a legal advisor at the FCC – as well as the new director of the USPTO, David Kappos (former had of IBM IP licensing). It is still early days in the Obama Administration, but the contrast to Canada could not be sharper. The U.S. is heading toward greater openness, whether in the network or within government. Canada still does not have anything comparable and seems likely to fall further and further behind on technology policy.
Why Canada Is About To Fall Further Behind the U.S. on Tech Policy
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Good thing USA calls the shots here in Canada.
funny farm
Honest Abe, we will copy it and then the harper gov will have its puppet Prentice (or whom ever) to get his gang of fellow puppets to yell on the floor that it’s made in Canada. :p
It’s true, we copy everything the United States does. I think its extremely unfortunate that we cant pass laws and think for ourselves.
Yeah mason, the way we’ve just blatantly copied the American health, education, environmental and military programs is truly a disgrace.
Check this guys credentials
I believe Dvorak did a deep dive on this guy’s resume and found he wasn’t all he claims to be. Seeing the creds of those deputies puts me a bit more at ease.
Wheres my 100mbit?
Almost everyone in south-western Ontario could have fiber connections it’s practical because the population density is high enough and the back-bones run right though. The problem is no company with the money to do it has the initiative to do it and the government drags its feet. The quality of the broadband is garbage even if the penetration is high but its hard to explain to most politicians.
Bureaucracy!
We have the most ignorant, bureaucratically minded set of pinheads running the GoC show…it really is hopeless to tell you the truth!
Copy
Canadians copy every excellent thing and not from US only. It is a good idea to take the best from every country. Most of Canadians are immigrants who bring to our country excellent things.