Build the Foundation for All

The role of the government is to provide support for all. Public roads, not private ones. Build the foundation, the connectivity, true net neutrality, and leave the innovation to the community.

Comments

Nscafe — 2010–05–13 18:09:03 EDT wrote

Free Wi Fi for all. Blanket the country and support it like roads.

Ron Van Holst — 2010–05–15 22:27:34 EDT wrote

The connectivity should be symmetrical. Today most Internet service is faster downloading than uploading. The new information 'roads' should have the same number of lanes going in either direction. Innovative use of the Internet will mean people are creating content as well. With better information roads, what can we do policy wise that will encourage Canadians to not just be consumers of information and services, but also innovative providers of information and services?

patrickgwelch — 2010–05–16 13:50:09 EDT wrote

The role for the Canadian government, with regards to internet infrastructure, should be:

1. To ensure 'Net Neutrality'
2. To ensure ubiquitous access to high speed internet (the public 'road' analogy is good for highlighting this need). Reliable high speed internet should not be restricted to the profitable major centers.
3. To ensure accessible access to the internet. All Canadians should have access to the internet, either freely or for very reasonable fees — though ideally freely (i.e., through schools, libraries, public wifi, public fiber optics, etc..)

KyleAThompson — 2010–06–15 23:23:51 EDT wrote

Net neutrality is crucial for the maintenance of those aspects of internet activity which are most beneficial to the public good. That is to say: grassroots organization on an independent basis through message boards, sharing of open source and free software, the existence of independent media sources, and many others. While the corporate internet will continue to be alive and kicking regardless of the outcome of the net neutrality debate, the public internet's contribution to society and the economy cannot be ignored.

Universal access to this public good is crucial both for the vitality of the internet itself, and for Canadian society and culture in general.

Craig.Sellars — 2010–06–21 09:06:46 EDT wrote

The government should develop open source for everyone and in turn save money on its own operations. We can be a leader at home and abroad by developing the infrastructure necessary for all.

Craig.Sellars — 2010–06–21 09:07:04 EDT wrote

The government should develop open source for everyone and in turn save money on its own operations. We can be a leader at home and abroad by developing the infrastructure necessary for all.

See: Government Use and Participation in Open Source