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Consensus Submission

Submitted by AndrewClement 2010-07-13 20:12:29 EDT

Theme(s): Building Digital Skills, Canada's Digital Content, Digital Infrastructure, Innovation Using Digital Technologies

Executive Summary

Innovation using digital technologies, we call for the Canadian Government to focus on developing a foundation for innovation across the entire economy and not just in a few priority areas. It needs to recognize that innovation occurs widely and not just in large private sector organizations. Furthermore, the generativity that is vital to social and economic innovation should be promoted through open, neutral networks and not be subordinated to excessive concern about security or protection of industry incumbents.

In developing the digital infrastructure, we call for defining a basket of basic services regarded as essential to contemporary life. This would include affordable access to open, neutral, high quality broadband networks as a right. In addressing the challenges of the still emerging digital infrastructure close attention should be paid to Internet architecture and operation. e.g. expanding the IP address range through the promotion of IPv6, architecting the 'internet of things' in ways that promote new applications while protecting privacy and national sovereignty, promoting environmental sustainability measures such as 'green broadband'.

In creating Canada's digital content, we call for greater recognition of the variety of contexts in which content relevant to Canadians is produced and used. Open access principles should be made central to a digital strategy, and care given to balancing the various competing interests over copyrighted material. e.g., all publically-funded research publications and public sector information should be readily accessible and freely available, long-term preservation of all digitally produced content should be a priority, content and tools for accessing it should adopt inclusive design principles to ensure that it is accessible to all Canadians.

In building digital skills, it is not just employment that need to be considered, but the wider range of abilities that people need to be citizens fully participating in the rapidly changing social, political and economic life of the 21st century. This requires learning programs based on principles of accessibility, continuity and flexibility. The federal government already has some training and access programs, such as the Consensus Submission 3 current Community Access Program (CAP), that are effective in addressing digital divide issues. These should be supported and extended.

Finally, the recent report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications' Plan for a Digital Canada contains many valuable recommendations which we support.

This submission supersedes the previous interim Consensus Submission dated 2010-07-06 10:26:07 EDT

Submission

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Guylaine Verner
Industry Canada | Industrie Canada
300 Slater Street, Ottawa ON K1A 0C8 | 300, rue Slater, Ottawa ON K1A 0C8
Guylaine.Verner@ic.gc.ca
Telephone | Téléphone 613-990-6456
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This document is better viewed and printed in PDF format:
Consensus Submission (PDF, 424 KB)

Suggested URL:
Roundtable consultation wiki

A document prepared through a consensus–based roundtable process convened by Andrew Clement and Karen Louise Smith with the support of Faculty of Information Identity, Privacy and Security Institute (IPSI), and Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI)

University of Toronto
July 9, 2010

Executive Summary

We the participants in the online and face-to-face collaborative process convened at the University of Toronto, call upon the Government of Canada to consider the digital economy as one element of a digital society.

Our submission highlights Canadian values foundational to a digital society, such as social inclusion, affordable universal access, the legal right to internet access, and the promotion of privacy, civil liberties and participatory opportunities for citizenship. These should serve as overarching goals in digital strategy formulation.

We addressed many of the major consultation themes with a view to advancing the broad public interests at stake in Canada's digital future.

In promoting innovation using digital technologies, we call for the Canadian Government to focus on developing a foundation for innovation across the entire economy and not just in a few priority areas. It needs to recognize that innovation occurs widely and not just in large private sector organizations. Furthermore, the generativity that is vital to social and economic innovation should be promoted through open, neutral networks and not be subordinated to excessive concern about security or protection of industry incumbents.

In developing the digital infrastructure, we call for defining a basket of basic services regarded as essential to contemporary life. This would include affordable access to open, neutral, high quality broadband networks as a right. In addressing the challenges of the still emerging digital infrastructure close attention should be paid to Internet architecture and operation. e.g. expanding the IP address range through the promotion of IPv6, architecting the 'internet of things' in ways that promote new applications while protecting privacy and national sovereignty, promoting environmental sustainability measures such as 'green broadband'.

In creating Canada's digital content, we call for greater recognition of the variety of contexts in which content relevant to Canadians is produced and used. Open access principles should be made central to a digital strategy, and care given to balancing the various competing interests over copyrighted material. e.g., all publically-funded research publications and public sector information should be readily accessible and freely available, long-term preservation of all digitally produced content should be a priority, content and tools for accessing it should adopt inclusive design principles to ensure that it is accessible to all Canadians.

In building digital skills, it is not just employment that need to be considered, but the wider range of abilities that people need to be citizens fully participating in the rapidly changing social, political and economic life of the 21st century. This requires learning programs based on principles of accessibility, continuity and flexibility. The federal government already has some training and access programs, such as the current Community Access Program (CAP), that are effective in addressing digital divide issues. These should be supported and extended.

Finally, the recent report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications' Plan for a Digital Canada contains many valuable recommendations which we support.

Endorsements

This submission to the federal government consultation on a Digital Economy Strategy for Canada is endorsed by the following individuals. Organizations are mentioned for identification purposes only and unless otherwise indicated, should not be construed as organizational endorsement. Where an individual wishes to abstain from a particular clause in the document, this is so indicated.

1. Steve Anderson, National Coordinator, OpenMedia.ca
2. Gene loeb Aronin, PhD., Director and Founder, Center for Technology and Mental Hygiene, and Roosevelt University-Chicago, Illinois
3. BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, President, Prof. Richard Rosenberg
4. David Black, Coordinator, Emergency Response Planning, University of Toronto
5. Robert Booth, Individual
6. Clare Brett, Professor OISE and KMDI, University of Toronto
7. Leslie Chan, Program Supervisor for the Joint Program in New Media Studies and teh International Development Studies program at the University of Toronto at Scarborough
8. Andrew Clement, Professor, Faculty of Information, KMDI & IPSI, University of Toronto
9. Kathleen A. Cross, Lecturer, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University
10. Derrick de Kerckhove, Professor of French and Director of the McLuhan Program in Culture & Technology, University of Toronto
11. Michael Dick, Communication and Culture Masters Alumni, Ryerson and York Universities
12. Martin R. Dowding, PhD., Assistant Professor, Communication Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University
13. Wendy Duff, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
14. Glen E. Farrelly, PhD student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
15. Joseph Ferenbok, Senior Researcher/Lecturer, University of Toronto
16. Marcel Fortin, GIS and Map Librarian, University of Toronto
17. Nobuko Fujita, Researcher, OISE, University of Toronto
18. Twyla Gibson, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
19. Anne M. Godbout, Director of Legal Services, SOCAN
20. Sara M. Grimes, PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
21. Laura Jo Gunter, Dean, Information Arts and Technology, Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology
22. Mike Gurski, Bell Canada
23. Bob Hanke, Contract Faculty, Department of Humanities & Department of Communication Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University
24. Alison Harvey, PhD Candidate, Joint Graduate Programme in Communication and Culture at York and Ryerson Universities
25. Dimitrios Hatzinakos, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering and Director of IPSI, University of Toronto
26. Andrew Hilts, Masters student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
27. Lynne C. Howarth, Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
28. Doug Hull, President, Connectivity Strategies, Ottawa, ON
29. Thom Kearney, Partner, Rowanwood, part-time professor, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON
30. Adriana Ieraci, Executive Director, KMDI, University of Toronto
31. Tamir Israel, Staff Lawyer, CIPPIC
32. Eva Jansen, Masters student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
33. Laurie Kagetsu, Individual
34. Dave Kemp, Visual artist, Visual Studies and KMDI Masters alumni, University of Toronto
35. Margaret Lam, Masters Student, Faculty of Information, KMDI, University of Toronto
36. Yannet Lanthrop, Masters student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
37. James Larrue, Individual
38. Tracey Lauriault, Doctoral student, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University
39. Wendy Li, Individual
40. Evan Light, PhD. Candidate, Département de communication sociale et publique, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).
41. Mark Lipton, Associate Professor, School of English and Theatre Studies, University of Guelph
42. Janet Lo, Legal Counsel, Public Interest Advocacy Centre
43. Mary Lynn Manton, Coordinator, Informatics & Security Degree Program, Seneca College
44. Michael McCaffrey, Lecturer, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
45. Colin McCann, Master's Student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
46. Kathleen McManus, Director, Public Affairs/Directrice, Affaires publiques, GS1 Canada
47. Brenda McPhail, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
48. Dr. Thomas McPhail, Chair and Professor of Media Studies, University of Missouri, St.Louis, Missouri
49. Russell McOrmond, Internet consultant, Policy coordinator for CLUE: Canada's Association for Open Source, Host for Digital Copyright Canada, Cocoordinator for GOSLING (Getting Open Source Logic INto Governments)
50. Catherine Middleton, Professor, Ted Rogers School of Technology Management, Ryerson University
51. M. Kathleen Milberry, PhD, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
52. Marita Moll, Telecommunities Canada
53. Heather Morrison, PhD Student, Simon Fraser University School of Communication
54. Grant Patten, Master's student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto (abstaining from the following clauses:1.2 Legal right to broadband Internet access; 2.1.2 Net neutrality; 2.4.2 Community-based innovation; 5.2.1 Accessibility)
55. Morgen Peers, Individual
56. Peter Pennefather, Professor, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, Outreach Director, KMDI, University of Toronto
57. David Phillips, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
58. Kostas Plataniotis, Professor, ECE and Director KMDI, University of Toronto
59. Matt Ratto, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
60. Catherine Richards, Masters Student, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
61. Rebecca Schild, undergrad student, UTSC, International Development Studies
62. Leslie Regan Shade, Associate Professor, Dept. of Communication Studies, Concordia University
63. Karen Smith, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Information & KMDI, University of Toronto
64. Jeremy Shtern, Post-doctoral fellow, Faculty of Communication and Design, School of Radio-Television Arts (RTA), Ryerson University
65. John Harris Stevenson, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Information & KMDI, University of Toronto
66. Siobhan, Stevenson, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
67. Bruce A Stewart, MA. Director, The iSchool Institute, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
68. Gail Stewart, citizen
69. Yuri Takhteyev, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto (abstaining from clause 2.1.2 net neutrality)
70. Darlene A. Thompson, Secretary/Treasurer, N-CAP, Iqaluit, NU
71. Kyle Alexander Thompson, MA student, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University
72. Jennifer Trant, Partner, Archives & Museum Informatics & PhD candidate, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
73. Jutta Treviranus, Director, Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University
74. Julia Walden, Director Visualization Design Institute, Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
75. Kelly Walsh, Individual
76. Anthony Wensley, Associate Professor, Director of Communication, Culture and Information Technology (CCIT) Programs at the University of Toronto Mississauga
77. Ezra Winton, PhD III, School of Journalism and Communication, Carleton University and Founder and Programmer, Cinema Politica
78. Eric Yu, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
• Endorsements
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• 1.0 Goals and Objectives
  • Preamble
  • 1.1 Affordable, Universal Access — Goal 1
  • 1.2 Legal Right to Internet Access — Goal 2
  • 1.3 Participatory Citizenship and Social Inclusion — Goal 3
  • 1.4 Promotion of Privacy and Other Civil Liberties — Goal 4
  • 1.5 Community Planning and Design — Goal 5
  • 1.6 More Effective Coordination Within the Government of Canada on Internet and Digital Technology Policy — Goal 6
  • 1.7 Broad Desiderata — Goal 7
• 2.0 Innovation Using Digital Technologies
  • 2.1 Should Canada Focus on Increasing Innovation in Some Key Sectors or Focus on Providing the Foundation for Innovation Across the Economy
    • 2.1.1 A foundation for innovation
    • 2.1.2 Net neutrality
    • 2.1.3 Balance security and generativity
  • 2.2 Which Conditions Best Incent and Promote Adoption of ICT by Canadian Businesses and Public Sectors
    • 2.2.1 Infrastructure
    • 2.2.2 Gallery of Innovation
  • 2.3 What Would a Successful Digital Strategy Look Like for Your Firm or Sector What Are The Barriers to Implementation
    • 2.3.1 A Canadian digital archive
    • 2.3.2 Streamline funding programs and tax incentives
  • 2.4 Other
    • 2.4.1 Content innovation and Canada's public media sector
    • 2.4.2 Community-based innovation
• 3.0 Digital Infrastructure
  • Basket of basic services
  • 3.1 Broadband Access
  • 3.2 Open Access
  • 3.3 Essential Services, Including Minimum Performance Levels and 9-1-1
  • 3.4 Community Anchor Institutions
  • 3.5 Public Interest and Competition
  • 3.6 Universal Email Access
  • 3.7 Privacy
    • Emerging Challenges with Digital Infrastructure
  • 3.8 Support IPV6
  • 3.9 Plan for "Internet of Things"
  • 3.10 Retrofit Declining Telecoms Infrastructure
  • 3.11 Enhance Our Capacity for Monitoring and Mapping Canada's Digital Infrastructure
  • 3.12 Focus on Human Development and the Digital Infrastructure
• 4.0 Canada's Digital Content
  • Preamble
  • 4.1 Open Access to Scholarly Research
  • 4.2 Openness and Innovative Business Models
  • 4.3 Balanced Copyright
  • 4.4 Community Networks and Digital Content
  • 4.5 Financial and Other Support for the Creation of Canadian Content
  • 4.6 Digital Opportunity Structures and the Capacity of Canada's Independent Production Sectors
  • 4.7 Accessibility
  • 4.8 Long Term Preservation
  • 4.9 Open Data
  • 4.10 ICT Literacy
• 5.0 Building Digital Skills
  • 5.1 What do you see as the most critical challenges in skills development for a Digital Economy?
  • 5.2 What is the best way to address these challenges?
    • 5.2.1 Accessibility
    • 5.2.2 Continuity
    • 5.2.3 Flexibility
  • 5.3 What can we do to ensure that labour market entrants have digital skills?
  • 5.4 What is the best way to ensure the current workforce gets the continuous up-skilling required to remain competitive in the Digital Economy? Are different tactics required for SMEs versus large enterprises?
  • 5.5 How will the digital economy impact the learning system in Canada? How we teach? How we learn?
  • 5.6 What strategies could be employed to address the Digital Divide?
  • 5.7 Other: Hovernment as a model user
• 6.0 Other
  • 6.1 Building a World-Class Digital Infrastructure
  • 6.2 Building Digital Skills for Tomorrow
  • 6.3 Conclusion: Strategies for Sustainable Prosperity
• Acknowledgements
• References

Introduction

Industry Canada's 2010 consultation on the Digital Economy strategy invites submissions from the public. At the University of Toronto (U of T), a group of faculty and graduate students affiliated with and supported by the Faculty of Information, the Knowledge Media Design Institute (KMDI) and Identity, Privacy and Security Institute (IPSI) responded to this invitation by convening a collaborative submission drafting process. Through our networks and affiliates, we launched a call for participation on June 4 to recruit scholars and experts in information and communication technology (ICT) policy, broadly conceived, as well as anyone with an active interest in this field. A key requirement from all participants was the willingness to work together on crafting this consensus submission. To achieve this goal we established a wiki environment where approximately 50 people joined in the conversation. Based on the initial contributions, we then held a half-day in-person roundtable with 33 participants at U of T on June 14th, 2010. Individuals participating in our wiki and roundtable event came from a range of backgrounds; while primarily an academic group of professors, students and staff from several universities, some individuals from industry and non-profit organizations also took an active part. Our objective for the wiki and the roundtable event was to collaboratively author this submission as a consensus document, where the opinions and expertise of a broad array of the participants could be brought to bear on developing a digital strategy for Canada.

Recognizing the broad potential scope and importance of our future digital economy, we identified the overall visions and objectives which might effectively guide the development of digital economy policy in Canada. We, the endorsers of this document as individuals, also responded directly to the consultation themes of:

• Innovation using digital technologies
• Digital infrastructure
• Canada's digital content
• Building digital skills.

Following the Roundtable, a draft submission was made available to participants for further comment and revision before being finalized in the form seen here. Participants were free to withdraw their endorsement, or indicate specific clauses they wish to abstain form. Additional endorsements were also welcomed. In this sense the final document reflects a 'rough' consensus of all those involved.

The collaborative authoring process, involving teams focused on specific themes, has meant that the combined contributions are broad and varied, with thematic sections organized differently. For example, some sections respond directly to the consultation questions, where others respond more directly to particular pertinent issues.

We see our submission to this consultation process as an attempt to address the broad public interests across the wide array of both technical and social aspects which face government in setting policy directions for the digital economy.

In the Consultation Paper on a Digital Economy Strategy for Canada, universities are positioned as sites where learners can gain the ICTs skills necessary to participate in a dynamic economy and as places where ICT relevant research can be conducted and made relevant to everyday life. Canadian post-secondary institutions are also sites where a diversity of perspectives: scientific, technical, artistic, and humanistic can be brought together in dialogue to broadly consider the potential policy visions and directions for Canada's digital economy. With our submission, we have attempted to draw on the strengths that university settings offer and to provide concrete policy options wherever possible to help realize our visions for the digital economy.

In crafting this submission, we envision that Canada's digital economy of the future involves both the 'traditional' computers and connections to the Internet, as well as mobile devices and an 'internet of things' where devices ranging from refrigerators to identity cards can connect to databases and networked computers. The digital economy in Canada includes an array of aspects that must be considered such as, access, inclusivity, innovation, creativity, and sustainability. As the endorsers of this document we have responded to Industry Canada's consultation document and express our interest in continuing the dialogue about the digital economy and the implications of digital technologies within Canadian society more broadly.

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