AI and 5G
Bill C-10’s focus on foreign digital giants should not ignore domestic ones
Discussions on Bill C-10 make much of the fact that the Internet was only in its infancy when the Broadcasting Act was last amended 30 years ago and that none of today’s huge and hugely-influential foreign digital companies– like Netflix, Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Spotify–existed or were contemplated at the time. While this is certainly […]
Conditions-based negotiations, renewed NATO troop commitments needed in Afghanistan
NATO defence ministers held discussions last week to address the military alliance’s mission in Afghanistan, reaffirming its commitment. The Taliban insurgent group has no incentives to compromise right now, and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani’s national army is intent on taking the war from the inner urban precincts to the districts in the unprotected countryside, ruled […]
Pandemic highlights needed change in broadband funding regime, says critic, access expert
As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its one-year anniversary, with Canadians flocking to Zoom, Call of Duty, and Netflix to manage work and life under lockdown, an internet policy expert and the NDP’s industry critic say the way Canada approaches bridging the digital divide is not working, and is falling hardest on rural and remote communities. […]
Collaborative effort needed to bridge the digital divide
Many Canadians in remote northern communities cannot depend on the internet for essential tasks for school or work, or for leisure activities like entertainment or social media. There is, in short, a deep digital divide between remote communities and the rest of the country. Historically, internet service providers (ISPs) have been the primary stakeholders tasked […]
Indigenous connectivity and federal funding: a priority or hope deferred?
In the Sept. 23, 2020, Throne Speech, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to invest $1.75-billion into internet connectivity for all Canadians, with a focus on rural and Indigenous communities as part of that priority. “The prime minister said the government is now on track to connect 98 per cent of Canadians to high-speed by 2026, […]
New innovation minister should prioritize investment in digital infrastructure to ensure economic recovery
Congratulations to François-Philippe Champagne on his new role as minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, one of government’s most important portfolios, at a crucial time for the Canadian economy. The past year has not been without challenges for all Canadians and all levels of government. The challenges before Minister Champagne and the rest of the […]
Reform necessary to rein in incumbent telecom companies’ foot-dragging
There’s little doubt that telecommunications is an essential service. The pandemic has really underscored just how vital affordable, high-quality connectivity is. Is the Canadian communications sector delivering on that? Are Canadians getting the services, speeds, packages, and pricing they want and need? Are they being treated fairly? They should be. It’s the law. Yet even […]
Cooperation between government, commercial telcos and non-profit providers can support connectivity and innovation in northern and Indigenous communities
EDMONTON—As people are increasingly working, studying, and accessing public services online, COVID-19 provides overwhelming evidence of the need for high-speed, affordable, adequate broadband as an essential service. It also provides opportunities to consider the ways that connectivity is developed and delivered in rural and remote regions—and, in doing do, allows us to explore innovative solutions […]
It’s time to step up investments to achieve a net-zero economy
In the months to come, various levels of government will be seeking to stimulate Canada’s economic recovery and create jobs. Whenever Canada is ready to begin investing in recovery, those investments need to create the green infrastructure we need to accelerate Canada’s transition to a net-zero economy: a national electrical energy grid, and digital, Indigenous, […]
