Tories Clement and Moore Get It!
Bolder, more inclusive digital future embraced by ministers.
Industry minister Tony Clement
With attention mounting on the need for a national digital strategy, Industry Minister Tony Clement brought together 150 leaders from across the country last week for a major conference called Canada's Digital Economy: Moving Forward. The conference was designed to provide the government with expert feedback on the issue. While Clement got plenty of advice, it was his response, along with one from Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore, that left attendees with the sense that the government is at long last serious about prioritizing digital issues.
The ministers' comments came after a day of repeated requests for a bolder, more inclusive Canadian vision. Terry Matthews, one of Canada's most successful technology entrepreneurs, lamented how the country seemed to be "standing at the side of the information highway while other nations pass us by." He outlined dozens of possible reforms along with a warning against mimicking what the United States has done on intellectual property, which he said "has become so extreme that it inhibits creativity and innovation."
Googled up policy advice
Google was another vocal advocate for change in Canada, calling on the government to promote greater openness and suggesting that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission should factor the effect on the open Internet into all its decisions.
Meanwhile, outside the conference hall, dozens of Canadians followed along though a live webcast and posted their comments in a running discussion on Twitter.
With the public pushing for change, Clement and Moore closed the conference by leaving little doubt that they understand the opportunity and are determined to craft laws and policies that look ahead rather than behind.
'Opportunities unparalleled'
Clement went first, noting how much has changed in the year since Bill C-61, the much-criticized copyright bill, was introduced. He said it was "at least a somewhat different" public policy environment and committed to a broad copyright consultation this summer.
Canada last consulted on copyright in 2001, so the promise of open consultation alone represents an important shift in approach.
Moore was even more forceful with remarks unprecedented for a Canadian heritage minister. He emphasized the power of new technologies, saying that standing in the way of digital developments is akin to "trying to lasso a locomotive with cobwebs."
Moore continued, acknowledging "the old way of doing things is over. These things are all now one. And it's great. And it's never been better. And we need to be enthusiastic and embrace these things." He added that he will be "a cheerleader and push this and to fight for the right balance as we go forward. The opportunities are unbelievable and unparalleled in human history. We can lead the way. But we can't be timid and we cannot be constrained by the old order of doing things."
Looking forward
Moore concluded by setting the tone for the future fight over a national digital strategy with the call for a forward-looking approach: "I don't want to be in the automobile age debating the railway act. I want to be in the information age talking about the opportunities of tomorrow."
An effective Canadian digital strategy requires robust policies and solid leadership. Last week's remarks signal that the ministers offer a new perspective with commitments to more open consultation and to the development of polices that better reflect the real-world realities of new technologies, innovation, creators, and the reasonable expectations of Canadian consumers.
For Canadians accustomed to tired rhetoric, it was a welcome breath of fresh air.
Related Tyee stories:
- Fire Up the Digital Jobs Machine
Flaherty budget needs to broadly define 'infrastructure projects.' - Who Will Control Our Digital Soul?
Internet battle lines are drawn in Canada. Here's what's at stake. - How Next Billion Users Will Reshape the Internet
It's an open source future.
![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
- 'The Kids Are All Right'
- 'Leave Your Shoes On'
- Glaciers, BC Hydro's Melting 'Batteries'
- Frankie Rose Makes Life Tougher for Journalists
- Too Much Energy Used to Mine, Move Bitumen Says BC Firm
- Becoming the Ethical Hunter
- Shadow Workers of the World, Revolt!
- Could SOPA Pervade Canadian Copyright Law?
- Would You Buy a Used Car from These Libs?
- Three Ryan Gosling Pickup Techniques that Don't Work in Real Life
- Shadow Workers of the World, Revolt!
- Economist Calls Gateway Pipeline an Inflationary 'Threat'
- Bill Rees' Last Lecture
- Too Much Energy Used to Mine, Move Bitumen Says BC Firm
- Is Canada Ignoring Signs of a Coming Economic Collapse?
- How First Nations Are Gearing Up for Legal Battle Against Gateway
- Harper in China
- Eleven Oily Questions for Every MP
- Remembering Lloyd Dykk's Wit, Generosity and Superb Prose
- BC Child Care Advocates in Geneva to Complain to UN
- BC, You Love You
- Shadow Workers of the World, Revolt!
- Who Pays Huge Power Bills for Clark's Gas Plants?
- Make It the Canadian Webcasting Corporation
- Harper in China
- When the Prize Is a Chance to Toil on BC's Farms
- Three Ryan Gosling Pickup Techniques that Don't Work in Real Life
- Would You Buy a Used Car from These Libs?
- Foreign Trade Zones Eyed for Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Prince George
- Skating into 2012, More Resolutions
18
Login or register to post comments
realisticman
2 years ago
Gradually, it emerges...
.... that the government that was supposed to have a horrifying 'hidden agenda' has, in fact, an increasingly impressive group of cabinet ministers.
Some call Stephen Harper dictatorial but this is far from the truth. We currently have a government in Ottawa that distinguishes itself by not having scandals that alienated the citizenry in the past as well as having ministers that actually care about the country and their work.
OilbertaRedTory
2 years ago
realistically, Harper's agenda ...
... turned out to be plain old incompetence at Crisis Manufacturing Central
Crisis? What crisis ?
Fudget Flaherty Cut & Twiddle Tax gaffes /
Listeriosis /
Israel's war on Lebanon /
wheat board vendetta /
softwood lumber fumble /
Obama-NAFTA-gate /
Howard tape plagiarisms /
Bernier's wandering documents /
In-Out funding /
Cadman tapes /
Thanksgiving Bank swindle /
Election date fake /
Raitt-files /
AECL & the Isotopes /
... now the Mint ?? ...
Well, even a stopped clock tells the right time twice a day.
packrat
2 years ago
conservatives
I don’t think the conservatives could run a hot-dog cart, myself.
a costly move, turning the BBB (better biz beau) into big-brother borg. (c-46 c-47)
self-induced survalence, indeed.
pat
G West
2 years ago
Yep great guy that Moore
Knows sweet dick all about culture and probably sealed the fate of Pee Wee's program to bring back Tory majority government.
Can't answer a question with anything but another question and he certainly did all he could to alienate the most important cultural community in the country and the 'other' language group - you know the one that speaks 'French'.
As for Clement, less said the better. He should head back to his natal land and try and solve their problems - god knows he's not doing a thing about Canada's.
realisticman
2 years ago
Good on James!
Another example. You know what they say, 'If you don't know your history...'
June 4, 2009 – As Canada prepares to commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister Responsible for Official Languages, announced funding for the Dominion Institute’s The Memory Project: Stories of the Second World War. Minister Moore made the announcement this morning at Montgomery Branch 351 of the Royal Canadian Legion in Ottawa in the presence of Second World War veterans, teachers and high school students.
The Memory Project – Stories of the Second World War will provide every living Canadian veteran of the Second World War who wants to share their story of service and sacrifice with the opportunity to do so. The Dominion Institute will record the oral history of these veterans and digitize their artifacts and memorabilia. The Institute will also ensure that those stories and artifacts are shared with teachers, students and all Canadians through the Memory Project Digital Archive website (www.thememoryproject.com). Once completed, the Institute will have created the definitive record of Canada’s participation in the Second World War through thousands of first-person accounts of servicemen and women.
“Through this project, The Dominion Institute will preserve the unforgettable stories of our veterans and make them available to all Canadians for posterity,” said Marc Chalifoux, the Institute’s Executive Director. “I encourage all Canadians who know a Second World War veteran to contact the Dominion Institute and get involved.”
Who could argue with this fine initiative?
OilbertaRedTory
2 years ago
Stopped Clock ... tick-tock tick-tock
realistically, who could argue with this fine initiative ?
http://taylorowen.com/?p=96
Down the Memory Hole :
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071127/pearson_anniversary_071127?s_name=Autos&no_ads=
Not to worry - just dance with Dame Shirley Bassey- and sidestep the little bits of history repeating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE_1tCasi_Q
Around 1984 I'd say.
realisticman
2 years ago
Watch out for the Reds
'specially this one!
Vimy Vidi Vichy
by Arthur Weinreb
September 16, 2002
In a letter to the National Post, published on September 1, Defense Minister John McCallum was attempting to answer criticism for his apparent lack of knowledge about the raid on Dieppe that took place in August, 1942. In his letter, McCallum confused Vichy, the seat of the French government that collaborated with the Nazis during World War II, with Vimy, the World War I battle of Vimy Ridge.
Shirley Bassey performed that wonderful piece in '97.
OilbertaRedTory
2 years ago
Real Conservatives ...
... have read Orwell.
Jeremy J.
2 years ago
"Some call Stephen Harper
"Some call Stephen Harper dictatorial but this is far from the truth. We currently have a government in Ottawa that distinguishes itself by not having scandals that alienated the citizenry in the past as well as having ministers that actually care about the country and their work."
Can we get a "Suggest as BS propoganda" option?
Yeah, all they've done is try to bribe dying men... we can all relate to that!
ME2
2 years ago
What's up?
Hey, you guys, I don't get it. Geist, who The Tyee appears to have chosen as our electronic media guru, praises Clement and Moore to the skies for what he sees as their very proactive attitudes toward our "Digital Future", and you diss them.
Is Geist a naieve, gullible patsy, or is it only that you guys have overdosed on your nasty-pills today?
realisticman
2 years ago
Jeremy J.
Jeremy, that accusation related to Mr. Cadman that you suggest, has never been substantiated and people are justifiably confused. The idea that any insurance company would write a policy for someone with a terminal disease raises eyebrows. If you can provide us with the name of an insurance company that would do such a thing we would all appreciate it. We presume that a million dollar policy, in such a case, would carry a million dollar premium. Or, perhaps, a one hundred thousand premium with a nine hundred thousand deductible.
G West
2 years ago
People are not confused
People with their eyes open are well aware what kind of a government Stephen Harper runs.
Well aware what ends he and his cronies will go to in order to gain or hang onto power.
Cadman was far from the only instance.
This is well known.
Michael Geist's comments relative to two pieces of potential legislation notwithstanding there is very little to praise in the work of either Clement or Moore.
The Tories original proposal for legislation in these areas was so abjectly bad that any comparison is pretty easy..
If you don't believe me, look back at everything else Michael Geist has written on the subject.
As someone commented above, even a broken clock gets the time right twice a day.
realisticman
2 years ago
"Cadman was far from the only instance."
Please elaborate - if you can. Of course you cannot and you won't.
Which insurance company sells that type of policy. Ha, ha! The supposition was ridiculous to begin with. Has anyone in the Harper administration been found to be conducting themselves improperly? Please advise, or just try and resist your instinctive reflex of flailing about and splashing mud indiscriminately.
G West
2 years ago
elabloration
Emerson!
A cabinet post in return for changing sides days after an election.
Harper and his whole caucus relative to contempt of Parliment from last December until January of 2009.
The only other Prime Minister who showed such contempt for parliament was Sir John A trying to hang on when the Pacific scandal came to light.
Where have you been?
G West
2 years ago
Whoops!
That's elaboration...
I might also add campaign financing irregularities and violations of the Canada Election Act...as well as the purposeful lawlessness of Pee Wee's calling an election in direct contravention of his own fixed election date law....but, it's gonna be a long list so don't hold your breath folks...maybe we could also spend some time with the 'honourable' Gary Lunn....
VivianLea Doubt
2 years ago
confabulation
Geist quotes Moore: "I don't want to be in the automobile age debating the railway act. I want to be in the information age talking about the opportunities of tomorrow."
He got it wrong in the first instance - it's time to be debating the railway act, now, before we choke on our own emissions.And in the second instance, Canada has gone from being number two in the world in the way of digital connectivity -to what's that number again? Way down the list...Let's just get on with the opportunities of today, shall we...
I see nothing to praise here.
morechatter
2 years ago
"They just don't get it!"
As Moore talks about being on the information highway with the same old, same old talk, that we all know only to well is CHEAP!
morechatter
2 years ago
"But they will!"
In a fall election as we all do the Dance of Joy, as its so long Harper, we got you all wrong.