Countries around the world recognize the need for a National Digital Strategy, but Canada has not yet seen the light.
Countries such as Norway, Australia and the U.K. are among those that have recently put in place such strategies.
Digital technologies are bringing about transformative changes in specific industry sectors, and among the general population, so Canada must develop its own strategy to remain competitive and connected.
According to a new issues discussion paper released today from Nordicity, a unified vision for Canada's digital future is crucial.
"Without a national digital strategy, there will be no overall vision to guide such a social and economic transformation in the interest of all Canadians," Peter Lyman, Senior Partner at Nordicity, said in releasing the report. "Rather, debate will be mired in the arcane and fragmented languages of broadcasting regulation, copyright revision, technological innovation, cultural subsidies, and broadband infrastructure."
To make sure the debate is not fragmented, policymakers will need to shift their perception to a more constructive, collaborative and holistic one, the report describes. Otherwise, solutions will continue to be piecemeal, and decisions will continue to be reactive and narrowly defined.
The paper attempts to sort out the different issues, and identify what a national digital strategy should address. The paper groups the relevant issues in three parts:
1. An overarching societal need for digital literacy and skills in the
modern world.
2. The need for a transformation of our support for the creation and
distribution of cultural content.
3. The need for appropriate investment in our broadband and
communications infrastructure to provide Canadians access to broadband
services.
"Canada can ill-afford to languish on its aging digital laurels,” Lyman continued. “We have the opportunity to draw upon suggestions already made in other jurisdictions and improve upon them. We suggest the creation of a national digital panel that will report directly to a special cabinet committee over the course of 12 to 18 months in order to establish and implement a coherent digital strategy."
In order for this process to be effective it must be backed at the political level and by senior officials with clearly delineated tasks assigned to various departments and agencies. "There have already been significant calls to action from key policy players and further delay on this process will only lead to continued fractional efforts that address limited areas of concern," comments Lyman.
About Nordicity
Nordicity is a leading international consulting firm specializing in strategy and policy development for the creative, telecom and technology industries. Nordicity is a powerful analytical engine, with expertise in policy, regulatory and economic analysis; business strategy and planning; financial forecasting; and market assessments. Because of Nordicity's international presence, it has become widely recognized for its ability to translate market developments and best practices from one market to another.
Nordicity was founded in 1979, acquired by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 1997, and re-launched in 2002, coincident with the acquisition of PwC's consulting practice by IBM. Today, Nordicity has offices Toronto; Ottawa; and London, United Kingdom (UK); and clients across Canada, in the UK, Africa, the Caribbean, and Asia.
For further information: To access the issues discussion paper - Towards a National Digital Strategy or for more information, visit http://www.nordicity.com/digitalstrategy
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