No, the image to the left is not Justin Trudeau on a bad hair day.  It's the front page of what Senator Dennis Dawson (QC) dubbed the Senate's first ever web-based report.  Released last week to generally affirmative reviews, Digital Canada.ca calls upon the government to devise a strategy for an "inclusive digital society". 

The committee declared that Canada needs to ensure universal access, which they defined to mean access by 100% of our citizens.  To help achieve this ambitious goal, the government is urged to dedicate proceeds from spectrum auctions to fund high-speed Internet access in all rural and remote areas.  

Ultimately, the committee wants to see government totally open to citizen access via Internet.  That's a tall order, no doubt, given the current state of digitalization within our bureaucracy, not to mention the current mentality of the bosses.  Estonia has done it, but then they started from ground zero after the Russians left.  Latin American countries are also well on the path to delivering open government, but again they enjoy the "advantage" of not having to dismantle too much in the way of functioning systems.   Still, we need to get started.  As Estonian officials told the committee, we don't need to completely replace our current system in one fell swoop.  Instead, we can initiate a series of project based developments.  Putting all the stimulus spending data online would be a good place to start, for example.  Just a thought ….

As one of those stuck on dial up internet I must say that is not only the availability of high speed that needs more work but the cost is also a major factor for many. Whist cable and wireless is not available here I COULD get satellite and/ or possibly signal via cell networks but at what cost?

For some insights on what can be done with providing government data on line see http://democracyunderfire.blogspot.com/search?q=electronic+democracy and for a detailed study of such things see the Australian efforts at

http://www.egov.vic.gov.au/topics-a-z/e/e-democracy-topics-a-z/e-democracy-in-victoria-archive.html

Open Data is the direction we need to go, not closed doors & closed minds! Once again the senate leads the way.

Democracy requires dialog, please join us at http://democracyunderfire.blogspot.com/

So, let me get this straight.  MPs voted against the idea of having even the Auditor General review their expenses (and due to public pressure had to change their minds), but the Senate of Canada is calling for the first steps toward open government?   How very cool. 

LOL, that DOES look like Justin Trudeau.  Coincidence, I think not! 

Open governance is the only truly democratic way to go forward.  So surprising to hear about Estonia and Latin American countries on the cutting edge of digitalization.  I had no idea.

I do know that Canada is sorely behind in broadband access.  I have family that lives only 20mins from Guelph in rural S. Ontario (1 hour from Toronto) and they cannot get highspeed Internet access (let alone cable TV, lucky souls). 

This is not just about luxury, but about productivity and much more.  You can bet they, and their many neighbours, would be working from home when they are contagious or working after hours so they could have child and elder flex-care time. But that is impossible without the very basic necessity of high speed internet access.