Citizen engagement & community participation online: The Canadian Experience Michael de Percy Public Sphere 1.0: High Bandwidth for Australia

Samuel McGowan, a Canadian, brought the telegraph to Australia in 1853 Since the telegraph, Australia and Canada have been (mostly) on par in adopting communications technologies - until the broadband era… The two countries are most-similar in many ways… I have been comparing broadband outcomes in Canada and Australia since 2005 This presentation provides some of my recent experiences with Canada’s use of broadband Overview why canada?

Samuel McGowan, a Canadian, brought the telegraph to Australia in 1853

Since the telegraph, Australia and Canada have been (mostly) on par in adopting communications technologies - until the broadband era…

The two countries are most-similar in many ways…

I have been comparing broadband outcomes in Canada and Australia since 2005

This presentation provides some of my recent

experiences with Canada’s use of broadband

Keewaytinook Okimakanak , which means Northern Chiefs in Oji-Cree, is a non-political Chiefs Council serving First Nations in the Northern Ontario region. The organization provides services in: Health Education Economic development Employment assistance Legal assistance Public works Finance and administration Computer communications (K-Net Services) First Nations (first things first!) connecting communities

Keewaytinook Okimakanak , which means Northern Chiefs in Oji-Cree, is a non-political Chiefs Council serving First Nations in the Northern Ontario region. The organization provides services in:

Health

Education

Economic development

Employment assistance

Legal assistance

Public works

Finance and administration

Computer communications (K-Net Services)

Canada is (comparatively) a very open society and for many years has adopted a world-leader approach to broadband and New Media. Some examples: Office of the Privacy Commissioner Academic uses of the Net: Professor Michael Geist CRTC on Internet Traffic Management (now closed) Ontario Government Canadians have been accessing online policy consultations for many years… Models of Engagement citizen engagement

Canada is (comparatively) a very open society and for many years has adopted a world-leader approach to broadband and New Media. Some examples:

Office of the Privacy Commissioner

Academic uses of the Net: Professor Michael Geist

CRTC on Internet Traffic Management (now closed)

Ontario Government

Canadians have been accessing online policy consultations for many years…

The not-for-profit/municipal sector in Canada provides access to free Net services: National Capital FreeNet Fred eZone (Fredericton) BC Wireless Network Society Wireless Toronto Some of the effects have been: Attracting businesses to municipalities Addressing the digital divide Introducing competition by ‘signalling’ demand Community Broadband free WiFi!

The not-for-profit/municipal sector in Canada provides access to free Net services:

National Capital FreeNet

Fred eZone (Fredericton)

BC Wireless Network Society

Wireless Toronto

Some of the effects have been:

Attracting businesses to municipalities

Addressing the digital divide

Introducing competition by ‘signalling’ demand

Broadband used to disseminate travel information Supports innovative travel information by Ottawa public transport provider ‘OC Transpo‘ The ‘travel planner’ enables people to plan their travel through information readily available on the Net, often accessible through free Wi-Fi Sample of the Travel Planner And Canadians help improve the service… Broadband & Travel

Broadband used to disseminate travel information

Supports innovative travel information by Ottawa public transport provider ‘OC Transpo‘

The ‘travel planner’ enables people to plan their travel through information readily available on the Net, often accessible through free Wi-Fi

Sample of the Travel Planner

And Canadians help

improve the service…