May 14, 2010

It was good news, no, make that great news, to hear that the job numbers were up again this month.  In fact, the gain was the largest on record and the biggest percentage increase since August 2002.

Each month the job numbers increase the more certainty we have that our economy is moving in the right direction. More importantly, it gives our business sector the confidence and motivation to create jobs and grow their industries.
Here in Kelowna-Lake Country we are always looking to create opportunities.  Last week, Weldon Leblanc and Wes Shields of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce came to Ottawa and met with a few of my colleagues and senior ministerial staff to discuss the nuts and bolts of the local economy including transportation, housing and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, local entrepreneurs, business organizations and academia are taking a leadership role and working together to develop an innovation strategy for the region with a focus on innovative sectors like the digital economy.

We already have a major player here in Disney’s Club Penguin and our business sector wants to see more success stories like that taking hold in the Okanagan.
The federal government does too.

This week our Government launched public consultations aimed at building consensus among governments, the private sector, academia and the Canadian public in developing a digital economy strategy for Canada.

Our Government, like the private sector here in the Okanagan, believes Canada can and should be a leader in the global digital economy.
Canada was one of the first countries to take advantage of the digital economy. It was the first country to connect all of our schools and libraries to the Internet, and led Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development member countries in the deployment and uptake of broadband. Canadians were early adopters of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and Canada was one of the first countries to implement policies and programs that enabled the creation of digital media and content. Other countries have followed Canada’s lead, and some have overtaken us in a number of areas, prompting us to look at how to regain our advantage.

A strategy for Canada’s digital economy will recognize that success will not come through a particular government program or combination of government programs, but from a concerted effort — combining government vision and the resolve of individual businesses to be global leaders in their fields.
The consultations, which began May 9th and close on July 9th, 2010, will be hosted online at www.digitaleconomy.gc.ca. A discussion paper posted on the consultation site provides details on the key themes being considered:

• Capacity to Innovate Using Digital Technologies;
• Building a World-Class Digital Infrastructure;
• Growing the Information and Communications Technology Industry;
• Digital Media: Creating Canada’s Digital Content Advantage; and
• Building Digital Skills for Tomorrow.

Once the consultation process has closed in July 2010, the government will review the information and use it to inform the development of a national digital economy strategy.

I encourage everyone to participate.  We have a private sector in the Okanagan that has the talent, technology and entrepreneurial spirit to take the initiative in securing Canada’s position of leadership in the global digital economy.  With the right government support not only will we continue to see Canada’s jobs numbers increase, we will be creating the high-skilled, high-paying jobs Canadians have come to expect.

If you have any questions or comments on the consultation process or any other federally-related matter, don’t hesitate to contact me by email at ron@cannan.ca or by phone at 470-5075.
Ron Cannan is the Member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country.