OTTAWA – Industry Minister Christian Paradis opened the Wireless Canada Technology Showcase 2011 earlier today, but missed a prime opportunity to talk up the federal government’s digital economy strategy.
The Minister instead chose to toe the Conservative Party line, noting how the federal government is moving away from stimulus spending to spending restraint and providing tax cuts to businesses.
“Our agenda will shift emphasis away from stimulus and toward careful, considered and prudent action with a view to restraining government expenditures”, he said during his opening keynote address at the event.
But nothing about its digital economy plan.
He then described a vision for Canada where its digital infrastructure is on the leading edge and where workers have the skills to thrive in “this digital economy.” But still no specifics on the federal government’s plan for a digital economy.
While mentioning that re-introducing copyright legislation is a part of the government’s fall legislative agenda, there was still frustratingly little mention of any strategy for a digital economy that Canadian Industry was promised in May. Of course that was pre-empted by the election.
The Minister could have also used the event’s technology showcase to share some specifics around what the department is thinking when it comes to the upcoming spectrum auction of the 700 MHz and 2500 MHz bands. But he chose to mention the auction only tangentially saying, “we are working to design and develop the parameters for an eventual auction of the 700 and 2500 MHz spectrum bands. Opening up this spectrum for use allows companies to deliver new innovations and technologies, while everyday Canadians will have more options.”
