CANARIE, i-CANADA and Canadian Cloud Council

The biggest new thing is that I am part of a new national group, Canadian Cloud Council, that is trying to raise the profile and consult on best practices in cloud computing.  We are holding a conference in March in Edmonton.  Have a fantastic line up of speakers and already have VMware, IBM, Bell and City of Edmonton confirmed as sponsors.

I sent the following email to many Federal Ministers this weekend:

I would like to bring to your attention three very important issues for the upcoming budget.  I request your strong support for Innovation in Canada.

Canada is the envy of many people and many other countries.  We have a very strong foundation of economic and social policy.  While it may seem that we have already transformed into the Digital/Information Age, this new age is just beginning.  The personal computer, email, databases, applications, the web, social media, and now, the cloud - all digital innovations of the past 30 years - support tremendous economic and social advancement, and underpin growth and increased productivity all other sectors.

Canada needs more leadership in Innovation and Digital Science and Technology in order to ensure that we keep up and are positioned to lead in this world-competitive critical area.

I bring to your attention three critical areas that require your support:

1.  CANARIE

CANARIE, www.canarie.ca, is the national Research & Education network.  The CANARIE network connects all of the Universities, major research facilities, and many colleges and technical institutes in Canada, and connects them to peers around the world.  CANARIE is what the Internet was, before the Internet became open to commercial use.  The CANARIE network runs typically 1000 times faster than the Internet and shows what the future of data, information and applications will look like.  It allows our Universities to be world-competitive.  It allows Canadian businesses to have access to the emerging digital technologies that are being researched and developed world-wide.  It supports technical development for Canadian Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs).  It is a critical and irreplaceable part of the the Innovation Infrastructure required to be a world-class innovative and competitive country.

CANARIE has provided this critical infrastructure for 17 years.  It is funded by Industry Canada and this funding is leveraged by provincial and institutional support.  Its 5-year mandate ends March 31, 2012.  Please support Industry Canada's support for a 5-year renewal of the CANARIE mandate.  Canada cannot conduct world-class research and development without CANARIE.

2. i-CANADA

CATA, the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, www.cata.ca, is leading an initiative called i-CANADA, to promote the policy required to turn Canada into an Innovation Nation.  CATA and other groups have recently reviewed Canada's Innovation policy and programs and are making recommendations for improvement of the Canadian Innovation System (see October 2011 Review of Federal Support to R&D http://rd-review.ca/eic/site/033.nsf/eng/home and the October 2011 Ernst & Young report http://www.ey.com/GL/en/Newsroom/News-releases/Entrepreneurs-call-on-G20-governments-to-recognize-role-in-job-creation that, while giving a very high innovation score to Canada, notes the weakness in access to investment capital).  I encourage you to recognize and support the importance of Science & Technology and a strong "Innovation System" to the current and future success of Canada.

3. Cloud Computing

The next major transformation in technology is happening now.  It is termed, "cloud computing" and will be even more transformative than email and the web.  Its transformative nature is similar to the massive innovative transition from horse & buggy to motor vehicles.  It is where computing and storage become utilities accessed on demand anywhere anytime.  Canada is behind in its adoption of cloud computing, compared to the US.  In 2010, the US initiated a "cloud first buy policy" whereby all government IT purchases must consider the cloud first.  They expect $20B of their annual $80B federal IT purchases to be cloud based by 2015. (ref. http://www.cio.gov/documents/Federal-Cloud-Computing-Strategy.pdf  http://www.forbes.com/sites/microsoft/2011/02/15/kundra-outlines-cloud-first-policy-for-u-s-government/).

The August 2011 reorganization and creation of Shared Services Canada is a step in the right direction.  This new organization structure also needs the policy backing so it can direct the technology and business-service-cultural transition that is needed.  Canada has an opportunity to lead and become a world-supplier in this area because of its communications technology leadership, strong privacy laws, current technical, infrastructure and innovation leadership.  But other jurisdictions, notably UK, EU and Australia, are also moving quickly in this direction.  I urge you to recognize the multiplier effect that investment in world-leading Information and Communications Technology research, development, infrastructure, procurement and leadership provides to Canada.  We have the natural resources capital now, we need to ensure that Canada also maintains its position as world-leading developers, suppliers and beneficiaries of information, communications and innovation capital.

My Background

I have worked in Information and Communications Technology in Canada for over 25 years.  I have vacationed in every province in Canada.  I have traveled to many places in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. I am involved in provincial and national technology organizations. I am a proud Canadian. Canada is a strong and rich country that can play more of a leadership role in the world.  Canada needs to strengthen its Innovation System and develop it as part of its world-wide brand. We can do this and need to do it now - the timing is right for Canada's leadership in this area.

Most sincerely,
Lynn Sutherland