How do we Canadians use digital media technologies to build value into 'our economy'?

  

How do we Canadians use digital media technologies to gain differential advantage in the global marketplace?

 

How does an individual Canadian, like you or I, use the power of digital media technologies to create commercial value?

 

These sorts of questions were running through my mind as I listened to the opening presentations of the "canada" conference. http://www.canada30.com/

 

We Canadians recognize we are in the midst of a technological growth explosion.

  

As a small example, this blog was written via BlackBerry...a tool I knew nothing of 10 years ago but prize as my most-valuable tool today...a tool created by [in relative terms] a young company, Research In Motion, which now shines as an example of business excellence in Canada.

 

As I wrote that last paragraph I looked to the person on my right...and saw an iPhone in use. I looked to the person on my left...a BlackBerry in use. I looked over the shoulder of the person in front of me...a BlackBerry in use. I looked behind me...another BlackBerry in use. (And, my son Jack was sitting beside me so he can verify I didn't fabricate any of this.)

 

So, there is no question the use of technological tools is rampant...and growing.

 

But, how do we Canadians use and build digital media technologies to gain differential advantage in the global marketplace? And, how will we Canadians know our use of technological tools and our development of new digital media technologies is building value?

 

It seems to me we Canadians need to first understand our strengths.

 

The leaders of the canada 3.0/2010 conference talked about the U.S. President Kennedy and the early-60's mandate he set for the placing the first man on the moon.

 

Yes, from what has been documented about the process President Kennedy followed as he reached his first-man-on-the-moon mandate, we Canadians can use this 'analogy' as a guide.

 

Speaker Tony Chapman talked of our Canadian strengths. He talked about the confidence around our capital markets, our positive multi-cultural fabric, our tolerant society where people work together toward shared goals, and he praised regional leadership such as 'The Waterloo Way'.

 

After Day 1 of the canada 3.0/2010 conference, I'm excited about 'our moon shot'…and 2017...when Canada will achieve its goal of global, digital media leadership.