Senate Plan For A Digital Canada: Executive Briefing

As reported from the desk of CAIP Chair, Tom Copeland:

Yesterday the Senate of Canada released a "Plan For A Digital Canada". The
Senate Committee that developed the plan was comprised of seven Liberals and
nine Conservatives. Key recommendations include:

- The establishment of a Minister for Digital Policy, who would take over
the oversight of the strategy from the Minister of Industry:.

- The Minister of Industry in the Digital Strategy should not focus on any
particular technology or speed for increased broadband coverage in Canada.

- The government should use all the proceeds from spectrum auctions to
provide high-speed Internet (broadband) access for rural and remote areas.

- The government should pursue open access policies with respect to
telecommunications infrastructure as a means of sustaining or improving
competition in the telecommunications sector.

- Industry Canada, in establishing policies to allocate and price spectrum,
promote wireless service in currently unserved or underserved areas.

The report is available at:
http://www.planpouruncanadanumerique.com/index.php?lang=en

Digital leadership is a key part of  the i-Canada initiative, led by Chair, William
Hutchison.