[WSIS CS-Plenary] RE: [CPI-UA] take 2 Canadian Community Access Program back from premature death?
Liss Jeffrey
lissjeffrey at sympatico.ca
Wed Oct 4 19:30:43 BST 2006
[ sorry for cross posts, this is a new message, replaces previous]
Hey all:
Any good news is welcome of course, especially on CAP, but
I for one would not jump for joy just yet.
Thanks for this update Mike, Eric ( and Peter). I trust that this CPI-UA
list will
continue to share insights and observations from the regions and locales so
we may fashion understanding of a bigger picture here.
As it stands now the rural - suburban - urban divide is a help to the new
government, but only in the most narrow sense benefits actual communities.
This 'reprieve' of CAP is not about good policy, it is about divisive
politics.
Toronto did not elect any Tories, remember, so with a huge share of Canada's
population, we are being left out and are effectively unrepresented in this
government.
That's not news, that's democracy, but it is not good governance. The
vindictive recent acts of this federal government are about politics, not
good policy.
I hope that Cap advocates will not ignore the wider politics of this
situation (and am sure they will not).
Local need not mean ignoring the big picture.
Resentment of Toronto ( or Ontario for that matter) will not help anyone in
the end -- remember that line about first they came for others, and finally
for you? Well, think about that.
As for Cracin, of course it might help with bridging the local and larger
policy and practice picture, with all the funds spent on quasi-academic
meetings, I hope that something solid and helpful might emerge, relevant to
this issue, when we need it, in terms of evidence-based research, results we
can use to think and act with, and develop coherent policy inputs.
Now is the time to demonstrate results.
I'm sceptical -- I have not seen anything solid yet despite the initial
promise -- let's see some application on this CAP and access policy now when
it is required.
We do not need more opinions, we all have those! We need evidence based pan
Canadian insights, from the ground up. Was that not part of the mission?
BTW it might be worthwhile ( and directly relevant) for someone to look into
where the 'social economy' initiative has gone, what has happened to the VSI
( Voluntary Sector initiative), which was also cut in the recent
Conservative funding announcement ( which was about far more than
'housekeeping', and debt reduction, please!)
Is it true that this recent budget move cut some SSHRC research funding ( on
social economy ) directly, with no oversight, and very little attention? Is
this an attack on freedom of an arm's length agency -- SSHRC?
That's also the pattern of what happened with Law ( Reform ) Commission, as
Marc Raboy noted.
John Ibbitson in the Globe and Mail nailed the impropriety of using
budget cuts to demolish a body mandated by Parliament. Well, how about CBC,
CRTC, and who knows what else -- if that's not your preference, what about
when the budget hacks come for something you do care about, mandated by
Parliament ?
Someone out there may know about social economy VSI and SSHRC.
Understanding this move would be part of grasping the big picture, the
pattern that connects policy and politics.
As for the idea of an info society department, please let's keep
in mind the dangers ahead, as the Tories are trial ballooning on many fronts
now: getting rid
of the CRTC; getting rid of the domestic ownership requirements on telcos
and maybe later on the broadcasters; cutting the CBC; and so forth.
Sure: great that CAP may not be cut, in some areas like PEI, and that CAP
is now to be part of the happy pork barrelling of regional economic
development - devolved from the federal level to the provinces, wherever
there is enought clout to mount a counter attack.
Those who know me know that I am usually an optimist, but I do not think
that narrow localism and provincialism is the answer. I have consistently (
and unpopularly..:) argued for a pan-Canadian approach, hard as it may be
to develop such an approach that reflects local, regional, national and
global needs and preferences. I welcome a federal role in policy making on
the 'knowledge society.' As a communications historian, I ( and many others)
have for some time
advocated rexamining the renewed need for a Communications Department
( like the one we had previously, obviously updated FOR THE CONTEMPORARY
MEDIA ENVIRONMENT AND the changing uses by citizens, and much more... ).
hey while we are at it, how about Urban Affairs? :(
Neither one is likely, albeit both are needed. Instead maybe we will see a
junior minstry of Information Society within Maxime Bernier's super Industry
Dept. ( on steroids) to handle post-CRTC, CAP as a welfare dirt road dept
for market failures,
subsidies to the telcos for rural broadband as a concession to get support
for dropping the ownership restrictions, and generally, handing off most of
everything to the provinces that back the new federal government ..... well
the possibilities are breath-taking..( speculaton only for now)
What I see here is a case of the dangers of divide and conquer. CAP is only
one part of the puzzle. This is nowhere near over yet, and we need urgently
IMO to share much more evidence-based insight into what's going on.
Thanks to all who are trying honestly to do that. Mike, Eric, Peter,
everyone...
There are no easy answers ( not from me, not from anyone).
We need to share what we know in search of that big picture. Then we can
argue about what to do next.
Back to work.......
Liss Jeffrey, PhD
On 10/4/06, Eric Lilius <elilius at halhinet.on.ca> wrote:
>
>Hi Michael,
>
>I am still trying to sort out the mixed messages. I got the following from
>Peter Frampton in Ontario,
>indicating that the government will deal with CAP on a piecemeal basis and
>not as a country wide program.
>
>"NO.
>What they seem to be doing is putting the CAP program off onto the
>regional
>development agencies. Some will go long term, others will not, and
>southern
>Ontario and North of 60 will be left out again!
>Peter Frampton"
>
>There is indication in the PEI announcement that this is a "made in PEI"
>agreement and that the same thing is happening in Nova Scotia.
>I don't know if this is a "squeaky wheel" approach or something else.
>I see no outcry from Queen's Park about CAP cuts but the provincial
>government did not embrace the program as was done in Nova Scotia,
>Newfoundland and PEI, although there was strong support from the provinc=
ial
>regional specialists in the Agricultural Ministry about 4-5 years ago.
>Is there anyone who has access to what the government/Industry Canada is
>really thinking?
>
>As it stands now, the contract end in Ontario was stretched from Sept 30
>to the end of Dec 2006 with the accompanying Youth Initiatives Program go=
ing
>to the end of February 2007.
>http://cap.ic.gc.ca/pub/capyi/index.html
>
>
>Eric
>
>
>
>
>
>Gurstein, Michael wrote:
> > There seems to be a bit of confusion, but it looks now that the Canadian
>
> > Government has, as a result of popular pressure (thanks all who sent the
> > Minister emails! and to those local Members of Parliament who recognized
> > the value of the program and insisted on its retention) reversed the
> > decision to end funding of the Canadian Community Access Program.
> >
> > (As a side note, the cuts were part of a general "political
> > housecleaning" by the new Conservative government of a range of
> > community focussed programs developed under the previous Liberal
> > governments. They were not budgetary as the Canadian government at the
> > same time it was announcing the cuts also announced a budget for last
> > year of $13 Billion which they were intending to apply to pay down the
> > Canadian national debt.)
> >
> > The article pointed to below mentions the possibility of a longer-term
> > program. This is an excellent development as CAP has been operating on
> > short term extensions for several years and it also opens the
> > possibility of revision to the program (hopefully with some involvement
> > from those with direct knowledge and experience of the CAP on the
> > ground).
> >
> > Among the areas to be hoped for in a revised program would be
> > integration with the currently parallel Federal initiatives in the
> > extension of broadband connectivity to rural and remote areas, much
> > closer linkages with programs providing support for effective use of
> > CAP's by local residents as for example the CAP Youth Intern program,
> > and the overall integration of the variety of community based technology
>
> > and local development programs.
> >
> > One of the conclusions that seems to be emerging out of the 3 year
> > Canadian Research Alliance for Community Innovation and Networking
> > ( www.cracin.ca) research project in Community Informatics
> > implementations in Canada is the need for some type of institutional
> > integration within government to include the variety of agencies and
> > programs involved in community ICT initiatives as for example through a
> > Department of the Information Society or Department for ICTs as several
> > other countries have instituted.
> >
> > Michael Gurstein, Ph.D.
> > CRACIN Co-Principal Investigator
> > Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training
> > Vancouver, BC
> > http://www.communityinformatics.net
> >
> > http://www.gov.pe.ca/index.php3?number=3Dnews&lang=3DE&newsnumber=3D4828
> >
> >
> >> NEWS RELEASE
> >> -----------------------------
> >>
> >> October 3, 2006
> >>
> >> PREMIER PRAISES NEW CAP DEAL
> >>
> >> CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Premier Pat Binns today announced that
> >> negotiations between the Government of PEI, and the Government of
> >> Canada, as represented by the Ministers of ACOA and Industry have
> >> resulted in an extension in federal funding for the popular Community
> >> Access Program (CAP).
> >> Federal CAP funding was scheduled to end on September 30th and
> >> would have resulted in the closure of 41 Island CAP sites. The CAP
> >> program ensures that Islanders have access to the Internet and new
> >> technologies, as well as broadband access, in their own community.
> >> More than 120,000 Islanders used Island CAP sites last year.
> >> "I am very pleased that a productive dialogue with our federal
> >> colleagues has averted the closure of this very popular and important
> >>
> >
> >
> >> program for Islanders," said Premier Binns. "I want to thank the CAP
> >> administrative staff in the Department of Development and Technology,
> >> as well as Minister Peter MacKay for recognizing the benefits of this
> >> program and working the political corners in Ottawa to get a deal
> >>
> > done."
> >
> >> Industry Canada will extend funding for the CAP program until the
> >> end of March 2007. In addition, negotiations will begin immediately
> >> toward a long term agreement.
> >> The Premier said funding for the CAP program has been on shaky
> >> ground for the past couple of years, as the previous Federal
> >> Government continuously cut the program funding and refused to enter
> >> into negotiations for a long term agreement.
> >> Since last year, two six month contract extensions had been in
> >> place. He said he is pleased with the current extension, and is also
> >> encouraged that the Government of Canada wants to secure a long term
> >> agreement for CAP on PEI.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>--
>http://www.haliburtonfolk.com
>http://savethefrostcentre.ca
>http://www.environmenthaliburton.ca
>----------------------------------------------
>`=B7.=B8 ><((((=BA> .=B7=B4=AF`=B7.=B8.=B7<=BA))))><=B8.=B7=B4=AF=B7.=B8
>`=B7.=B8.=B7=B4=AF`=B7.=B8 ><((((=BA> =B8.=B7=B4=AF`=B7.=B8><((((=BA>
><=BA))))><=B7.=B8.=B7=B4=AF`=B7.=B8><((((=BA>=B7.=B8=B8.=B7=B4=AF`=B7.=B8
>=B7..=B7=B4=AF`=B7. <=BA))))><.=B8.=B7=B4=AF`=B7.=B8.=B7<=BA))))><
>
>Eric Lilius
>Box 27
>(1563 Eagle Lake Road)
>Eagle Lake, ON K0M 1M0
>CANADA W78.34.12/N45.07.09
>705-754-9859
>705-754-9860 (fax)
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>When you eventually see through the veils to how things really are,
>you will keep saying again and again,"This is certainly not like
>we thought it was!"
> Rumi
>
>
>From: "Gurstein, Michael" <gurstein at ADM.NJIT.EDU>
>Reply-To: cpi-ua at vancouvercommunity.net
>To: <ciresearchers at vancouvercommunity.net>,
><cracin-canada at vancouvercommunity.net>, <plenary at wsis-cs.org>,
><cpi-ua at vancouvercommunity.net>
>CC: "Eric Lilius" <elilius at halhinet.on.ca>, "Randy Stoecker"
><rstoecker at wisc.edu>
>Subject: [CPI-UA] Canadian Community Access Program back from premature
>death?
>Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 02:14:09 -0400
>
>There seems to be a bit of confusion, but it looks now that the Canadian
>Government has, as a result of popular pressure (thanks all who sent the
>Minister emails! and to those local Members of Parliament who recognized
>the value of the program and insisted on its retention) reversed the
>decision to end funding of the Canadian Community Access Program.
>
>(As a side note, the cuts were part of a general "political
>housecleaning" by the new Conservative government of a range of
>community focussed programs developed under the previous Liberal
>governments. They were not budgetary as the Canadian government at the
>same time it was announcing the cuts also announced a budget for last
>year of $13 Billion which they were intending to apply to pay down the
>Canadian national debt.)
>
>The article pointed to below mentions the possibility of a longer-term
>program. This is an excellent development as CAP has been operating on
>short term extensions for several years and it also opens the
>possibility of revision to the program (hopefully with some involvement
>from those with direct knowledge and experience of the CAP on the
>ground).
>
>Among the areas to be hoped for in a revised program would be
>integration with the currently parallel Federal initiatives in the
>extension of broadband connectivity to rural and remote areas, much
>closer linkages with programs providing support for effective use of
>CAP's by local residents as for example the CAP Youth Intern program,
>and the overall integration of the variety of community based technology
>and local development programs.
>
>One of the conclusions that seems to be emerging out of the 3 year
>Canadian Research Alliance for Community Innovation and Networking
>(www.cracin.ca) research project in Community Informatics
>implementations in Canada is the need for some type of institutional
>integration within government to include the variety of agencies and
>programs involved in community ICT initiatives as for example through a
>Department of the Information Society or Department for ICTs as several
>other countries have instituted.
>
>Michael Gurstein, Ph.D.
>CRACIN Co-Principal Investigator
>Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training
>Vancouver, BC
>http://www.communityinformatics.net
>
>http://www.gov.pe.ca/index.php3?number=news&lang=E&newsnumber=4828
>
> > NEWS RELEASE
> > -----------------------------
> >
> > October 3, 2006
> >
> > PREMIER PRAISES NEW CAP DEAL
> >
> > CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Premier Pat Binns today announced that
> > negotiations between the Government of PEI, and the Government of
> > Canada, as represented by the Ministers of ACOA and Industry have
> > resulted in an extension in federal funding for the popular Community
> > Access Program (CAP).
> > Federal CAP funding was scheduled to end on September 30th and
> > would have resulted in the closure of 41 Island CAP sites. The CAP
> > program ensures that Islanders have access to the Internet and new
> > technologies, as well as broadband access, in their own community.
> > More than 120,000 Islanders used Island CAP sites last year.
> > "I am very pleased that a productive dialogue with our federal
> > colleagues has averted the closure of this very popular and important
>
> > program for Islanders," said Premier Binns. "I want to thank the CAP
> > administrative staff in the Department of Development and Technology,
> > as well as Minister Peter MacKay for recognizing the benefits of this
> > program and working the political corners in Ottawa to get a deal
>done."
> > Industry Canada will extend funding for the CAP program until the
> > end of March 2007. In addition, negotiations will begin immediately
> > toward a long term agreement.
> > The Premier said funding for the CAP program has been on shaky
> > ground for the past couple of years, as the previous Federal
> > Government continuously cut the program funding and refused to enter
> > into negotiations for a long term agreement.
> > Since last year, two six month contract extensions had been in
> > place. He said he is pleased with the current extension, and is also
> > encouraged that the Government of Canada wants to secure a long term
> > agreement for CAP on PEI.
> >
> >
> >
>
>--
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>Randy Stoecker
>
>Associate Professor
>
>e-mail: rstoecker at wisc.edu
>
>Center for Community and Economic Development
>610 Langdon Street
>3rd Floor
>Madison, WI 53703
>Phone: (608) 265 - 8256
>Fax: (608) 263 - 4999
>
>Department of Rural Sociology
>350 Agricultural Hall
>1450 Linden Drive
>Madison, Wisconsin
>53706
>
>Tel: (608) 890-0764
>Fax: (608) 262-6022
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