compare NB provincial party policies on information and communication technology (ICT)

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compare NB provincial party policies on information and communication technology (ICT)[edit]

New Brunswick did not have an information and technology policy as of April 15, 2010. It is hoped that candidates seeking election in September 2010 provincial election will offer IT policy in their platforms.

use ICT to the maximum to improve energy and environmental performance and efficiency (US)[edit]

Because there is no actual policy in NB, we are forced to also compare other jurisdictions' policies. The US (Obama administration) policies which are relatively well informed and advanced. They are an effective first-read on the issues because they deal with questions involving energy and environment:

Broadband and advanced communications infrastructure will play an important role in achieving national goals of energy independence and efficiency. Broadband-connected smart homes and businesses will be able to automatically manage lights, thermostats and appliances to simultaneously maximize comfort and minimize customer bills. New companies will emerge to help manage energy use and environmental impact over the Internet, creating industries and jobs. Televisions, computers and other devices in the home will consume just a fraction of the power they use today, drawing energy only when needed. Large data centers, built and managed to leading energy efficiency standards, will be located near affordable and clean energy sources. Finally, broadband connectivity in vehicles will power the next generation of navigation, safety, information and efficiency applications while minimizing driver distraction. Next-generation safety systems will alert drivers to hazards, helping to avoid accidents and saving lives. In the process, broadband and information and communication technologies (ICT) can collectively prevent more than a billion metric tons of carbon emissions per year by 2020. - US National Broadband Plan [1], chapter 12, energy and the environment
The Climate Group welcomes Goal 6 of the Plan that calls for every American to have access to real time energy information to track and manage their own energy consumption. This is a significant step toward enabling the full global opportunity for the ICT sector to save 15% of global emissions in 2020, and saving 1 Gt CO2e in the US alone.
An entire chapter of the US National Broadband Plan is focused on the benefits of broadband enabled applications for managing environmental impacts and energy consumption. Specifically, it focuses on achieving ‘smart’ grids, buildings and transport systems as well as acknowledging a range of efficiency measures needed in ICT devices and services themselves.
The focus on communications is crucial for two reasons. First, both people and machines will be able to act differently when they have access to better information – they will be able to ‘manage what they measure’. Second, the data-generating platform can be used by companies to provide a whole range of services to consumers and businesses that save energy, fuel and resources.
What’s good for consumers and business is good for the economy. Sensors and instrumentation that collect information from machines and the natural environment are leading to an explosion in data and information on environmental conditions and energy, and a race to create knowledge from it. Data management and analytics is growing nearly twice as fast as the rest of the IT industry at 10% per year. And companies such as Intel are investing more in US manufacturing even as other sectors – automotive and chemical – report declines. - The Climate Group: US Broadband Plan: rewired for a clean energy economy

There is no need to review Canadian policies because they are generally undeveloped by comparison. The following is drawn from US and some leading UK, Canadian, European and other countries' policies and Ralph Nader's Concord Principles:

use information technology (IT) to improve our democratic processes[edit]

      • provide wide public access to information
      • facilitate meaningful public consultation
      • facilitate appropriate decision making (with input by persons most affected by the decision)
      • ensure that all government websites are accessible to the public (regardless of disabilities)
      • increase standardization of web sites and formats for information exchange (use open content)
      • fund research and design for developing hardware and software programmes that assist those with physical and learning challenges and disabilities
      • ensure that the government works towards providing information and reports from all government funded programs to the public on government websites in both French and English
      • ensure that all communities can freely access government information, so that no community misses out on access to government information because of language or other difficulties
      • set standards for world-class internet access provided at reasonable and standardized costs to every community and individual
      • ensure that, where possible, information that cannot be made available (because of privacy or proprietary concerns) shall be made available in aggregate form, omitting individual information
      • protect user rights by ensuring an acceptable level of IT security
      • tighten legislation on the circumvention of lawful security measures to prevent internet based crime
      • require internet technology vendors to disclose security weaknesses in their products in a timely manner so that users can take remedial action
      • support legislation and policies that increase the reliability of the Internet
      • support legislation and policies that ensure that companies show no fear or favour for information carried on their lines
      • develop legislation that is responsive to the realities of new IT and digitalization, with the public interest in information (material and print) flow in mind


use information technology to enhance our personal and professional lives and our communities[edit]

    • create community technology hubs in schools, public libraries and other community centres
    • support the establishment of community owned internet systems
    • provide training opportunities for individuals, community groups and businesses to make best use of information technology
    • encourage the use of Open Systems, Open formats and Free and Open-Source software, where practical, as a way to encourage appropriate use of technology and local solutions to local problems


all citizens and groups should be able to access IT in order to:[edit]

    • share their opinions, heritage and skills
    • organise collectively
    • be informed
    • do business i.e. buy, sell, trade, barter and advertise
    • work
    • be educated
    • maintain their social networks


socially responsible and sustainable information technology[edit]

    • close the 'global digital divide' for New Brunswickers so that opportunities afforded by IT in the areas of decision making, efficient resource use and productivity enhancement do not depend on wealth but work for the benefit of all
    • ensure that the benefits of IT are shared amongst all New Brunswickers and not used to deepen or entrench existing inequalities or create new layers of Inequality


use information technology to improve our corporate relationships by facilitating communication[edit]

    • place New Brunswick small businesses (and Crown corporations) on a level playing field with national, inter-provincial and global competitors


use information technology to increase sustainability, productivity and efficiencies in our industries and businesses[edit]

    • examples: through telecommuting, virtual mobility and better design, energy conservation, demand reduction, supply side management
    • use information technology to decrease use of and waste of resources use through appropriate application of technologies


References[edit]

Canadian federal parties[edit]

Few parties retain extensive archives of their positions taken during elections, and often these change or are treated as "unofficial" afterwards. The following questions demonstrate the range of matters an ICT policy should cover, especially as online media dominate all other commercial media:

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