Leaders call for 'Moonshot' in digital media achievements by 2017
STRATFORD, ON, March 29 /CNW/ - The Canada 3.0 2010 forum slated for May 10-11 will set an ambitious target for Canada's digital media industry - that of making it possible for "anyone to do anything on-line in Canada - by 2017". The second annual forum will bring together the people who can make that happen from industry, government and academia for a two-day event intended to boost Canada's ability to lead in the digital economy.
"We've set this 'Moonshot' that might sound impossible, just as putting a man on the moon once sounded impossible, but it is attainable if we harness all the necessary resources and are fully committed to making this happen," said Kevin Tuer, Managing Director of the Canadian Digital Media Network, a federal centre of excellence in commercialization and research. "While the sun is setting on some more traditional industries, there are many opportunities worth shooting for in digital media spanning all aspects of our economy."
Kevin Newman, Anchor and Executive Editor of Global National, will emcee the main plenary sessions. Keynote speakers and panelists include: Tony Chapman, Founder & CEO of branding and advertising agency Capital C; Tom Jenkins, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of Open Text Corporation; Helen McDonald, Assistant Deputy Minister, Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications, Industry Canada; Sarah Prevette, Founder & CEO of entrepreneurship community Sprouter.com; Gerri Sinclair, Executive Director, Masters of Digital Media Program, Centre for Digital Media, B.C.; and more to be announced soon.
"This event is critically important to Canada as we re-evaluate our economic foundation," said Newman. "All sectors of our economy, including our creative artists and storytellers, need to understand the emerging keys to success in an increasingly competitive global economy and culture."
Staged once again at the Rotary Complex in Stratford, the forum features a select group of speakers in the main plenary session with opportunity for attendee discussion and input in a broader range of breakout sessions and workshops.
Canada 3.0 2010 will build on the momentum created at last year's forum that attracted some 1500 people, and will have a broad scope given that digital media is defined by organizers as 'anything created or shared virtually'. The line-up of forum 'streams' is led by heavy-hitters in the digital media sector. Topics include:
- Imagining - Global best practices: What does Canada do well? What should Canada be doing? - Chaired by - Tom Jenkins, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer at Open Text Corporation; Gerri Sinclair, Executive Director, Masters of Digital Media Program, Centre for Digital Media, B.C.; and Ian Wilson, Executive Director, University of Waterloo Stratford Institute - Empowering - Networks, infrastructure and mobility; - Chaired by - René Barsalo, Director Research and Strategy, Society for Arts and Technology, Montreal; Michele Perras, Director of the Mobile Experience Innovation Centre; and David Yach, Chief Technology Officer, Software at Research In Motion - Changing - Digital rights, regulations and policies - Chaired by - Gary Maavara, Vice-President and General Counsel, Corus Entertainment Inc.; and Jerry Brown, Associate Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP - Creating - Developing content and commercialization opportunities; - Chaired by - Tim Jackson, CEO of the Accelerator Centre, Waterloo and Partner, Tech Capital Partners; and Kevin Newman, Anchor and Executive Editor, Global National - Learning - Finding and retaining talent and research opportunities - Chaired by - Sara Diamond, President Ontario College of Art and Design; and Ken Coates, Dean of Arts at the University of Waterloo.
As with the kick-off forum in June, 2009, the CDMN will have the support of many key organizations including the host University of Waterloo Stratford Institute and the Waterloo Region tech organization Communitech; lead sponsors Open Text Corporation; PricewaterhouseCoopers; Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc.; Research In Motion; Agfa HealthCare; the City of Stratford and more.
"I have no doubt that the people participating in this forum will make a difference in Canada's future and help attain the goal of enabling Canadians to more effectively conduct their activities on-line, anywhere in Canada by 2017 - which also happens to be Canada's 150th birthday," said Tom Jenkins, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of Open Text and Chair of the CDMN Advisory Board.
Response to the 2010 forum registration site, which went live in February, has been strong and attendees are encouraged to register early to ensure participation in the complete forum. Keep up with the progress of the forum by logging onto www.canada30.ca or following on Twitter using #can30. Note that early-bird pricing continues until April 9th.
About Canada 3.0 2010
Canada 3.0 2010 is a forum organized by the Canadian Digital Media Network www.cdmn.ca and the University of Waterloo's Stratford Institute http://stratfordinstitute.uwaterloo.ca intended to advance Canada's strength in digital media. The CDMN will link Canada's digital media expertise and capability from coast to coast, enabling collaboration between researchers, implementers and entrepreneurs.
For further information: For further information: Media Contact: Shelley Grandy, Canada 3.0 media relations, (905) 866-2656 or [email protected]
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