TAKARA 1: …We’ve been through a lot, you and I. The advent of the internet - the greatest change in human communication since the printing press transformed the world centuries ago.
Now we’re all connected - the global village.
Remote working, social media, streaming, search engines…podcasts! Can you really imagine life without all these?
Well, for quite a lot of Canadians, it’s kind of their reality.
CLIP: (Patrika McEvoy Real World - 6 seconds)
TAKARA: While they may not exactly have to nail their favorite memes to the church door like Martin Luther, decent internet at an affordable price is out of reach for many Canadians.
So, just what does it mean to be disconnected, in an era when we’re supposed to be more integrated than ever?
This is the first series What’s Up With the Internet? - Canada’s internet podcast, about that very subject - and I’m your host Takara Small.
What’s Up With the Internet? is here to ‘lift the hood’ on the world-wide-web and examine all sorts of issues, and try to figure out how we can make it a more positive and equitable place for everyone.
The podcast is brought to you by CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority - building a trusted internet for Canadians.
Throughout this 6-part series we’re going to take a look at what’s holding some Canadians back from getting online.
What are the obstacles to good internet access? What impact does that have on individuals & communities…And what can be done to improve things?
CLIP: (Record scratch SFX)
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(end of intro, and begin urban/rural divide)
TAKARA 2: In 1885 the Canadian Pacific Railway completed its ambitious project of connecting the country, coast to coast.
CLIP: ( Movie clip - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UuUbXZtOKY )
TAKARA 3: It was a symbolic moment and a source of great pride. The infrastructure revolutionized the country, and how Canadians connected to one another.
Nowadays, that kind of stuff happens a little differently. Or, at least it does for most of us.
Unfortunately, many Canadians still find themselves having to travel if they want to connect with friends or colleagues.
That’s because internet access is still lacking in many areas of the country, but especially in rural areas.
This is a subject close to my heart. I spent a lot of my childhood in rural Canada, struggling for internet and mobile phone connection. It is not pleasant!
So let’s get into some of the details…
High speed, affordable internet is not something that can be viewed as a luxury any more. So much of our lives are online now - it is a fundamental tool for communication, business, education and health. It’s essential.
That has been even more evident since the Covid-19 pandemic, when the world went remote. The urban/rural ‘digital divide’ was more stark than ever.
Approximately 99% of urban Canadians have access to high speed internet, compared to only 46% of rural Canadians.
Now, the federal government says it’s working on solving this, and it has promised to have all Canadians connected by 2030.
CLIP: (Trudeau cut )
TAKARA 4: That’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaking late last year. He sounds positive, and the plans are ambitious. But consecutive governments under different parties have been making promises for years.
While the months and years slip by, many Canadians are left behind - and it takes a toll.
The problem is most severe for Indigenous communities, who are cut off from key services and the economic and cultural benefits that most of us take for granted.
CLIP: (Patrika cut - 20 seconds)
TAKARA 5: That’s Patrika McEvoy. Patrika lives in Haida Gwaii, an island on the western edge of Canada - the locals call it the ‘edge of the world’.
Looking out at the Pacific Ocean, it’s a beautiful setting - seriously, check it out - but it’s a place that is largely disconnected when it comes to the internet.
Patrika is a councillor for Old Masset Village - an indigenous community on the island. We caught up with her to hear more about their struggles with getting online.
CLIP: (Patrika interview - 10 minutes)
TAKARA 6: As Patrika pointed out, other communities across Canada suffer the same problems.
Mark Buell works for Connect Humanity - he’s based in Ottawa, and his non-profit has been doing some great work at local community level to help get more Canadians connected.
I caught up with Mark for a chat about our country’s great digital divide:
CLIP: (Mark Buell interview - 15 minutes)
TAKARA 7: That was Mark Buell from Connect Humanity.
We’re going to head back west now to hear from Colleen McCormick in Victoria, B.C.
Colleen works with a group of 9 First Nations called the Coastal First Nations, and she’s the Director of Connectivity there.
Colleen is focussed on the ‘digital readiness’ of these communities:
CLIP: (Colleen McCormick interview - 5 minutes)
(Outro)
TAKARA 8: That was Colleen McCormick from Coastal First Nations in BC talking to us.
Thanks to all our guests in this first episode of the series. In our next episode we’ll continue the conversation around the digital divide, but from another angle - we’ll be looking at the economic divide and how the cost of internet plans is stopping many Canadians from getting online.
CLIP: (Episode 2 cut - 6 seconds)
TAKARA 9: That’s next week - and remember, if you have any questions or want to learn more about some of the organizations mentioned in this series, you can visit CIRA.ca/podcast
Please join us again next time, and thanks for listening!
[ENDS]