Tech expert Don Tapscott guest edited Saturday’s special innovation issue of the Toronto Star to cover how Toronto and Canada can lead the world in this transformative time. Don’s front page story is about how the Canadian economy can engage in the digital revolution to improve all aspects of life.
He writes:
The Canadian economy has been based on resources and traditional industrial-age manufacturing and approaches. It’s time to move forward. This is not to say we should abandon our resource industries or manufacturing. They are also changing through innovation. If we do this right, they can become cleaner, safer and better for everyone.
In the industrial age, powerful institutions produced standardized goods and services that were sent to passive participants. They pumped out consumer goods, TV shows, advertisements, government services, movies, cars and even solutions to global problems. Teachers pushed out lectures. Clinicians delivered health care. Police officers delivered public safety to people who gratefully received it.
Now, thanks to the digital revolution, we can all become engaged and co-create our economy, communities and city. Collaboration changes everything.
