Ensuring Success

Background Document
The Challenge of Change: Building the 21^st Century Economy
e-Commerce to e-Economy: Strategies for the 21^st Century
Industry Canada
September 27-28, 2004
Ottawa, Ontario

A. The way forward

Building an e-economy for the 21^st century is a complex challenge. It requires:

transforming organizational models, processes and structures in the private and public sectors;
creating a climate of trust for consumers and businesses at the national and international levels; and
building an intelligent infrastructure that includes networks, services, applications, standards and content that is accessible to all who wish to use its services to further their economic, social and political development.

Succeeding in this enterprise will require partnership and cooperation between government, private, academic and fourth-pillar organizations. Beyond this, it will require an accurate understanding of the challenges we face, and the active engagement of ordinary Canadians, as consumers and citizens. Above all, a national strategy is required to bring all of these elements together in a timely and coordinated fashion.

B. Challenge questions: What strategies are needed to ensure success?

What overall strategies are needed to catalyze actions that respond successfully to the opportunities and challenges presented by the e-economy?

How can the different stakeholder groups build on the partnership model that was developed as part of the e-Commerce Strategy?
What additional measures are needed to address the broader challenges of the e-economy?

Are there other factors in addition to those already identified that are yet to be understood or fully harnessed, and that will enable Canada to benefit more fully as we progress towards a mature e-economy?

What is needed to make the e-economy a national priority?