New governor general Johnston could be ‘spokesperson’ for digital issues, say colleagues

David Johnston, Canada’s next governor general, could make digital issues one of his top priorities, his colleagues say—but it’s unlikely he’ll take positions on controversial issues like copyright. “We’ll have a very eloquent governor general who can really highlight a lot of issues related to both digital and education ... That bodes very well for both those areas, simply because they have a spokesperson who knows them in such great detail,” Tom Jenkins, executive chairman and chief strategy officer of Open Text Corp. and Johnston’s friend, told The Wire Report in an interview. Jenkins has collaborated with Johnston for more than a decade through partnerships between his company and the University of Waterloo, where Johnston has been president and vice-chancellor since 1999. Johnston also served on OpenText’s board of directors from 2002 to 2004. Following Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s announcement on July 8 that he had recommended Johnston for the job, the new governor general will take office on Oct. 1, 2010. The governor general does not tend to advise the government on its priorities, but can demonstrate leadership on nonpartisan issues and draw attention to causes. As an academic, Johnston has strong ties to digital issues. His specializations include information technology, copyright law and public policy. He has authored five books on digital issues and chaired both Industry Canada’s National Task Force on High Speed Broadband Access in 2000-2001, as well as the Advisory Council to the Federal Government on the Information Highway from 1994-1999. Johnston’s colleagues say he’s likely to draw attention to digital issues in his new role. As a nonpartisan spokesman for digital issues, his voice may encourage research and development and complement some government initiatives, such as its national digital economy strategy or its Broadband Canada plan to connect rural and remote communities. Sunny Handa, a partner at the Blakes law firm in Montreal, who with Johnston has co-authored four books on communication laws and digital issues, said the academic’s interest in all things digital began when Johnston chaired the advisory council on the information highway. That interest has continued to grow ever since. “I don’t think you’d just stop, cold turkey, when you have got an area that you’ve been building for so many years,” Handa said. “If there’s an opportunity for him , he’ll certainly embrace it with relish, because it is stuff that he has been working on so closely since 1994-95.” Jenkins noted the importance of Johnston’s work on the advisory council, which inspired creations like the advanced research network CANARIE. “David’s report led to things like CANARIE, which Canadians really hugely benefited from on the Internet and connectivity. David was one of the first voices in the early ‘90s on this. He has always been very much at the centre of digital and education,” he said. Paul Davidson, president and CEO of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), said that, as president of the University of Waterloo, Johnston has acted as a champion for technology, noting his involvement in the creation of the university’s digital campus in Stratford. “I would expect you would see continued attention to the power of technology, and how it transforms not only our economy but also society,” Davidson said. “In terms of setting a tone … David a leader who will continue his passion for digital issues and all things digital. You can see that the government was trying to find someone who has a really strong past and a strong faith in the future, and that Canada’s fate should be digital.” Jenkins said he expects the new governor general to focus on building a bridge between the technology community and the public. “Digital will be something that David will maybe not make so much an issue of, but he will explain it. He really has a very, very good grasp of digital and how to explain it. To lay people who perhaps don’t wake up in the morning worrying about all things digital, he will be wonderful for them,” he said. “You’ll see him do that for sure.” Jenkins added that Johnston is likely to champion investment in digital industry and education. “David will bring a great recognition of that to everyone, that investing in education and digital is not a one time event, it’s an ongoing thing.” Another priority for the governor general may be promoting technology as a means to communicating and sharing information, Richard Janda, an associate professor at McGill University’s faculty of law, who worked with Johnston on two books, said in an interview. “What David cares about a lot is the way information and knowledge is shared and built on. He saw the power of information technology, to connect bodies of knowledge together, across the globe,” he said. While Johnston may focus on investment, digital literacy and lifelong learning, his colleagues say it’s unlikely that the new governor general will venture into more controversial political territory, such as the so-called “file from hell,” copyright. This is despite Johnston’s extensive knowledge and research in the field. “Copyright is a very controversial issue in this country right now. I don’t think he’ll ever weigh in on the minutia of the copyright debate. I think that is something that is very political in nature,” Handa said. “To the extent that there are general themes that are good for society, he may wander into them, but even then I think he’d be very careful … I think he’s a careful man, and he’s very respectful of process. I don’t think he’ll be one to overstep the bounds of his role.” Charles Morgan, a partner specializing in technology and communications at McCarthy Tétrault and co-author of two books with Johnston, said one of Johnston’s key interests through the years has been promoting access to technology. “Ensuring that everybody is able to benefit from digitization and access . Right from the start, with his treatment of the information super-highway, the idea was just to make sure that everyone has access and nobody is left behind,” he said. “I think he also wants to ensure that Canada is a centre of excellence in leading research and development related to digital issues in order to support the new economy.” In March 2010, Johnston told CBC News the government had failed to pay sufficient attention to digital strategy over the previous few years. “Without being unduly critical of this government, there has not been a lot of attention paid to broadband, to the digital economy and digital media in the last five or six years,” he said. Johnston said understanding the “transformative” power of information communications technologies (ICTs) is key to prospering in the digital economy. kfournier@thewireport.ca

New governor general Johnston could be ‘spokesperson’ for digital issues, say colleagues

Broadcast | July 19, 2010

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