Frank McKenna: New Brunswick leads the way

It's no secret that Canada lags much of the industrialized world in productivity. It is also no secret that we badly trail league tables in innovation. For several years now, the federal government has set its sights on establishing Canada as a global technology leader. We have seen the creation of a large national innovation fund, increased funding to Canada's digital technology supercluster, investments in quantum computing and AI, the establishment of the Canada Innovation Corp., the Canada Digital Adoption Program, and an Upscaling for Industry Initiative. Most recently, the 2023 federal budget contained additional measures to incentivize business investment in innovation, and highlighted the success of Vancouver, Toronto, and Québec City as top markets for high-tech careers. Frank McKenna, former premier of New Brunswick. Handout photograph However, people should cast their eyes eastward to see real progress on a cradle-to-grave digital agenda. New Brunswick—once considered a sleepy little province known for its natural resources and majestic beauty—is now rocking the world of digital transformation. This is far from an overnight success. The impact we’re seeing today was seeded many years back. Today’s sprawling and sophisticated tech ecosystem, well-documented in several recent books, spawned out of an innovative partnership between NBTel, the Government of New Brunswick, and the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Bits and bytes, bandwidth and brainwidth are the tools of a digital revolution. NBTel was one of the world’s most innovative telcos and had an evangelical commitment to its role as a catalyst of the New Brunswick economy. The province of New Brunswick became a globally acclaimed early digital adopter, improving services, and stimulating industries. International Data Corporation rated Service NB as the world's leading provider of e-government services. In its benchmark analysis, it stated, “our studies set out to identify and measure the benefits of e-government to a jurisdiction and ended up reporting on the transformation of a society.” UNB was the secret sauce. It is Canada’s oldest English-language university, and home to Canada’s first engineering program and faculty of computer science. Particularly, computer science has had a profound impact in stimulating new businesses, from single-person start-ups to globally significant unicorns. What really sets UNB aside from other institutions is its deep and purposeful commitment to supporting entrepreneurship, and collaborating in-depth with industry to develop the talent and technology solutions of tomorrow. Its reputation as a global leader in cyber security is also well-established. It is home to the Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity, has the largest network research group in Canada and houses the Canadian Institute for Cyber Security. As a founding member of the National Cybersecurity Consortium, UNB is playing an important leadership role in delivering $80-million in federal funding for Canada’s new Cyber Security Innovation Network. This dynamic centre of excellence has generated dozens of start-ups and thousands of jobs. Its highly praised co-op education program celebrates its 40th birthday this year and its prowess has been noticed. In the last several weeks, the Times Higher Education 2023 World Rankings evaluated 1,799 universities in 104 countries. UNB computer science was rated number one in Atlantic Canada, in the top 10 in Canada and the top 20 per cent in the world. In recent months, this vibrant tech ecosystem has been turbo-charged by the creation of the McKenna Institute. The institute is partnering with industry, education, and social stakeholders to take a purposeful approach to building a world-class inclusive tech talent pipeline from K-12 to post-secondary and beyond. The philosophy is simple: if you build the best talent pipeline, industry will thrive. To date, the institute has raised more than $50-million in less than 18 months, and has accelerated talent development dramatically, with some 1,000 students taking computer science and growing exponentially. It has made large commitments to digital health, artificial intelligence, data science, digital agriculture, and digital entrepreneurship. The coming days will see new announcements on diversity and inclusion, augmented reality, scholarships, rural digital strategy, gaming innovation, Indigenous partnerships, and global alliances. The McKenna Institute's initiative with Indigenous partners is particularly trailblazing. With about $6-million in funding from the Mastercard Foundation and the TD Ready Challenge, this partnership with Indigenous groups will bring STEAM foundational skills to Indigenous communities by way of mobile technology units that will include cultural practices and values as part of the program. A critical component of the initiative will be the creation of pathways to employers and educational institutions. The lesson that we have learned is very simple. All the dots must connect. True digital transformation cannot take place unless it is cradle-to-grave in scope. That is the secret sauce of the New Brunswick approach. Frank McKenna is a former premier of New Brunswick, as well as a politician, ambassador, lawyer, and businessman. The Hill Times

Frank McKenna: New Brunswick leads the way

New Brunswick, once considered a sleepy little province known for its natural resources and majestic beauty, is now rocking the world of digital transformation.

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Frank McKenna: New Brunswick leads the way

New Brunswick, once considered a sleepy little province known for its natural resources and majestic beauty, is now rocking the world of digital transformation.

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