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GTEC 2016 Equips Public and Private Sector Leaders with Insight, Strategies and Tactics to Advance Canada's Digital Economy

OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 26, 2016 /CNW/ -- The Internet of Things is expected to usher in tens of billions of connected devices by 2020[1].  The convergence of technologies will yield new products, services and business models not yet imagined.  Digital currency will transform economic practices, systems and commerce. Information and communications technologies (ICT) are revolutionizing our economy and our world. And in June 2016, the World Economic Forum ranked the top 10 countries best prepared to capitalize on the new digital economy[2] given their application of ICT – a list that does not currently include Canada.  The development of Canada's digital economy is a priority that is driving public and private sector action – and it is one that GTEC will address head on.

From November 1-3, 2016, GTEC, Canada's internationally recognized forum for enabling and celebrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leadership, innovation and impact in Canada's public sector, will equip public and private sector leaders with insight, strategies and tactics to advance the development of Canada's digital economy.

The GTEC Main Stage program will feature an intimate armchair discussion with Ms. Leona Alleslev, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Public Services and Procurement Canada on the transformation plan established by Shared Services Canada (SSC): Building the Government of Canada's Digital Platform. Facilitated by Michele Lajeunesse, GTEC Executive Director, this session will provide an overview of SSC's plan to further modernize the Government of Canada's information technology (IT) infrastructure, and enable more innovative public service delivery. This includes a host of integrated infrastructure and services that underpin federal operations and service delivery to Canadians, from email to data centres, telecommunications, network and IT security services. Ms. Alleslev will also discuss stakeholder consultations that directly support SSC's quest to build a robust and secure digital infrastructure that addresses immediate and long-term priorities, and delivers the greatest value to Canadians.

"Our world is increasingly powered by novel information and communication technologies" said Michele Lajeunesse, GTEC Executive Director.  "The private and public sector must transform to prepare for the digital revolution, just as our predecessors adapted for the industrial revolution.  Success demands broad economic, policy, social and cultural changes that enable us to fully exploit the capabilities of technology, and achieve greater advantage in business, government and our quality of life.  Strategic action and investment today will enable us to capitalize on the unprecedented opportunities presented by a digital economy tomorrow."

Key themes of this armchair discussion and other GTEC digital economy program elements are reinforced in the Digital Government[3]  innovation paper published by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC). The paper elaborates on the need for the government to capitalize on ICT to transform and modernize its own infrastructure, operational model, workforce and service delivery.  It makes recommendations on investments required today to fuel tomorrow; how to modernize government procurement; and opportunities to build a digital government by tapping into industry. The actions proposed by ITAC, and echoed throughout the GTEC program, are endorsed by Vivek Kundra, Executive Vice President of Salesforce, digital authority, and former GTEC speaker:

"Private sector innovation has changed the way citizens expect to interact with their governments, so central digital leadership and industry collaboration is paramount to increasing citizen satisfaction and engagement, while also helping close the talent gap between the public and private sectors," said Vivek Kundra. "By investing in the creation of a Digital Service Office, Canada is setting itself up to be a leader in government technology in this global race to the top, while also engaging their citizens in new and powerful ways."

The two-day GTEC Conference program features additional elements that focus on the development of a digital economy, including: 

•  Driving Digital Services for Citizens; GTEC Main Stage on November 2 at 9:30AM: Sponsored and led by Salesforce, this fireside chat will address the opportunities and challenges facing public sector organizations as they transform their service delivery models for the digital 21^st century.
• Simple, Secure, and Predictable – Embracing the 'As-A-Service' Delivery Model; GTEC Main Stage on November 3 at 9:30AM: Sponsored and led by Rogers, this panel session will discuss how government is moving towards cloud-managed services and embracing the 'as-a-service' delivery model to better deliver essential services to Canadians.
• Smart Cities Push Public Engagement Over Public Policy; Open Government and Citizen Engagement Track on November 2 at 1:30PM: This panel discussion will feature leaders from Canadian cities that top the 2016 Smart Cities index: Edmonton (ranked first) and Toronto (ranked second).  With a focus on citizen engagement and co-creation, panelists will discuss what can be learned from the 'smart cities' movement as civic governments transform to address key challenges and opportunities in the new millennium.

The GTEC 2016 Conference and Exhibition takes place November 1-3, 2016 at the Shaw Centre in Ottawa.

For more information, visit: gtec.ca/ottawa.
About the GTEC Exhibition, including a list of exhibitors: gtec.ca/ottawa/expo-sponsor-overview
Register for GTEC: gtec.ca/ottawa/registration-and-pricing 
Apply for a GTEC media pass: gtec.ca/ottawa/press-centre-overview

About GTEC

GTEC is Canada's internationally recognized forum for enabling and celebrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leadership, innovation and impact in Canada's public sector.  Since 1993, GTEC has brought together more than 100,000 public and private sector innovators, leaders and enterprises to explore and drive leading-edge ICT initiatives, application and service delivery.  Building on targeted webinars, summits, and roundtables that stimulate dialogue throughout the year, GTEC's annual flagship Conference and Exhibition attracts more than 4,000 participants, and delivers:

• Education and training opportunities that develop top ICT talent
• A robust conference program with compelling keynote presentations and panels on current strategies, opportunities and trends
• An extensive exhibition showcasing emerging technologies, innovations, and solutions that enhance productivity and performance
• A wealth of collaboration, business development and networking opportunities
• Distinction Awards that celebrate ICT excellence in Canada's public sector

For additional information on GTEC, please visit: www.gtec.ca. 

About UBM Tech

UBM Tech engages technology professionals live and online through its world-class brands, including Black Hat, InformationWeek, Enterprise Connect, Game Developers Conference (GDC), Dark Reading, HDI, GTEC, Network Computing and Interop. We're dedicated to fostering real engagement by creating environments where the technology industry can make connections, share insights, and network effectively. UBM Tech is the only media company that delivers large-scale industry events, leading online brands and content marketing services serving the Enterprise IT, Information Security, Game Development, Enterprise Communications and Technical Services and Support communities. UBM Tech is a part of UBM (UBM.L), a global provider of media and information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion. For more information, go to http://tech.ubm.com.

[1] http://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/01/an-internet-of-things-that-will-number-ten-billions.html

[2] The World Economic Forum defines a digital economy as one that uses information and communication technologies to boost competitiveness and well-being https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/07/countries-best-prepared-for-the-new-digital-economy/

[3] As defined by ITAC, a digital government features four main characteristics: Government is easy to work with; government is easy to work in; technologies are evergreen and up-to-date; and government information is digitized and searchable

SOURCE GTEC

Sonya Shorey, Communications Strategist, Cell: 613.851.9416, [email protected], http://tech.ubm.com, http://www.gtec.ca