Canada's Digital Divide

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/canadas-digital-divide/article1521631/

This article, written for the Globe and Mail, gives light to a very interesting, and in some way frightening, topic.  Technology is constantly changing and adapting, with one product becoming obsolete within months of its release, because someone has made it better, faster, and smaller.  It seems like now that people have had a taste of technology, they are constantly searching for ways to improve it.  They are hungry for the newest, coolest, sleekest gadget around, despite knowing that it will only be a matter of time before the next version comes out.  Something that often gets lost in this frantic technology fervour is the fact that not everyone is as fortunate as we are.

The fact of the matter is, many Canadians are still struggling with technology.  Those who do not have enough money can't possibly afford every technology luxury that's released.  Rural areas, like this article mentions, are in a constant state of flux when it comes to getting cell phone reception or Internet service.  And, nowadays, when it is expected that everyone have access to these things, it can be difficult to conduct business, or even just lead a "normal" lifestyle without.

I think about my day to day life, and I cannot think of the last day I've lived without any form of technology as we now know it.  The last camping trip I took involved a GPS shouting directions at me over music playing through my iPod.  My cell phone was with me, just in case something happened, and so I could text my family when I made it to my destination, safe and sound.  The last flight I took, I used my cell phone to display a barcode to check in for my flight.  The days that my cell phone dies because I've forgotten to charge it are devastating, and are quickly remedied by a trip home to get a silly black cable.  I can't believe our dependence on technology.  While I can certainly see how it has impacted our lives for the better, I can't help but find myself feeling that we don't have to work for much anymore.  Everything is right at our fingertips, which is potentially very powerful, but also very dangerous.

Not to sound like a socialist, but I do believe that all individuals in Canada should be considered equal, and that includes having equal access to all of the amenities that the average person enjoys.  Making services like Internet, or even just telephone, reception available all across Canada would lessen the digital divide in our country, and give individuals the opportunity at least, to take part in this digital age.