The processes of development and cohesion very much involve the activities of intermediaries (social and economic organizations) at the local, as well as the regional and national levels. Different levels of government play important roles in supporting these activities. Social cohesion involves ideas of a sense of belonging, participation, identity and connectedness to others, one’s community, one’s country. With the potential for the increased, and innovative, use of the Internet in many of these development activities, there are also opportunities for government to pursue innovative Internet-based approaches for cohesion around national identity, national development and national social and cultural integration and harmony. Such a collaborative federal – community approach in forming an updated social policy for the integration of Internet based resources would create the potential to create cooperation and support for concrete community and market development and participation, and would also offer opportunities for pursuing national consensus, understanding and objectives.21 The role of intermediaries is critical in these processes. The incorporation of online technologies into the activities of these organizations at the local level creates opportunities to greatly enhance existing development. A new layer of intermediary could be created or the roles of existing organizations extended. Federal institutions using the Internet could complement their efforts using traditional intermediaries, many of which are, or are associated with, national programs and institutions. These have relied on other means of communication to pursue objectives of participation, development and social cohesion. Examples of these would include: the CBC, the National Film Board, national museums, the Canadian Heritage Information Network, among others. Federal and provincial governments have made a number of investments in these types of activities. A good example of some positive steps in this direction in the pursuit of the traditional objectives but focusing on Internet-based initiatives, are the recent federal department of Heritage programs, the Canadian Culture Online Program and the Canadian Arts and Heritage Sustainability Program, which are targeted to both the national and local levels.22 The extensive and growing body of research on skills, the digital divide and the Internet has consistently demonstrated the important social dimension of the Internet in realizing development goals and participation. The activities of many community-based organizations, such as community centers, literacy groups, not-for-profit community networks, and many of the community service organizations who have been grant recipients of the Community Learning Network (HRDC) and Community Access (Industry Canada) programs in Canada, illustrate the important role of social infrastructure and community groups (intermediaries) as part of individual and community economic and social development.23 21 J. Dayton-Johnson, Social Cohesion and Economic
Prosperity, Lorimer: Toronto, 2001: 3, 8, 65, 92. |
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