Years to catch up

Dominique Lelièvre

Sunday, 24 dec 2017 00:00

UPDATE
Sunday, 24 dec 2017 00:00

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The digital strategy of the government of Québec unveiled in mid-December, lets hope that the province will be joining a world leader in the field. But the task to get there will be huge, warns an expert.

“It must be recognized that it was far away. We started from zero, in fact. This is the first strategy in digital. The right words are there, he speaks of a project of society, we speak of the depth of the digital revolution […], I can only hope that this is true, ” said the president of the Institute of governance digital, Jean-François Gauthier.

The strategy presented by the government of Québec provides that 100 % of citizens have access to high speed internet. The document also recommends a stronger presence of digital technology in the public administration, the health network and the québec-based companies.

20 years late

The problem is that at least twenty countries in the world have already taken this turn, and that some are already at the second, and even third iteration of their plan, says Mr. Gauthier. Quebec has “easily” 20 years late to catch up, he believes.

“I’m not saying that it is impossible to catch up, but it is clear that there has been a lot of work to do,” sighs one, in 2012, demanded already of the actions of the government with 12 other ” surprised “.

If it does not succeed, the quebec nation is at risk of becoming a ” living digital “, he warns. “It means that we are going to be users of services which have been developed elsewhere […]. If we had removed the fingers of the nose 15 years ago, maybe we would have a Amazon or Airbnb quebec “, lance-t-il.

Take control of the info

The expert argues that Quebec still has a lot to do to educate the population to the new digital environment and to achieve, in the first head, at which point the data are the sinews of war in the new economy.

“States and cities that learn how to manage the information for the common good are able to provide the means to create wealth “, asserts there. This implies, according to him, transparency of the government, and greater participation of citizens in decision-making.

Far from being pessimistic, Jean-François Gauthier offers to Quebec to build on their strengths, which it identifies as the solidarity and social economy, to join the boat digital.

“Quebec has among the largest cooperatives in the world […]. It could propel ourselves among the best in the world, ” he concludes.

The success of digital in the world

The end of the paperwork

Photo Fotolia

In Scandinavia, Denmark declared war in 2011 at the red tape in the public administration. The strategy is to implement numerical solutions whenever it is possible (digital by default). Three-quarters of the citizens in fact have an identity card, the ” NemID “, to carry out their transactions with government sites. Thus, more than 80 % of the correspondences between the citizens and the public sector are digital, as are a majority of the prescriptions issued by doctors. Danish policy also provides for the reduction in bureaucracy by automating most of the applications of pension.

The end of cash money

Photo Fotolia

In Sweden, the first central bank in the world is now planning to turn his back on the money, sounding in favour of a digital version of its currency, the crown. It is the Bank of Sweden itself has unveiled its colors, in 2016, explaining that she was given until 2019 to make a decision. It is that, in this country, which has seen the birth of IKEA the use of cash has dropped drastically and no longer represents 1.4% of all transactions. Many small businesses have taken the initiative to refuse payments in cash with the growing popularity of an application for mobile payment developed by the banks.

Master data

Photo AFP

In Singapore, the authorities rely on the massive collection of data to establish the city-State asian to the rank of a nation more intelligent. The plan called ” Smart Nation “, introduced in 2014, offers to install the sensors to the size of the territory, and even in the residences and vehicles, to measure a multitude of factors. Consumption of energy and water, production of waste, travel by car or by public transport, all in the hope of better planning the development of the city and encourage citizens to adopt better behaviors.

The electronic voting… for 12 years !

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The e-voting debate in many countries, but only a handful has really made the experience. But it is a reality since 2005 in Estonia, where the population is accustomed quickly to this new way of voting. Thus, at the most recent parliamentary election, one-third of the voters were in line. The voting will take place typically over several days, and people can identify with the help of a digital identity card, or, since 2011, of the SIM card of their phone. Since then, the countries of Northern Europe continues to amaze us with its laws to flavour digital, such as artificial intelligence, to which Estonia wishes to give a legal status.