Canada is an example of what the rest of the world can achieve, Jean Chrétien said during a technology conference held late last month.
The Prime Minister, speaking at the Wireless Vision Global Conference in St. John's, Nfld., introduced the first Canadian classroom presentation ever broadcasted live via satellite from the International Space Station. Two groups of Newfoundland high school students were present at the conference as the commander of Expedition III, NASA astronaut Frank Culbertson, gave a live 20-minute education session from space, on the forces that come into play when space robotics move payloads.
On the live video conference, Culbertson said, "I use wireless (technology) all the time," which was greeted with laughter from the audience. Students in attendance asked the astronaut questions about the construction of Canadarm2 - a sophisticated robotic system critical to the assembly and maintenance and of the International Space Station - and zero gravity, among other things. Culbertson, holding a model of Canadarm2 up to the screen said, "As you can see, gravity's not a problem here." He then let go of the model, and it free-floated in front of his face.
Though the subject of the conference had to do new and emerging technologies on the wireless front, the events that happened on and around Sept. 11 in the U.S. made an obvious impact on the proceedings. Both the Prime Minister, and Industry Minister Brian Tobin, also in attendance, took time to thank the international attendees for deciding to go ahead with the conference as scheduled, in spite of recent events.
"This is a very good example that we have to go back to our lives," Chrétien told the audience. "Terrorism should not stop us. And you have come from 20 different countries (to be here). You deserve compliments and thanks." He also pointed out that the recent terrorist attacks, tragic as they were, have made us more alert, and made technology even more important for the future of the country. Every school in Canada, even one one-room school house with only seven students, is connected to the Internet, and Canada's youth will be our future, he also pointed out.
Speaking of space
Marc Garneau, the newly-appointed president of the Canadian Space Agency, and Canada's first astronaut to ever travel to space, spoke earlier at the conference about the progress being made on the space-based satellite link front.
"Just last year, the global satellite industry generated over US$80 billion in revenue. That's about 125 billion in Canadian dollars," Garneau said. "One hundred and twenty-five billion in 2000 alone. Before anyone says something like 'Well yeah, that's the whole world, but' let me assure you that we have a serious stake in satellites right here in Canada."
Garneau said that in 1999, this country's total space revenues were $1.8 billion, and 40 per cent of that came from exports. "In fact, Canada has the highest export ratio of any nation in the world."
Since the launch of Canada's first satellite, Alouette, in 1962, the goal has always been to study the ionosphere so that radio communications in Canada could be improved, he said.
"Most of us here are too young to remember - a status I'd like to claim for myself - but there was a time when you couldn't just pick up the phone and call Iqualuit."
A lot has changed since then, he said. Anik F2, a satellite to be launched next year, will have C and Ku-band transponders, as well as a unique Ka-band package, which will provide a platform for high-speed, two-way Internet access via satellite, he said.
"We're talking cheap, fast broadband access anywhere in the Americas."
Marconi's legacy
The 2001 conference also marks the 100 th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi's first transatlantic wireless transmission, which he received at Signal Hill in Newfoundland, using an antenna attached to a nine-foot long kite.
"Before Marconi, wireless was not even a dream," said Jean C. Monty, chairman and CEO of Bell Canada Enterprises, during a keynote at the conference.
"Today, there are about 700 million wireless phones in the world, growing to a billion within a couple of years, at which time they will outnumber wireline."
By 2003, more people will access the Internet through wireless devices than by through laptops or PCs, he said. "We also expect that a wireless device will be part of at least half of all telephone conversations…(and) voice will not be the prime traffic on wireless networks."
Increased services, not technological innovation, is what will drive the market in the future, Monty said.