In a first step towards digital literacy all Canadian provinces mandated that media literacy be included in the public school curriculum. This included information and digital literacy. Unfortunately this is not enough, especially in a new age where digital literacy is the cornerstone to a country’s economic development. MNet, a Canadian not-for-profit company specializing in digital literacy has identified in their paper of 2010 ‘Digital Literacy in Canada: From Inclusion to Transformation’ that Canada is at risk and we need a national plan for digital literacy in order to keep up with the other leading countries in the areas of productivity and innovation.
“Digitally literate citizens have the skills to take advantage of e-commerce, e-government and e-health services, and know how to use technology effectively for communication, collaboration and creation. These are skills that all Canadians – from children to seniors – need for active participation in a digital society.” concludes Ms. Tallim. (Media Awareness Network, 2010)
