23-05-2025
Balsillie tapped to help lead Manitoba's new technology task force
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Former BlackBerry Ltd. co-chief executive Jim Balsillie will help spearhead an innovation and productivity task force aimed at setting Manitoba's technology strategy, the government announced this week.
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'(These) efforts will position Manitoba as a leader in 21st-century digital governance and economic competitiveness,' said Mike Moroz, Manitoba's innovation and new technology minister, who will co-chair the task force.
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'But Donald Trump has laid bare the need for our businesses (provincially) and nationally to have more sovereign control,' Balsillie said.
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That, he added, means controlling the AI, the related intellectual property and the companies that use it.
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The task force is set to meet over the next six months and create a strategic plan that will act as a north star for the province's innovation and productivity efforts.
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Other committee members include Manitoba Chamber of Commerce's Clara Buelow; Gautam Srivastava, a professor of computer science at Brandon University; and Debra Jonasson-Young, the executive director of entrepreneurship at the Asper School of Business.
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Prime minister Mark Carney recently announced the creation of Canada's first-ever cabinet for AI and digital innovation, appointing former journalist Evan Solomon to the role, signalling the importance of tech for this government.
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While Balsillie declined to say how much Manitoba would spend on its tech initiatives, the federal government's tech mandate means that 'you're going to see a lot of money on the table,' he said.
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Alignment with Ottawa will be a major part of the group's work, but Balsillie said he is waiting to see how new Prime Minister Mark Carney's government follows through on his promise to transform the country's economy.
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