Changes at CANARIE signify search for new direction

CANARIE Inc. is undergoing a major rethink of its mandate to help address what insiders describe as serious gaps in Canada’s “cyber infrastructure.” Observers say the advanced research network operator might need an overhaul if it’s going to continue to play an important role in Canada’s technology sector. CANARIE operates a high-speed data network designed to connect scientists and researchers at universities, hospitals, and government labs across the country. Last December, it embarked on a consultation process with other high-tech organizations--including optical regional area networks such as Cybera Inc. in Alberta and the Canadian University Council of CIOs (CUCCIO)--to consider the road ahead for Canada’s tech research support systems. “We need an integrated digital environment in support of research and innovation in Canada,” said Hélène Joncas, CANARIE’s chief strategy officer. “We have a very fragmented innovation ecosystem. We have a bunch of piece-parts, and nobody necessarily has the vision of what cyber infrastructure in Canada should be.” For instance, Jonas said no one has developed a strategy for storage. “Researchers are being asked to make their data accessible, so it can be verified and accessed for future research. Some of the researchers will put it on a CD in their desk.” The information may be stored, but it isn’t accessible, and the cyber infrastructure review could help address accessible data issues, Joncas said. CANARIE expects to present the results of its consultations in mid-June, she said. Mark Henderson, managing editor of Re$earch Money Inc., a newsletter covering Canadian research financing, said CANARIE is due for some changes. “It has to find a forceful direction again. When CANARIE first came on the scene in the early-to-mid ‘90s, it captured the excitement of everybody. It was well known publicly. Prime minister Chrétien embraced it, and used to brag about the fact that Canada was number one in research networking in the world. "We are no longer ... We’ve been outstripped by many countries. I think that has to be addressed going forward. It has to get back its mojo.” CANARIE has lost ground to other national technology platforms, such as SURFnet in the Netherlands, because the Canadian system has been “modestly funded" and narrowed its focus over time, Henderson said. “They used to have a wide variety of programs for content, like e-business, e-health, e-education. In its wisdom, the previous government took that funding away from CANARIE. They were no longer in the content business. "They were basically in the business of keeping their backbone up and current, and hopefully world-leading ... and assisting the regional nodes in making sure the connectivity was there for the provinces. Its mandate was circumscribed over the years.” But Joncas pointed out that CANARIE has many projects under way. Earlier this month it announced that its network now supports IPv6, the latest version of Internet protocol scheduled to supplant the previous version, IPv4, in a few years. Also in May, CANARIE and CUCCIO unveiled the Canadian Access Federation, a system simplifying access to research databases and electronic library holdings for scientists and other CANARIE users. Joncas also pointed out that CANARIE is adding executives and managers. This week the organization appointed Jim Ghadbane as interim chief technology officer. Former chief technology officer Eric Bernier has become senior director of network architecture and services. Anne Bennett has joined as project manager, and Harry Sharma is the new market researcher. But these are just the most recent staff changes at CANARIE. Late last year, the organization parted ways with Bill St. Arnaud, the chief research officer who had worked at the organization for 15 years. In February, Guy Bujold stepped down as president and CEO after just two years. Board chair Jim Roche became interim CEO, and Mark Whitmore, past chair, resumed he previous role. CANARIE has hired an executive search firm to find a new president and CEO, Joncas said. “It’s not that they didn’t fit,” she said of the departures of Bujold and St. Arnaud. “I think each and every one of them moved on for their own reasons.” In an interview, St. Arnaud said he was “let go” because he and Bujold disagreed on the direction CANARIE should take. Well-known for his interest in “green” information technology projects, St. Arnaud wanted CANARIE to lead in that area. He also wanted the organization to rely less on government funding. “There are many organizations similar to CANARIE all over the world--university academic network organizations--and none of them are funded federally, by government money,” St. Arnaud said. “They’re all self-sufficient.” Instead, funding comes “from their members,” he said, adding that it costs $5 million to $10 million a year to run the CANARIE network. “CANARIE gives everything away for free, which is nice, but it’s hard to gauge the true value of what your members perceive the value to be.” Asked to describe CANARIE’s challenges, St. Arnaud said the organization might have to reconsider its focus. “I think the biggest one is CANARIE, as its name suggests. is a Canadian advanced network for research, industry and education. That was always one of the major reasons it was established, to promote the transfer of technology from universities, to promote collaboration between research and industry. Over the past few years, it has gradually morphed into an academic research support, mini-fundraising organization.” Joncas said funding is one of CANARIE’s main concerns. “It certainly is a challenge to have to revisit your funding every five years,” she said, pointing out that CANARIE is in year three of its five-year mandate. She compared the situation to what she has experienced in the private sector. “I did a couple of startups. I remember what it was like to get your funding from your VCs. As soon as you get your funding, you start getting things going, and you have to think about getting your funding again. What does that do to the organization? It’s distracting ... Like it or not, there’s a community out there, a significant, important community for Canada--the research and innovation community--that relies on the network ... It just causes unnecessary angst.” With the federal government in cost-cutting mode, CANARIE might have to consider other funding sources, and that’s possible, Henderson said. “There are always different funding sources than the federal government,” he said. “If they come up with a creative, forward-looking strategy that will take them from 2012 to beyond, they can continue to play an extremely important role in research and education networking in this country.” news@thewirereport.ca

Changes at CANARIE signify search for new direction

News | May 28, 2010

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