My Little Corner of Canada: The emerging technological revolution

JOHN AMAGOALIK

During the latter part of the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution changed the world.

Up until then, most work was done by hand with the help of very basic tools like plows and hammers. With the invention of machines that could do the work of many hands and do it faster, the world faced the dilemma of a large number of unemployed people. It took some time for humans to adjust to this new situation and to take advantage of the age of machines.

Now, the latter part of the 1900s is witnessing a new revolution. This new revolution also involves machines. But these machines do not run on gasoline or diesel fuel. They run on electricity.

The computer is about to change the world as we know it. If you think the computer is already doing some amazing things, you ain’t seen nothing yet. What was considered science fiction not very long ago is becoming reality.

This technological revolution will not be without some collateral damage.

Like the Industrial Revolution, this one will require an adjustment to a new situation.

It is already becoming obvious that this technology will result in fewer people doing more in less time. For this reason, it is appropriate for the people of Nunavut to be looking at new working arrangements.

It is time to seriously examine the issues of part-time work, seasonal work and shared jobs.

It is also important to look at ways to take advantage of this new age of electronic machines. It will create some problems in the area of employment, but it will also provide us with some exciting opportunities.

The computer age will move humans to the next level of existence.

The old boys club

There is a club which doesn’t have a club house or a list of members.

It doesn’t have regular meetings and its members do not pay any dues. But it still exists. It’s the old boys club.

They are a conservative lot.

They are suspicious of new things and new ways of doing things.

They don’t want to think about or even understand things like gender parity. They just want it to go away. It threatens their old ways of doing things.

They are so used to scratching each other backs that a more open democratic process frightens them.

Their old cronies and back room boys would not be able to help them as much.

Its members include people like the former president of NTI. There are also people like Manitok Thompson who want to join this old boys club, not realizing that its days are coming to an end.