Well it’s taken EWB a bit of extra time, but they seem to have finally caught up with technology. At last year’s conference in Mississauga, there was much talk about opportunities being missed with regards to technology. No emphasis on twitter or blogging, and not widely accessible wifi. Although I know tech isn’t the be all and end all, it can certainly add a new dimension to a group’s activities.
This year, the conference team seems to have recognized this and taken appropriate steps. From hotel-wide wifi to real-time text/twitter/web comments on screen during the morning session, EWB seems to have discovered that social networking might be useful. Particularly awesome is their plan to both post AGM questions online and, more importantly, getting people to vote on the most important ones pre-AGM. This will make that meeting infinitely more valuable and worth attending.
All this, plus EWB’s forthcoming EWB 2.0, makes me optimistic about being able to use technology in support of our developement or advocacy or whatever goals. Of course, all this means nothing if people don’t use this shiny tech for reasons beyond it`s inherent shinyness, so now it’s time to sit back and see what the delegates will use this newfound power for.
Cale Ettenberg- Ottawa Professional Chapter
