Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 07

44 / Canadian Government Executive // February/March 2019 D isruption is generally defined as “change” or “in- terruption.” The connotation is often negative: a disruptive change is often unwelcome or un- wanted and can it catch people off guard. These days, though, disruption has taken on a new and, in some cases, more positive meaning. Current conversations about disruption are often focused on the changes across industries and sectors caused by advances in technology. As part of its Future of Canada series, Deloitte iden- tified five technologies with significant “disruptive potential”: advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, networks, advanced manufacturing, and collaborative connected platforms. 1 There is no shortage of statistics to document how these dis- ruptive technologies will affect our economy and our jobs. The Atlantic reports that 55 per cent of American jobs could be at risk due to automation; the number in Canada is 42 per cent, according to the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entre- preneurship. These shifts will play out differently according to region and sector. It will be the primary role of our governments and their partners to forecast and manage the effects of disrup- tion for Canadians and to maximize its benefits and opportuni- ties for growth. Take the insurance industry, for example. The availability of data analytics allows for a more sophisticated approach to risk- assessment and pricing. However, insurance companies need people with the right skills to analyze these data, and skills- building and retraining are expensive. This type of phenomenon is occurring in many industries: digital advancements make it possible to come up with enhanced products and services, but there is a skills gap that needs filling in order to fully realize the potential for growth. This is where governments and education- al institutions play a role; we need to rethink our approach to ed- ucation, training, and retraining so that disruptions to industries can be empowering for workers. The alternative is that disrup- THE LAST WORD The Positive Disruption By Lori Turnbull Prime Minister Theresa May lost a critical vote in the House of Commons in which she sought support for her government’s proposed Brexit deal. Meanwhile, south of our border, President Donald Trump has presided over the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, largely due to a stalemate over the President’s demands for funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg with Donald Trump (President, United States) and Theresa May (Prime Minister, United Kingdom). Meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government in Brussels. Photo: NATO.