Canada’s Nervous System

By: Arvin K & Alex Z

Communications is the transmission of information, especially by electronic or mechanical means.

The communication system in Canada carries information to all regions of the country so the country can carry out its day-to-day operations.

A famous philosopher and communications theorist, Marshall McLuhan, stated that the world is becoming a global village in the late 1950s. He meant that technology-based improvements are making communications throughout the planet as simple as if they were taking place in a small town.

The nature of communications has changed significantly since the creation of writing thousands of years back.

Writing and print were enormous advances in communications, but they still ad major short-comings. For Example the treaty that ended the War of 1812 was signed in Europe in December 1814. Unfortunately, it took several weeks for the news to arrive at North America. Throughout that time, the war continued and hundred of people were killed in battle. This wouldn’t have occurred if the communication had been faster.

There was need for faster communication over long distances, so the telegram was created in the mid-1800s. The was some limitations because it required many wires. Next in the early-1900s came the “wireless,” better known today as the radio. As time passed mankind has created enormous advances to both wired and wireless communication such as satellite and the internet.

We also tried communicating with others in other universe and have listened for communication from other galaxies. The Pioneer 10 spacecraft holds the record for the most distant human communication yet. The spacecrafts last message to Earth was received In January 2003, more than 31 years after its launch, by that time it was more than 121 billion kilometers from Earth.

Existing Emerging

Canadians exchange information by:• Talking to one another• Listening to the radio (more than 99% of Canadians household and cars have a radio)• Watching Television ( more than 98% of Canadian household have television• Using the telephone (As of April 2005, there were about 19.4 million fixed phone lines and 15 million mobile phone subscribers in Canada• Sending e-mails over the Internet• Visiting Web sites• Mailing letters to one another• Reading (Canada has over 100 daily newspapers and more than 1500 magazines.

Most people are familiar with these forms of communication, but few think about how we get this technology. Communication consists of 2 parts: the message itself and the technology that delivers the message. A modern and efficient communications system was and remains essential in unifying a relatively small population spread out over thousands of kilometers.

Developments in the Telephone System:Growth of wireless phone service was the most dramatic change in Canada. First came wired telephones, or land lines linked on place to another. In the mid-1980s, wireless (cell phones) phone service became available. Another more fundamental development is taking place in telephone system, distance is becoming a less important factor in communications.

Developments in the Internet:Every month the number of internet users grows dramatically. The Most important elements on the Internet are e-mail, on-line discussions and the World Wide Web.

Developments in Television:Before the 1980s, Canadians had few television stations to watch. In some area only 1 or 2 stations were available. Today we can choose from a wide variety of channels because of digital transmission. This gives us better quality picture, sound and its much more efficient. A cable company that had 77 analog channels now offers a total of almost 300 analog and digital channels combined.

Until recently, communications technologies each worked separately and differently. The people that used them thought more about the differences than their similarities. Now the independent nature is disappearing as each technology is merging with another. Differences among various communication technologies are becoming blurred. This complex and exciting change, known as convergent technologies, may be the most important of all. Communication companies are battling each other for domination in the war of union.

Making Connections Canada’s Geography: Pages 422-429

Communications: Canada’s Nervous System: Page 422

The Nature of Communications: Page 424

Communications: Existing and Emerging: Page 425

Convergent Technologies: Page 429