Our 5 True North Highlights | BitBakery Software

Our 5 True North Highlights

June 5th, 2018 by Jack Mitchell

True North was something special. Communitech CEO Iain Klugman was right, it wasn’t a conference, it was a movement. We’re stoked to be involved, to support the Tech for Good declaration and to attend next year.

Here are our five favourite highlights from last week’s event.

Tech for Good Declaration

Former Governor General David Johnston unveiled a guiding Tech for Good philosophy last Thursday. The principles are open for all to amend.

1. Build trust and respect your data.

2. Be transparent and give choice.

3. Re-skill the future of work.

4. Leave no one behind.

5. Think inclusively at every stage.

6. Actively participate in collaborative governance.

7. Continuing the discussion: Questions that still need answers.

What this means to us:

We pledge to continue to use data responsibly and to clearly tell our clients why and how their data is being used. We will meet the changing tech landscape and be inclusive. We will support this declaration to further dialogue about ethical uses of technology.

Siya Xuza’s Chant

"If not us, then who? If not here, then where? If not now, then when?"
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Galactic Energy Ventures CEO Siya Xuza led audience members through this chant. Xuza asserted that everyone is capable of greatness and that “in doing what you love, the world will love what you do.” His story from a failure-stricken boy trying to fly to an engineering tycoon showed that grit and passion are essential for success. He hopes to inspire Africa with this mentality.

‘Badass’ Bozoma Saint John

Uber’s CBO showed that she honours her nickname with a discussion on human connection and motivation. She said moving to Uber was a challenge to rebuild a “lower than the bottom” brand amidst several scandals. Bozoma also explained that “talented women and people of colour” deserve more recognition for their workplace competence, “not just because it’s the right thing to do.” As well, and inspiringly, she discussed a time she brought her Uber driver to meet his favourite singer over dinner.

From Doolittle to Didlots

Robyn Doolittle, an investigative Globe and Mail journalist, passionately spoke about her article, “Unfounded.” The story featured dozens of dismissed sexual assault cases in Canada, which prompted police forces nationwide to reform their investigative practices. She’s since helped several victims receive justice. Doolittle credits data and the internet’s power to democratize for this effect.

Stranger Than Fiction Panel

“Black Mirror” creator Charlie Brooker, Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Jonze and MIT Media Lab roboticist Kate Darling closed the event with a fun discussion on the ethics and inspirations behind technology. Each contributed fascinating insights. Darling noted that we sympathize with robots like we sympathize with other people, and suggested we consider the ethics of “torturing” machines; Jonze claimed that his movie “Her” wasn’t about the state of technology, rather, it was a product of it; Brooker responded that to “unsettle people,” it’s preferable to have “one foot based in reality.”

The Takeaway:

True North was inspiring. It was an expertly-crafted celebration of what rocks about Waterloo region. Continue to support the True North movement by following Communitech and the Tech for Good declaration. 

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