Official Google Canada Blog

Get ready to laugh...get ready to cheer….YouTube FanFest in Toronto is finally here!

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Editor Note: Today’s guest blog post is from LaToya Forever. With a combined +1,200,000 subscribers, this Canadian YouTuber is best known for her comedic videos and daily vlogs.

Get ready Canada, this Saturday we kick off YouTube FanFest live in Toronto! Some of the biggest global YouTube stars will be getting up close and personal with thousands of fans at Yonge-Dundas Square and I’m thrilled to announce that I’m going to be the Official YouTube FanFest Correspondent. Follow me as I chat with my fellow performers and give you a sneak peek into all the behind-the-scenes action.

The YT Fan Fest is all about interacting with awesome people like yourself so let me know what questions should I ask everyone on the red carpet? Share your questions with me in social with #AskLaToya and I might pose your question to the YouTube performers!

Come on down and join us in person, red carpet arrivals start at 5:00 p.m. on the north side of the Dundas Square. Come and see your favourites, like Bethany Mota, Superwoman, David Choi, Mike Tompkins and Jenna Marbles - they’ll be signing autographs, taking selfies and blowing kisses! And don’t forget to share your pics with #YTFFTO and you might catch them live on the big screen.

I can’t wait for the big show which starts at 8:00 p.m. and it’s going to be a mashup of comedy, music, interactive performances, collaborations… everything you love about YouTube, live on stage. You won’t want to miss it! And if you can’t make it in person, check out the YouTube FanFest YouTube Channel to catch the entire show afterwards.

See ya there crazies!

The web is a growth engine for Canadian businesses

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Canadians are constantly connected. Whether we’re streaming a new playlist, sharing a photo with family, or checking in with friends, the web plays an integral role in our daily lives. With a multicultural population and a culture that encourages Canadians to embrace their global connections, we also have the right conditions in place for our businesses to grow beyond our geographic borders.
For Canadian businesses, the web is a powerful tool to reach potential customers both at home and abroad. Thanks to the Internet and the emergence of new business platforms, even the smallest company can now adopt and afford technology that would have been the envy of a large corporation 15 years ago. More and more, the evidence shows that the Internet will contribute a growing share of Canada’s economic growth and that businesses that embrace online tools do better. Take Manitobah Mukluks for example, an Aboriginal-owned company that’s been selling its traditional mukluks and moccasins in Canada for more than 15 years. In 2012, it began experimenting with online marketing through Google AdWords and launched an e-commerce site using Shopify to broaden its reach. Today, Manitobah Mukluks sells to over 45 countries through its online store and over one third of website visits come from abroad.

Rosa at Manitobah Mukluks shows off her finished product
Currently in Canada, one in 10 small businesses are exporters, but many more businesses could use the web to reach a wider pool of customers and markets.
That’s why today we’re launching a Canadian Export Map to help raise awareness of the export opportunities available to our home-grown businesses. Available at g.co/exportcanada, this map compiles data from the top 10 export countries for Canadian businesses to help them market their goods and services more effectively. The map includes the most important holidays and events in each country and insights into the web and mobile usage in each market. Our export site also shares stories of Canadian businesses, including Vancouver Film School, Manitobah Mukluks, and 1-800-GOT-JUNK, that have successfully expanded their customer base to global markets using the web.

A sample page from the new Google Canada Export Map, available at g.co/exportcanada
“Toronto’s entrepreneurs are truly global - they are exporting to markets all over the world and that’s why we are helping to secure market access for their goods and services,” said Minister of State Maxime Bernier. “Our government is opening the European and South Korean markets and we will continue to give Canada’s small and medium-sized enterprises a priority on trade missions abroad.”
“Toronto has become a global leader in technology development, and as mayor, I am committed to growing the industry, which provides jobs of the future. Companies like Google Canada choose to locate themselves in Toronto because of our diverse and talented workforce, and today, we are seeing the expansion of an exciting new program that will help businesses market themselves internationally,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory. “As one of North America’s great cities, I want Toronto to lead from the front of the pack as a future-ready and globally integrated city.”
A recent study from Boston Consulting revealed that small businesses that embrace the web are almost 50 per cent more likely to sell their products and services outside their region. All kinds of businesses, from the largest e-commerce sites to the smallest local businesses, are using the web to power their sales to markets around the world. Today, every business can be a digital business that takes advantage of the 2.5 billion consumers online.
At Google Canada, we’re working to help small businesses to make the most of the digital single market opportunity. And we can’t wait to see how Canadian businesses make the web work for them, and where their export journey takes them.Posted by Sam Sebastian, Country Manager, Google Canada

Teaching students anytime, anywhere: Google Play for Education and classroom-ready Android tablets come to Canada

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Cross-posted at the Google for Education blog.contentfive classroom-ready Android tablets

Bill MacKenzie and a student from Upper Grand District School Board team up with Google Play for Education

Upper Grand District School Boardfirst in Canada to use Google Play for Educationuniversal design for learning

play.google.com/eduGoogle for Education website
Posted by Rick Borovoy, Product Manager, Google Play for Education

Encouraging Digital Literacy in Canada

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

36.7 hours per month totalanagrams

Actua in IqaluitCodemakersMediaSmartsMapping Digital Literacy Policy and Practice in the Canadian Landscape,"Digital literacy is not a technical category that describes a minimum functional level of technological skills, but rather it is the broader capacity to participate in a society that uses digital communication technology in workplaces, government, education, cultural domains, civic spaces, homes, and leisure spheres."Posted by Colin McKay, Head of Public Policy and Government Relations, Google Canada Member of the Board, MediaSmarts

Get ready for fan-demonium! YouTube FanFest hits Toronto on May 2nd

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Mark your calendars... YouTube FanFest is coming to Canada!

On Saturday, May 2nd, some of the biggest Canadian and international YouTube stars will take over Dundas Square in Toronto… for the first time ever! You’ll get the opportunity to meet some of your favourite internet heroes in person, including superstars like Jenna Marbles, Bethany Mota and Toronto’s very own Lilly Singh, a.k.a. IISuperwomanII. Co-hosted by TV personality Jessi Cruickshank and Harley Morenstein of Epic Meal Time, YouTube FanFest is free and features a mashup of music, comedy, fashion, education, and beauty all together on one stage. This wildly popular event is a first for North America - previous FanFests have been held in India, Singapore, Thailand, Korea, Australia and Japan.

Are you ready to get up close and personal with some of your favourite YouTube stars? With a combined reach of 59.9 million subscribers and 6.8 billion cumulative views, here’s the full Toronto lineup:

LaurDIY

You’ll want to get there early to see your favourite YouTube creators answer questions on the Red Carpet starting at 5:00 p.m. ET. We 'press play' on the main event at 8 p.m. ET.

Canadian YouTube Star Lily Singh, //Superwoman//, at YouTube FanFest Mumbai in 2014.
For more details, visit www.youtubefanfest.com. Don’t forget to follow the conversation with the official hashtag #YTFFTO on YouTube, Google+, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We’re excited to bring you an evening of laughter, music, mashups and more!

Posted by Sam Sebastian, Managing Director, Google Canada

ᑐᓴᕋᓐᓈᕈᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᐃᓚᓕᐅᔾᔨᕙᓪᓕᐊᕗᑦ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥᐅᑦ ᓂᐱᖏᑦ ᐃᓕᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᒐᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᖏᓐᓂᑦ

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

View FRENCH or ENGLISH versions of this Blog Post.
ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓱᐃᔨᐅᑉ ᑎᑎᖅᑲᖓ: ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᑎᑎᖅᑲᓕᐊᖅ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᔨᐊᓂᕗ ᕙᓛᓂᒐᓐ, ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑎᒋᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᒃᑐᐊᖅ. ᐅᑭᐊᔅᓵᖑᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᐋᒃᑐᐊ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒎᒍᓪ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᓕᐊᖑᒍᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ
“ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᐅᓂᖅᐹᖑᓯᒪᕗᖅ ᑐᓴᖅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑕᕐᓂᒃ!”
ᐅᓪᓛᖅ ᐅᖃᖅᑲᐅᔪᖅ ᓂᐅᓪᓴᓐ ᑕᒍᓐᓈᖅ ᑐᓴᓚᐅᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓇᑲᓱᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᕕᒻᒥ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᖏᑕ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖅᑎᖏᑦ ᐊᑐᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᑐᓴᕋᓐᓈᕈᑎᓕᐅᕈᑎᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓚᓕᐅᔾᔭᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᓂᐱᖏ. ᓂᐅᓪᓴᓐ ᐃᓅᓪᓗᓂ ᐱᐅᒋᔭᖃᒻᒪᕆᑉᐳᖅ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᑐᓴᕋᓐᓈᕈᑎᓕᐅᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᑐᕈᓘᔭᖃᑦᑕᕆᐊᖓ ᐃᓚᓕᐅᔾᔨᓪᓗᓂ ᓂᐱᓂᒃ. ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᐃᖃᓗᓐᓂ ᐱᖃᑎᖃᕐᓂᐅᓴᕗᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᑦᑑᓐᓂᒃ ᐋᒃᑐᐊ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒎᒍᓪ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓂᐊᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᓇᓪᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᕆᔭᐅᒍᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ - ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓂᐅᓴᔪᖅ ᑲᓇᑕᓕᒫᒥᒃ ᐃᓅᓱᒃᑐᐃᑦ ᐊᓯᐊᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᓕᕆᕈᓘᔭᕈᑎᒋᕙᑦᑕᖏᓐᓂᑦ.

“ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖃᑦᑕᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑐᓐᓂᖁᑎᒋᒍᓐᓇᖅᑲᕗᑦ ᓯᕗᓂᔅᓴᑎᓐᓂ ᑭᖑᕚᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᓯᒪᔭᕗᑦ ᑲᑕᔾᔭᖃᑦᑕᓐᓂᒃᑯᑦ.” ᓂᐅᓪᓴᓐ ᐅᕙᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓯᓈᖅᑐᓂ ᓱᕈᓯᕐᓂᑦ ᑐᓴᕋᓐᓈᕈᑎᕈᓘᔭᕐᓂᑦ ᐃᓚᓕᐅᔨᓗᑎᑦ ᐃᖏᖃᑦᑕᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ. “ᐃᓕᑉᐸᓪᓕᐊᓯᓐᓈᖅᑐᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᓕᐅᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑐᓴᕋᓐᓈᕈᑎᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓗᓂ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᓱᕈᓰᑦ ᓴᖅᑮᓯᒪᓕᖅᑯᑦ ᓅᑕᖑᔪᒥᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐊᑐᖅᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎ ᐱᐅᒋᔭᐅᒻᒪᕆᑦᑐᑦ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᒍᓐᓇᓕᖅᑲᕗᑦ ᓯᓚᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥᐅᖃᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ.”
ᑕᒫᓂ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᑎᑦᑎᓂᖅ ᐃᖃᓗᓐᓂ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓯᒪᓪᓗᓂᓗ ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᑕᒪᕐᒥᓕᒫᑎᒍᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓴᓇᐅᒐᑎᖏᕗᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᓕᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᒡᒐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓂᑦ ᐱᖑᐊᕈᑎᓂᑦ, ᑕᒪᓐᓇᓗ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐹᑦᑎᐊᖑᓪᓗᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓕᖅᑯᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᒻᒪᕆᐅᔪᓂᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᔅᓴᓕᐊᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᓂᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᓕᐅᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᒫᓂ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ, ᑖᓐᓇᓗ ᑲᑎᒍᑎᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᒍᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐹᑎᐊᖑᓗᓂ ᐊᒥᓱᒻᒪᕆᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᓱᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᒍᑕᐅᓗᓂ, ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᑎᒍᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎᓪᓗ ᓇᒻᒥᓂ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑐᖃᕐᒥᒍᑦ ᓴᖅᑮᑎᑦᑎᒍᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ.

ᓂᐅᓪᓴᓐ ᑕᑯᓐᓇᒐᑦᑎᐊᕙᐅᕗᖅ ᐊᒥᓱᓄᑦ ᓱᕐᕈᓯᕐᓄᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᕕᐅᕐ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ. ᑕᑯᓐᓇᒐᕆᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓗᓂ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᑕᐅᓕᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᒋᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᙵᑦᑎᒍᑕᐅᑲᓂᕐᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᖃᖅᒌᓄᑦ.
ᑕᐃᒫᓪᓗᐊᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐋᒃᑐᐊ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒎᒍᓪ. ᑕᒪᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᑕᐅᓕᕈᓐᓇᖅᑐᒋᓪᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᙵᑦᑎᒍᑕᐅᑲᓂᕐᓗᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᖃᖅᒌᓄᑦ.
ᑕᐃᒫᓪᓗᐊᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᐋᒃᑐᐊ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒎᒍᓪ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᒃᑯᑕᐅᓕᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᓯᒪᓕᖅᑯᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᓄᑦ ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑕᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᐅᐊᔭᓕᕆᔨᖏᓐᓂᑦ ᒎᒎᓪ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐋᒃᑐᐊ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔨᕐᔪᐊᖏᓐᓄ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᒍᓐᓇᖁᓪᒍ ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᐃᓅᓱᑦᑐᐃᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᓕᕆᖃᑦᑕᕐᓕᕐᓂᖏᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᒍᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᕐᓗᓂ. ᑖᓐᓇ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᔅᓴᐅᔪᖅ ᑐᕌᒐᕆᔭᑦᑎᐊᕙᖃᖅᑯᖅ: ᑖᒃᑯᐊ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐃᓄᓱᑦᑐᐃᑦ 100,000 - ᖏᓐᓃᑦᑐᑦ ᑲᓇᑕᒥᐅᑦ, ᐱᖃᓯᐅᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᕐᓇᐃᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓐᓇᐅᓂᖅᓴᓄᑦ ᐊᕐᓇᓄ, ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᓯᒪᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᓱᒃᑐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᐃᒃᑯᓄᖓ ᐱᒡᒐᓇᕈᑎᖃᖅᐸᑦᑐᓄᑦ ᒪᑭᒪᐅᑎᖃᕋᓴᐊᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ, ᐱᓕᕆᔨᐅᓕᕈᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᖃᕋᓴᐅᔭᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓗᓂ ᓂᐱᓕᐅᕆᓂᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᕈᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᑦᑎᒍᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒍᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓴᖅᑮᒍᓐᓇᕐᓗᑎ ᓯᕗᓂᕆᓂᐊᖅᑕᑎᓐᓂ.
ᐅᓪᓗᒥ ᐃᖃᓗᓐᓂ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᓪᓗᕆᐊᕈᑎᒋᓪᓗᑎᒍ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᓐᓇᖁᓪᓗᒍ ᑐᕌᕐᕕᒋᔭᕗᑦ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ, ᖁᔭᓐᓇᒦᖅᑐᒋᑦ ᓇᑲᓱᒃ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᖅᑎᖏᑦ, ᓴᖅᑮᒍᓐᓇᕐᓂᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᑐᓴᕐᓂᕈᓘᔭᖅᑐᒥᑦ ᑐᓴᕋᓐᓈᒐᕐᒥ!
ᓴᖅᑭᖅᑕᐅᔪᖅ ᔨᐊᓂᕗᑦ ᕙᓛᓂᒐᓐ, ᐊᖓᔪᖅᑳᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑎ, ᐋᒃᑐᐊ

Remixing northern voices while learning to code

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

ᐅᓇ ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑑᖓᔪᖅ ᐅᖃᓕᒫᕈᒃ

Editor’s Note: Today’s blog is guest authored by Jennifer Flanagan, President and CEO of Actua. In the fall Actua and Google announced the creation of Codemakers.
“This is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard!”
That was Nelson Tagoona’s reaction this morning when he heard the Nakasuk Elementary school’s throat singing club using audio-based coding tools to remix their voices. Nelson is an Inuit beatboxer who has a passion for all things digital. Today in Iqaluit he is joining a team from Google and Actua as part of the launch of Codemakers – a national initiative aimed at changing the way Canada’s youth think about computer science and technology.
“Throat singing is how we can pass on the traditions of our past.” Nelson told me as he helped the children mix and digitize the stories they shared in song. “By learning to code and remixing our voices, these kids have created something that’s new and totally amazing but still rooted in our culture. And we can now share it with the world.”

Jace Meyer of Actua works with a young student of Nakasuk Elementary helping her use coding software to remix her voice

This week’s workshop in Iqaluit, which also includes modules on 3D printing Inuit art and coding simple video games, is the first of hundreds of Codemakers programs and camps that will soon run in Canada's urban centres and high north. And, as we prepare to roll out Codemakers across Canada this summer, today’s event serves as the very first step towards engaging thousands of Canadian youth in activities that enable them to connect, create and produce their own culturally relevant content.

Nelson Tagoona performs with some of the Nakasuk Elementary School throat singing club.
Nelson is an inspiration to the children in this classroom. He sees computer science as a tool to mobilize and empower his community. So do Actua and Google. Codemakers is a three-year project developed by Google engineers and Actua experts that will transform the way youth engage with computer science. The program has an ambitious goal: to inspire more than 100,000 young Canadians, including girls and young women, Aboriginal youth and youth facing socio-economic challenges, to become the computer science builders and innovators of tomorrow. Today in Iqaluit we took our first step to delivering on that goal. And, thanks to the students of Nakasuk Elementary, we created a pretty great soundtrack too!
Posted by Jennifer Flanagan, President & CEO, Actua

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