Geek Community Needs Signatures

In January, the Moncton Technology Planning Group and the City of Moncton released the results of an extensive study on accelerating Moncton’s technology-based growth and entrepreneurship (PDF). Several challenges were identified in the study. Some challenges identified were recruitment and retention, the launch of start-ups, post-secondary education, career expansion, limited national and international visibility and a lack of common vision, branding and strategic plan.

Our committee was encouraged by the leadership displayed by Councillor Doug Robertson and the Moncton Technology Planning Group on the issues facing our local technology cluster. Our team immediately explored ways to the group address the challenges of visibility and branding of our beloved region.

In response to the report, Geeks on Ice launched the “Draft Jim from RIM” letter writing campaign in January to coincide with the launch of our 2007 hockey tournament and fundraising campaign. The objective of the “Draft Jim from Rim” campaign is to convince Research in Motion (Blackberry) co-CEO Jim Balsillie to participate in our April event. His acceptance would enable our region to showcase our technology industry to one of the most powerful individuals in the IT world as well as attract national and international interests.

We have enlisted the services of several key business and community leaders in this campaign and it is now time to ask the public for their assistance. Having our entire community rally behind the campaign would convince Mr. Balsillie that the Greater Moncton region and New Brunswick is serious about creating a sustainable technology cluster in our region. Even if you have not formal ties to the technology industry, we are asking you to sign our online petition requesting Jim Balsillie’s presence at the April Geeks on Ice event. Our goal is to get a minimum of 500 signatures.

Signing the petition takes only a couple of seconds and could be the final key to get Jim to come to Moncton. The petition can be found on our website www.GeeksonIce.com under the Draft Jim from RIM section.

Let’s show the world that Moncton and New Brunswick is technology driven and geek powered!

Trevor Macausland
Co-chair and Founder
Geeks on Ice
Moncton, NB