There.  I said it.  Social media won’t factor into who will be asked to form Canada’s next federal government.  And it’s not because that social media isn’t important.  I believe it is.  I will be informed by it.  I will continue to be influenced by the messages from other users whom I “follow”.  And so will many of you.

The fact remains though that Canada’s social media “winner” won’t directly influence the results of next month’s election.  And here’s the reason why:  Canada’s politicians, parties and their “social media” advisors are not using it to win.  They are using it to message and communicate.  And that’s a huge difference from where I’m sitting.

Winning takes more than telling people what you stand for.  It’s more than just asking for donations.

Winning with social media requires 4 specific things to be in place:

1. The candidate MUST be a once-in-a-generation candidate who exudes passion and whose message resonates with the Canadian electorate.  Take a look around you. Which leader of Canada’s major political parties reeks of passion? Stop looking.  There isn’t one.
2. The tools must be relevant to today’s electorate.  My mom is on Facebook and my dad just signed up for LinkedIn.  One point.
3. The candidate or party must allow people to organize at a grassroots level and be provided with the tools to make their job and lives easy.  Ain’t gonna happen this time.  Will this ever happen in Canada?  Maybe.  Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi seemed to have been on the right track.  That was municipal politics.  Federal politics is a much bigger beast.
4. Be transparent.  Sounds like an oxymoron.

Mark Graham is the founder of RIGHTSLEEVE.COM, a leading Web-based promotional products company. Utilizing a mix of promotional products, design and technology, RIGHTSLEEVE develops merchandise programs for brand leading corporations across North America. RIGHTSLEEVE was founded in 2000 and has been the recipient of several industry awards. RIGHTSLEEVE was the National winner of the Dell Small Business Excellence Award, presented to businesses that use technology in innovative ways to enhance customer experience and company growth.  

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

I like to make a positive impact in everything I do. I love being involved in projects where I can change the way things are done for the better. If there is no opportunity for me to make a lasting impact on projects I am working on, I get bored very quickly.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

If there is any time to start your own business, it’s now. You are less willing to take risks when you are older and have competing commitments (family, mortgage, the safety net of an existing job).

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

The continued sophistication of social networks, and the extension of social networking into the enterprise. I think this will have a dramatic effect on how people at work communicate with one another as we just seeing the beginning with services like Yammer and Chatter. Better communication begets more engagement which begets a more enjoyable work environment.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

Data mining and the semantic web. We’ve been talking about web 3.0 for a while now, but it has yet to really take off. I think that companies are getting a lot better at using the data available to help us make better decisions in our lives.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Mike McDerment, CEO of Freshbooks. In 5 years, Mike and his team have created one of the world’s most enduring and beloved applications with over 2,000,000 users. He and his team have made a pretty mundane task (invoicing) easy, fun and social. They have been laser focused on solving one point of pain for their customers and have been enormously successful by staying committed to this goal. There are not many other privately funded Canadian success stories like Freshbooks on the world stage.

Dave Hale is the founder and CEO of the Ottawa based social media agency, Soshal Group. The agency partners with local and national digital, marketing, PR and integrated agencies to deliver social media strategies, community management and channel analysis to their clients. While he works in the social space, Dave is passionate about traditional media and shares his rantings on the connection between old and new marketing and branding practices on Soshal Group’s Soshalize Blog. Connect with Dave on Twitter @DaveCHale.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

Passion. It drives me to work harder every day, to learn as much new information as I can, to connect with new people and to succeed.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

I wouldn’t need 30 seconds, I’d need ten. “Work Hard.” I feel that the saying “Work smart, not hard” is great if you want to increase your time away from work or your business but, if you truly want to succeed, being smart can only get you so far. Doors don’t just open for you, you need to knock first.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

I’m a big fan of the Windows Phone 7 because the smart phone market needed more competition. There are very few industries or verticals where there are only three major players (RIM, Apple, Google) and this can be dangerous for two reasons. Firstly, while there is an arms race to conquer new markets and build out more functionality, these developments are stalled because of consumer demand. With more players comes more marketing dollars, greater market penetration and overall acceptance, which leads to purchase desire and action. Secondly, we’re at the mercy of the big three, just like we are with Canadian mobile carriers (Bell, Rogers, Telus). We need more Wind Mobile‘s entering the space to disrupt the industry a little bit, expose its flaws and stimulate change. Perhaps Microsoft will just be a 4th big player, but the foundation is being laid.

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

In the marketing world it will be location. Facebook Places, Foursquare and Gowalla all allow brands and businesses to have a digital store-front, a concept the website has tried to replicate for over a decade. The difference is that I don’t scream to the world that I’ve just entered Amazon.com. Location, and the integration into social, will give brick and mortar businesses a greater ability to compete in the digital space.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

Seeing as how metrics and social media analysis would be my next choice for “most important technological development in the next year”, I’m going with Chris Newton, founder and CTO at Radian6. Why? It goes beyond the awesome business he and his team have built and has more to do with something I’m also passionate about. Community. Radian 6 could set up shop anywhere in the world, yet they choose to remain in Fredericton, NB.

Jeremy is founder and president of Socially Collaborative Media, Inc. a company focused on changing the status quo of the traditional video production industry through Spidvid’s   community and new media platform. He is obsessed with sports, food, and his family. 

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

I know it’s a bit cliche for an entrepreneur to say, but I want to change the world. In my case innovate the video production world by making it more open, connected, and globally collaborative.

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon to be graduates, what would you say?

Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life. Follow your passion and get a job that reflects that passion, or better yet control your own destiny and start your own company. There is usually a fine line between success and failure, people usually give up too early and quit when things get tough, but to push through that resistance is when the big wins happen. Oh, and read all of Seth Godin’s books and his daily blog.

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technical developments over the past 12 months?

I would have to say the introduction of the iPad, just because it’s creating a whole new product category that will be totally mainstream in less than 5 years from now. Tablets have also killed off the Netbook market in a big way. My answer is also based on me being an Apple fan boy.

If you have a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technical development over the next 12 months?

Tough to say, technology is moving so fast that it makes predicting its future so challenging. I would say that millions of people will cancel their cable or satellite TV subscriptions in favor of using a box like Roku or Apple TV to watch their content online, and save lots of money. The “cord cutting” movement is just beginning right now.

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

It’s been exciting to see new tech stars emerge from across Canada over the last couple years. To say just one is tough, but Jordan Banks is leading Facebook Canada, so with Facebook being the fastest growing tech company in the world I give the honour to this remarkable gentleman.