Throughout history, women have had an often overlooked, but crucial role in the development of technology. There are countless examples of women who were pioneers in their fields. These women, through tireless effort and solidarity, give us all an example to live by through their work to move the world forward and make space for other women to succeed.

Anthropocentrism has become our centre of ethical gravity. It is dying a painful and protracted death, but it is most certainly dying. Our cosmos harbours abundant life, and given the statistics, this includes intelligent life. And yet, here we are, onboard Apollo 13, drifting through the void with no mission or destination. We’re exhausting our fuel and provisions, and our atmosphere is a growing threat to our existence. Most of us still have no substantive sense of a present or pending peril, never mind a clear and meaningful sense of purpose.

In the US, Uber’s CEO has quit the Trump administration’s tech advisory council that includes the top names in Silicon Valley, citing huge pressure from citizens and customers. The promise of ‘smart cities’ of the near future is being undermined by deep concerns over security. Foreign governments are caught up in accusations of hacking utilities and democratic elections. If there was ever a time when we needed to sort out the issues facing government and technology, it is now.

Vancouver-based Politik, a tech media company also behind the city’s Interzone conference, is launching another event in Toronto tackling the ways that FinTech will impact the economy.