News Release Archive
TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE SECRETARIAT--INFORMATION HIGHWAY ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Minister responsible for the Technology and Science Secretariat, Gerald O'Malley, agreed today to work together with other federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for the information highway to make Canada a world leader in exploiting its economic potential. At the conclusion of their one-day meeting in Winnipeg, ministers committed themselves to help accelerate the application of new technologies, and ensure that small and medium-sized businesses and individual Canadians benefit from the shift to electronic ways of doing business. The ministers agreed that in an increasingly global economy, building and using the information highway is critical to creating jobs and growth for Canadians. They said innovative information technologies must be used in all sectors of the economy to create new products and services, to reach new markets and to cut costs. Mr. O'Malley said, "There is a great sense of urgency for governments to become more pro-active on issues like the protection of personal information, the development of common methods of service delivery, and providing universal access to information highway services." The ministers stressed the importance of affordable access to essential information highway services for all Canadians regardless of location, income or special needs. They will explore what can be done to improve access from rural and remote areas, and measures such as the connection of all schools and public libraries to the information highway. They will also look into the creation of public access points and community networks. The ministers agreed that governments should become model users of information highway technologies by using them to improve the efficiency of their operations, extend the availability of government services and help accelerate private sector action. They endorsed the goal of all governments adopting electronic commerce as quickly as possible. They outlined their intention to work together to develop common, multi-faceted public access sites and kiosks that could be used by all levels of government for the delivery of information and services to Canadians. To support the private sector as it shifts to electronic ways of doing business, the ministers gave a commitment to remove legal, regulatory and other impediments to electronic commerce within their respective spheres of responsibility. The ministers also agreed that in order for Canada to reap the economic benefits from doing business electronically, public concerns over the privacy and security of electronic transactions must be alleviated. Keeping this in mind, the ministers want to establish a clear and consistent set of rules to protect personal information in marketplaces, and harmonize government policies and standards for the transmission of electronic transactions. To work towards these goals a federal-provincial-territorial committee of senior government officials will be established to facilitate coordination among the different jurisdictions. Regular meetings by the ministers will be held to oversee the committee's progress. -30- Contact: Mary Anna Jollymore 902-424-0926 trp Sept. 30, 1996 - 4:40 p.m.