Vincent TANGUAY <vincent.tanguay@mcc.gouv.qc.ca>
Ministère de la Culture et des Communications
Canada
Adelard GUILLEMETTE <adelard.guillemette@mcc.gouv.qc.ca>
Ministère de la Culture et des Communications
Canada
Michel ROSCISZEWSKI <michel.rosciszewski@mcc.gouv.qc.ca>
Ministère de la Culture et des Communications
Canada
Daniel CLOUTIER <daniel.cloutier@mcc.gouv.qc.ca>
Ministère de la Culture et des Communications
Canada
André DUPLESSIS <andre.duplessis@mcc.gouv.qc.ca>
Ministère de la Culture et des Communications
Canada
Purpose: The Panel will bring together 5 spokespersons who will examine the most relevant experiences in Québec since the introduction of the Information Superhighway Policy by April 1998. Introduction: In the face of the radical transformation of the circulation of information, all societies are hoping to leave their mark on this new universe and to take advantage of it to revamp the world in which they already live. Indeed, the stakes are high. There are economic stakes, of course, but also social and cultural stakes. However, with these new challenges come incredible opportunities. Québec’s Information Superhighway Policy is based on five main priorities. These priorities and the ensuing action proposals are not a series of district elements but rather a whole, the various components of which are closely linked together. Because we, as a society, refuse to give in to fears regarding NICT but instead want to take all the necessary steps to ensure that as many jobs as possible are created from the possibilities offered by NICT and information highways, by banking on the development of the economy and jobs, we must foster the development of a multimedia content and electronic services industry, in particular one that focuses on electronic commerce. If such an industry is to develop and create jobs, a dynamic domestic market is needed. This market could not exist if the State does not set the example by becoming a model user of NICT and information highways, thereby reducing its costs and making it possible to free resources to intervene more effectively in the development of the economy and jobs. Québec must seize the possibilities offered by these technologies to bring the State closer to citizens and businesses. Efforts must also be made to generalize the use of the information superhighway by citizens and businesses, if only to ensure that the services offered by the State can increasingly be provided via this new avenue. Users must be able to have access to the information superhighway and its services in full confidence and be able to rely on appropriate measures intended to protect their private life and to ensure the confidentiality and security of electronic transactions, which explains the need for an encryption policy. But access cannot become generalized without first increasing the quality and quantity of information highway content and services corresponding to the language and culture of these citizens. We must therefore build a section of the information superhighway that reflects our culture. To make this program a reality, the public, young people in particular, must acquire the skills and know how needed to make full use of the resources of the information highways and be able to take advantage of the ensuing jobs. Consequently, we must prepare the younger generation of the universe of new technologies. Topics covered: The Government of Québec believes that the more the products and services offered are accessible over the entire territory at an affordable cost and according to an approach that offers the general public easy, user- friendly access the more the general public will truly embrace the information superhighway. Availability on the territory, affordability for all and ease of use are the basic components of any policy seeking to ensure the universal use of the Internet. In the education field, Québec is already experimenting with the acquisition of diplomas via the Internet, popular education initiatives open to the general public, and the development of educational content in the national language.
Turning to public access, the creation of community access points, a free e-mail address for all citizens, interactive terminals, the accessibility of this tool for remote populations, the deployment of wide band infrastructures in cooperation with private carriers are among the main actions being carried out.
In the case of on-line democracy, experimenting centers on consulting the general public about the various pieces of legislation and free access to government information.
The economy holds an important place in the implementation of Québec’s information superhighway policy. Québec has underscored this aspect by providing secure environments for exchanges between businesses and the State, by forging a relationship of trust with the pubic as part of a campaign to make consumers aware of the enormous potential offered by electronic commerce. In addition, the government has announced various measures that will foster the development of jobs in cutting edge sectors, in particular the creation of a major world pole for multimedia production, Cité du multimédia (multimedia city) (Montréal), Information technology development centres, a consortium for exports, an International federation of multimedia associations and, finally, by granting very generous income tax credits in the multimedia and telecommunications sector. Over the next ten years, the Government of Québec will invest close to $650 million CAN to accelerate the development of the new sectors of the new economy.
In the health field, to support the reform of health care services in the regions, to facilitate work and research between specialized centres and general hospitals, telemedicine and remote diagnosis are being experimented with in centres of excellence. Moreover, a pilot health card project and a national patient index are being developed. The Québec State is endeavoring to create useful occasions for using services via the Internet in a legislative and regulatory environment that respects the confidential nature of personal data in both the public and private domains. In this respect, the health field is a major pole for developing public trust.
Finally, the problem of ensuring the financial viability of a large economic market and developing Internet loyalty among the French-speaking clientele is important. By supporting the development of content and services in French (Information Superhighway Fund), Québec plans to address this situation. To measure the results of its action, Québec is announcing a Québec-on-line project and intends to support new multimedia production businesses through government advertising at on-line electronic press web sites.
Panelists: The five panelists chosen will be leaders of Internet initiatives put forward in Québec in response to the main objectives of Québec’s Information Superhighway Policy, which are: generalize the use of the information superhighway; prepare young people for the universe of new technologies; build a section of the information superhighway that reflects our culture; accelerate the transition of the economy and job growth; bring the State closer to citizens and businesses by becoming a model user of NCIT