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December 12, 1997
(Development and Rural Renewal)


The following statement was issued today by Beaton Tulk, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Information technology advances in Rural Newfoundland and Labrador

On this day the 96th anniversary of Marconi's first Trans Atlantic wireless message - it is appropriate as Minister of Development and Rural Renewal, and on behalf of the Minister of Industry Trade and Technology, Judy Foote, that I inform the House about advances in electronic communications in rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Internet is frequently described as a route to the world - an electronic highway leading to information and knowledge from all corners of the globe.

Because much of our province is rural, one might think that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are behind the rest of Canada in Internet access. However, I am happy to say that is not true - in fact exactly the opposite is the case.

Thanks to the efforts of a number of organizations, both public and private, 90 per cent of Newfoundland and Labrador will have toll-free access to the Internet by the end of 1997.

That is a level that will not be reached by Ontario and Quebec until the year 2000. Yet, by that time 100 per cent of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador will have toll-free access to the Internet, should they desire it.

The credit for this technology goes to NewTel Communications and its $60 million, three-year, Rural Services Program which will deliver the newest of communications services to our smallest and most rural communities.

Our school's Internet system is even more advaned. Since April of 1996, all schools in Newfoundland and Labrador have had access to the Internet. With 100 per cent of our schools online, we have the highest Internet participation rate in any province.

That is a tribute to STEM~Net - a small organization within Memorial University which has been offering Internet access to rural Newfoundland and Labrador since 1993.

In turn StemNet has been helped by generous assistance from the private sector. Cable Atlantic is providing high-speed Internet access to 100 of the 250 schools within the cable company's service areas. Cable Atlantic service through its program named STELLAR, is being supplied free for four years. As the company expands its cable service area, more schools will be invited to join STELLAR.

AT&T Canada has also worked with schools of Newfoundland and Labrador to reduce the cost of long distance Internet access. AT&T has provided rebates on long distance reducing the costs by almost two-thirds.

In the growing global economy, access to the world's information through Internet, is becoming increasingly important to the success of businesses and the overall economic growth of our province.

Access to the information highway for our rural communities breaks down barriers once presented by geography. The Internet opens up opportunities for rural businesses - to explore new markets and promote their products and services throughout the world.

Thanks to the forward thinking initiatives of organizations like - Cable Atlantic, NewTel Communications, Memorial's STEM~Net, and AT&T Canada - this province is at the forefront of Canada's information highway development. That provides a tremendous competitive advantage to our rural communities.

Access to the information highway can help develop our economy by fostering the growth of small businesses creating new jobs, especially in the rural areas of our province.

The initiative and vision shown by the private sector in Newfoundland and Labrador clearly demonstrates its overall committment to the further development of this province. They show confidence in the future of Newfoundland and Labrador as a good place to invest and do business.

I want to commend the private companies for their assistance. The companies have helped us in our attempts to revitalize rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

1997 12 12 2:50 p.m.

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