Minister to participate in federal-provincial territorial ministerial meetings

Industry, Trade and Technology Minister Judy Foote will participate in ministerial meetings on the information highway, being held from June 11-12 in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

"I look forward to the opportunity to discuss a number of issues with respect to our information technology sector and promote the advancements that we have made in this sector," said Minister Foote.

The information highway will be one of the topics up for discussion among the ministers and representatives from each province and territory attending the two-day meetings. Specific areas to be addressed include access to the information highway in relation to the delivery of government services, privacy, electronic commerce and affordable access.

"In order to remain competitive in today's global marketplace, affordable access, which has been one of the key technology issues in the past, is crucial," said Minister Foote. Minister Foote said that the province intends to work on creating better access for rural areas in Newfoundland and Labrador in the future. "Our rural areas have the same needs as the larger centres and I intend to pursue this issue with my colleagues so that we can work towards a viable access path," she said.

Electronic commerce, an increasingly popular issue with consumers, will also be discussed. Electronic commerce has the potential for business expansion, diversification and increased profit, as more consumers and companies choose this alternative. It includes easy access to activities such as banking and shopping that previously could not be done from a home computer.

"The 'global village' has evolved and businesses and individuals have an increased need for on-line access to information. As a government, we must also adapt our services and policies so that we can provide Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with access to the information they need to succeed in the marketplace," said Minister Foote. She cited the government's intention to create an electronic database for manufacturers as a result of amendments to the Public Tendering Act as an example.

The information technology topics to be discussed have become a priority for government with the constant growth and expansion of the sector. Canada ranks first among technological countries and knowledge workers in the world, and Newfoundland and Labrador ranks very favorably among Canada's provinces. There are 230 IT firms operating in the province today, employing approximately 6,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in the information technology sector.

"Information technology is important to the growth of our province's economy. But it is equally important to ensure that our IT sector is developed properly and that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians benefit from the advances being made," said Minister Foote. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to discuss these and other issues surrounding IT development in Canada."

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