Electronic Commerce Act

In the House of Assembly today, Walter Noel, Minister of Government Services and Lands, and minister responsible for consumer affairs, introduced a Bill entitled the Electronic Commerce Act which, if passed, would give electronic signatures and contracts the same legal status as their paper counterparts.

Minister Noel said: "Consumers and business have told us such legislation is essential to ensure people in our province are well positioned to do business electronically. This legislation will assist both by promoting greater security and clarity between online buyers and sellers. The bill will establish basic rules to facilitate electronic commerce, and clarify and give legal effect to electronic documents and contracts.

"Harmonization is necessary to foster transactions between people in different jurisdictions. All provinces are working to harmonize, and have either introduced or enacted similar legislation based on a Uniform Electronic Commerce Act drafted by the Uniform Law Conference of Canada.

"Everyone is dramatically affected by the Internet and other forms of electronic commerce. Our department has recently moved into this arena with the introduction of our motor vehicle registration renewals over the Web. We expect other applications to follow soon.

"Consumers must always be well informed when shopping off or on line. We are endeavouring to ensure consumers in our province are provided maximum assistance. Just a few weeks ago federal Industry Minister Tobin and I, as co-chairs of Canada�s consumer ministers, inaugurated a new on-line Canadian Consumer Information Gateway. This is a state-of-the-art federal/provincial service which allows visitors to investigate many important issues such as consumer rights, tenant rights, health services, standards, fraud, and product recalls. The gateway at //ConsumerInformation.ca is well organized and easy-to-navigate. It includes related Web links to other information and services, as well as e-mail addresses and phone numbers for information providers and officials. A powerful search engine takes consumers directly to the information they need from approximately 300 federal and provincial departments and agencies."

Media contact: Rick Callahan, Communications, (709) 729-4860.

2001 11 28                             4:50 p.m.