Beyond Infrastructure
General Information
From a Canadian Perspective...
In February, 1995, on the occasion of the G7 summit in Brussels, Canadian Industry Minister John Manley raised some of the public policy concerns which Canadians must address collectively to adjust to the societal impact of rapidly changing technology. The goal for Canada is to build the highest-quality, lowest-cost information network in the world to provide all Canadians with access to the employment, educational, investment, entertainment, health care and wealth-creating opportunities of the information age.
... to a more general one
The information superhighway, collectively known as the Internet, and its future developments and refinements are likely to become the most pervasive cultural mass medium of all time. Beyond the necessary technical infrastructure, we must not forget that the vitality of the new, electronically-linked world community will be directly dependent on the content on offer as well as the diversity of nature and purpose of its users. If we are to enjoy the benefits of such a community, rather than a mere worldwide shopping mall, the basic principle must be the international diversity of angles of approach and languages, to the benefit of all users.
The purpose of this conference is to go beyond the polarized, short-sighted and all too common notions held by political and business leaders and commentators of all persuasions, for whom the information society is either a miracle cure for the acute structural crises currently plaguing the Western world, or a juggernaut imposing an unwanted revolution and to be fought off at all costs.
The conference is intended as a vehicle for a variety of key people from both sides of the Atlantic to share their experiences and discuss their aspirations, needs, and plans. Users, policy makers, developers, managers, etc., will be able to talk to each other and understand their respective positions, enabling them to play a more efficient and useful role in the future.
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