Canada is beginning the development of its much touted electronic superhighway. Unfortunately for the public, the loudest voices in determining its direction are those who want to make a profit from it. Not visible to the public, which has been excluded from the debates, are the extensive discussions between governments and the corporate sector over who will control and profit from it.

Who is protecting the public interest in access to information and the new telecommunication networks?

Not the Federal Government. Industry Canada's, "The Electronic Connection: An Essential Key to Canadian Survival" was released only after a Freedom of Information request. Of the 200 individuals consulted for the research, none were proponents of public access. The Honourable John Manley, Minister, Industry Canada is now establishing a high-level Advisory Committee on the electronic highway which will meet in secret and may not issue a final report. This is completely unacceptable.

Not the Federal Government. It has been legislatively increasing exemptions from the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. The Ottawa- based Coalition for Open Government is organizing a lobby to increase the power and range of existing FOI legislation and broaden dissemination of government information. The Library Depository program, which provides free copies of government documents to selected libraries across Canada, the main access for public use of government reports, is not even protected by government legislation and is in constant financial jeopardy.

Not the Federal Government. It's Interdepartmental Committee on Database Industry Support encourages the commercial distribution of government electronic information but there is no comparable organization to assure public distribution.

Not the Federal government and the many provincial and municipal governments which are investigating or have implemented "tradeable information" policies based on the Thatcher government's decision to increase government revenue through the sale of government information.

Not Stentor. The telephone company consortium released "The Information Highway: Canada's Road to Economic and Social Renewal - A Vision Statement" with almost no reference to public participation and with no consideration of social policy issues. How can equal access to information can be assured when only 25% of the population own microcomputers? This report, along with virtually all others, ignores the cost of providing broad public access and training.

Not the cable industry. Fixated on 500 channels of money-making entertainment and interactive commercials, the cable industry has shown no concern for public access and public involvement. The bubble may burst on these dreams of mega-dollars if the public agree with critics such as Neil Postman, who talks about "info-garbage" and the lack of content on the existing 60 channels.

Not the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. It has effectively deregulated the telephone system and is now considering, with minimal public input, optional regulatory environments, such as new ways to charge for local telephone service. Options could include Local Metered Service - charging for every call and its length. The one tool of the information age which is currently available in most households will follow the U.S. experience after de-regulation, resulting in substantially increased local telephone rates.

What about the media? Its role is two-sided. In its traditional role as newsgatherer, the media wants to force the government to expand the Freedom of Information Act and open the government to closer scrutiny.

On the other hand, as business corporations different forms of media consolidating into ever larger units, as the recent Roger's offer to buy-out MacLean-Hunter demonstrates, it is integrating all forms of media including books, magazines, film, video, cable, newspapers, databases, television and radio. This consolidation limits the sources of news and editorial perspective. The loss of cognitive diversity, like bio-diversity, is a cause for alarm and concern. A new organization, Project Censored is concerned about this limitation and has evaluated a number of news stories to determine which has been the most censored in Canada in 1993. The winner (loser?) will be announced at the general meeting of the Canadian Association of Journalists in April.

Only recently have public interest groups and activists emerged to present the case for free access to government information, access to the high speed telecommunication networks of the future, and access to community networks to create and disseminate information.

Foremost among these have been Canadian library associations, librarians across Canada and FreeNets which are currently creating a national organization - Telecommunities Canada. Libraries are the predominant source for public access to information in Canada. Viewing themselves as the electronic library of the 21st Century, FreeNets are in their infancy world-wide, and struggling to establish non-profit, freely accessible, community computer networks in towns and municipalities. Ottawa, Victoria, and Trail are currently operational, and another sixteen FreeNets are actively organizing. Many other community and advocacy organizations, especially at the national level, are becoming aware of the implications for their organizations of the current debates on information policy.

A revealing irony of the so-called "information age" is that while debates continue regarding who will benefit from the billions of dollars expected to be generated by new commercial information products and the information highway, libraries struggle to stay open and FreeNets are forced to exist hand-to-mouth.

Information policy is not currently a "hot" public policy issue. It does not command the public attention of debates on the economy, unemployment, racial intolerance, the environment or the disintegration of civil society which is occurring all around us. The public is as unaware of information issues as are most of the politicians. An attempt to have an all-candidates meeting on these issues during the last Federal election resulted in an acknowledgement that no local B.C. candidates knew anything about the issues.

However, the existence of libraries, FreeNets, and information policies which encourage free public access to government information and data collected in the enforcement of government regulations are fundamental to thorough discussions of our key public issues. Policies which widen the gap between those who have easy access to information and those who do not will further undermine democratic debate.

Information Rights Week (April 11 - 17) is organized by the Canadian Library Association, with the co-operation of Telecommunities Canada. Libraries across Canada will have posters, displays, brochures, and programs to focus attention on these issues. The profound changes taking place in government policy regarding access to information, high-speed telecommunication networks, and the telephone system must be opened to the public. We are already divided into information rich and the information poor. Current policies to create a "pay per" society will magnify these disparities. TV programs, videos, government information, local telephone calls would all be paid per minute, per byte of information, per database searched. Simultaneously, public sources of information, like libraries, will deteriorate and electronic alternatives such as FreeNets will struggle to provide a non-profit option.

Decisions regarding future access to free government information, universal and affordable telephone service and options for the creation and distribution of non-commercial content must be made openly and not behind closed doors.

Brian Campbell
Chair, Canadian Library Association Information Policy Committee
President, Vancouver Regional Freenet Association

For more information contact your local public library
or
The Canadian Library Association
#602 200 Elgin St.
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1L5
613-232-9625 Fax 613-563-9895
or
Telecommunities Canada
c/o David Sutherland
Computing Services, Carleton University
Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6
or
[email protected].

Copyright © 1995 BCLA Information Policy Committee

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