Canada Pavilion Exhibitors' Brochure

Organization:

Aboriginal Canada Portal

Contact: France Beauvais
Process Planning Officer

Address: 10 Wellington Street, Gatineau QC K1A 0H4 Canada

Telephone: 819-994-9703 Fax: 819-956-8739
acp@ainc-inac.gc.ca
http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/acp/site.nsf/en/index.html

Exhibitor Profile

The Aboriginal Canada Portal is a partnership initiative comprising six national Aboriginal organizations and 11 federal government departments.

This partnership site is a major milestone in the Government of Canada's Connecting Aboriginal Canadians initiative. It provides single window access to more than 16 000 different Aboriginal-related pages across governments, universities, communities and associations. The launch of the Web site was conducted at the Indigenous Peoples' Summit of the Americas in 2002.

The portal is not only a single window to Aboriginal Canadian on-line resources, contacts, information, and government programs and services, but it is also a catalyst for many projects and initiatives. The Aboriginal Canada Portal working group has facilitated two National Aboriginal Connecting Aboriginal Canadians Forums in Ottawa, Ontario, which welcomed approximately 400 Aboriginal stakeholders from across international, national, provincial/territorial and community-based governments and organizations.

Since January 2002, the Aboriginal Canada Portal has received 891 841 visits and 5 703 415 hits.

In an effort to continually improve and better respond to its clients' needs, the Aboriginal Canada Portal is constantly evolving to include new technologies and tools such as the Virtual Aboriginal Trade Show, in partnership with the Aboriginal International Business Development Group.

Demonstration

A visit to the Aboriginal Canada Portal and the Virtual Aboriginal Trade Show (15 minutes).

Organization:

Canadian ePolicy Resource Centre (CePRC)

Contact: Wendy Ace
Senior Project Advisor, CePRC Project
Canadian Centre for Management Development International

Address: 373 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6Z2 Canada

Telephone: 613-944-4803  Fax: 613-995-0286
Wendy.Ace@ccmd-ccg.gc.ca
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ceprc-ccrcp.nsf/eng/Home

Contact: Raymond Lepage
Project Director, ICT for Development Initiatives
Industry Canada

Address: 300 Slater Street, Room 2016A, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C8 Canada

Telephone: 613-990-4421 Fax: 613-941-1164
lepage.raymond@ic.gc.ca
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ecic-ceac.nsf/eng/home | www.epol-net.org

Exhibitor Profile

The Canadian e-Policy Resource Centre (CePRC) assists developing countries with the design and development of their national e-strategies and e-policies. Implemented by the Government of Canada under the Canada Fund for Africa, the CePRC promotes capacity building in Africa in areas such as e-government, telecommunications policy and regulation, Internet governance, and electronic commerce. The CePRC is a resource for the Global ePolicy Resource Network (ePol_NET) (www.epol-net.org), a G8 DOT Force initiative designed to marshal global efforts in support of national e-strategies for development. Initial success of the CePRC in Africa will enable replication to other regions of the world.

The CePRC will be presented at the ICT4D Platform from December 9 to 13, 2003, under the auspices of the Canada Pavilion. The CePRC will also be promoted under the ePol-NET banner at the UN ICT Task Force Pavilion.

Role of the Organization in Development

The CePRC Secretariat is involved in the following activities:

1. Serving as clearing house for Canadian e-strategy expertise through liaison with CePRC members;
2. Facilitating knowledge exchange by maintaining the CePRC Web site and linking to resource Web sites;
3. Receiving and administering international requests through direct liaison with the Economic Commission for Africa (which is also receiving support from the Government of Canada under the Canada Fund for Africa), the ePol-NET Secretariat in Ireland and other ePol-NET members;
4. Identifying appropriate partners and liaising through marketing and promotional activities; and
5. Providing administrative and financial management services, including developing and maintaining client and supplier databases, as well as reporting and evaluating.

CePRC members offer policy expertise in the following fields:

1. Telecommunications policy (trade issues, business and regulatory analysis);
2. Spectrum/radio policy and allocation;
3. E-commerce policy (privacy and security, consumer issues, trade issues, research and metrics, e-business adoption);
4. Connectedness programs (e.g. SchoolNet and its various components);
5. The provision of on-line content;
6. Internet governance;
7. Electronic service delivery and Government On-Line; and
8. ICT for development policy issues.

Background

The DOT Force was established following the adoption of the Okinawa Charter at the 2000 G8 Summit. The mandate was to identify ways to bridge the digital divide between industrialized and developing countries, and to ensure the full participation of developing countries in the global information society. The DOT Force's membership included stakeholders from the G8 and developing country governments, private and not-for-profit sectors, and international organizations. Its report was endorsed at the Genoa Summit in 2001, including a nine-point Plan of Action for which G8 leaders encouraged the development of concrete initiatives. Since then, DOT Force members and other partners have been working on the implementation of the Genoa Plan of Action.

A key priority at the Kananaskis Summit in June 2002 was the G8 Africa Action Plan. This plan was a response to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), which highlights the critical importance of ICTs to help achieve Africa's economic and social objectives. The G8 approved the plan and the Prime Minister of Canada launched the Canada Fund for Africa (www.cida.gc.ca/canadafundforafrica). The Fund includes a $35-million contribution to provide ICT expertise and help bridge the digital divide in Africa. This contribution supports three initiatives that reflect Canada's leadership role in the work of the G8 DOT Force.

The initiatives are:

1. Canadian ePolicy Resource Network for Africa;
2. Connectivity Africa; and
3. Enablis entrepreneurial network.

Organization:

Canadian Heritage — Canadian Culture Online

Contact: Gaétan Duguay
Senior Outreach Officer

Address: 25 Eddy Street, 3^rd Floor, Room 300, Gatineau QC K1A 0M5 Canada

Telephone: 819-956-9733 Fax: 819-994-8360
gaetan.duguay@pch.gc.ca
http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/index-eng.cfm

Exhibitor Profile

Canadian Heritage is responsible for national policies and programs that promote Canadian content; foster cultural participation, active citizenship and participation in Canada's civic life; and strengthen connections among Canadians.

Role of the Organization in Development

The Department encourages a unique Canadian presence on the Internet, in both of Canada's official languages, English and French. To achieve that goal, it has set up a collection of programs known as Canadian Culture Online. The programs help creators and communities, cultural industries and institutions develop and promote digital content that reflects Canada's culture, history, arts and heritage.

The Government of Canada's investments in this program build new audiences as new digital content becomes available and accessible. Through Canadian Culture Online, Canadian communities tap into the best artists and producers of cultural content that Canada has to offer. Internet users around the world experience Canadian culture through virtual exhibits and collections on the Web. The Culture.ca Web site is also a gateway to Canadian cultural content, providing a space to tell our stories.

Through Canadian Culture Online, Canadian Heritage supports the creation of original French-language content for the Internet as well as content for young Canadians. This content represents a rich resource for learning and sharing ideas, values and diverse perspectives.

Some Highlights

One aspect of the Canadian Culture Online Program works with Canada's federal and heritage institutions to digitize key collections reflecting Canadian history and to make them available on-line. For example, about 150 000 visitors per month experience the CBC/Radio-Canada (public television) Archives Web site, where Canadians relive their history through live commentary, analysis, and audio and video clips. Also, approximately 1000 visits are made each day to ArtsAlive.ca, an interactive Web site produced by the National Arts Centre (of Canada). The site uses video clips, games and a virtual "instrument lab" to teach young people about the history of Canadian music.

To help both creators and users of cultural material, Canadian Culture Online has also contributed to the development of four on-line copyright management and licensing systems that facilitate access to and use of existing copyrighted material in Canada.

A project entitled Word Wizards (www.wordwizards.gc.ca) helps Canadians improve in writing, editing and translating both English and French by offering access to Canadian-made language tools. Another project entitled Media Awareness Network (http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm), which receives about 140 000 visitors each month, teaches young Canadians about safe Internet use. It also explores the role of media in the lives of children.

The Aboriginal Canada Portal (http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/acp/site.nsf/en/index.html) provides more than 7500 links to information for and about Aboriginal people in Canada on a range of subjects as diverse as economic development, learning, health, heritage, language and culture.

Administered by the Canadian Heritage Information Network, the Virtual Museum of Canada (http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/index-eng.jsp) links 875 Canadian museums on-line and welcomes about 240 000 visitors every month.

For more information about the Canadian Culture Online Program of Canadian Heritage, please visit http://www.pch.gc.ca/pcce-ccop/index-eng.cfm

Demonstration

Canadian Culture Online: An overview of some of the projects financed through the Canadian Culture Online Program of Canadian Heritage (nine minutes).

Organization:

Canadian International Development Agency

Contact: Graham Todd
Economic Policy Advisor, Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development

Address: 200 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau QC K1A 0G4 Canada

Telephone: 819-994-3817 Fax: 819-853-5229
graham_todd@acdi-cida.gc.ca
http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cidaweb/acdicida.nsf/En/Home

Exhibitor Profile

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is the Canadian government agency in that helps people in developing countries improve their quality of life by offering them the support they need. Working with partners in the private and public sectors, in Canada and in developing countries, and with international organizations and agencies, CIDA supports development projects in more than 100 of the poorest countries of the world. The objective: to work with developing countries and countries in transition in developing the tools to eventually meet their own needs.

Role of the Organization in Development

For more than a quarter of a century, CIDA has supported the use of ICTs as a tool for development. The Agency's Strategy on Knowledge for Development Through Information and Communication Technologies refines this approach by addressing issues related to the growing digital divide. As part of CIDA's strategy, ICTs will help develop the education and health sectors; build local capacity; and support knowledge sharing and networking. Moreover, CIDA will support those international activities and partnerships among government, the private sector and civil society that promote knowledge sharing and other uses of ICTs in development.

The strategy emphasizes the importance of gender equality, a principle that is central to CIDA's programming in all sectors. It is especially important in this rapidly changing sector to ensure that the Agency's ICT programs and policies enable women to take advantage of opportunities presented by the new technologies.

Given Canada's size, regional diversity and technological expertise, we are well placed to help developing countries benefit from ICTs. However, for CIDA's aid to be effective, its partners in developing countries and countries in transition must take the lead to reflect their own priorities, rather than the priorities of donors. The Agency will ensure that local ownership is achieved through consultative processes involving government, civil society and other groups within developing countries to decide how ICTs can best serve each country's economic and social development.

Demonstration

Presentation on CIDA's Strategic Information Management Program (SIMP): CIDA supports sustainable development in developing countries in order to reduce poverty and contribute to a more secure, equitable and prosperous world. Information and knowledge are among the resources that are seen to be fundamental to the development process. In 2004, SIMP will celebrate 10 years of sharing Canadian expertise in international development, information management and information technology with decision makers from developing countries and countries in transition. John Gilbert will provide an overview of the program and answer questions related to the program and its impacts. CIDA will host three one-hour information sessions on SIMP.

Organization:

Communications Research Centre Canada

Contact: Debbie Kemp
Business Development Officer

Address: 3701 Carling Avenue, Ottawa ON K2H 8S2 Canada

Telephone: (613) 998-4287 Fax: (613) 998-5355
debbie.kemp@crc.ca
www.crc.ca

Exhibitor Profile

The Communications Research Centre Canada (CRC), an agency of Industry Canada, is Canada's leading laboratory specializing in research and development (R&D) in advanced communications technologies and applications development.

CRC is dedicated to advancing R&D in the technologies that form the basis of new and emerging telecommunications systems across Canada: terrestrial wireless, satellite communications, broadcasting and broadband network technologies. The emphasis is to develop and demonstrate how these technologies can work together to form cost-effective and reliable telecommunications networks, serving all of Canada, especially remote and underserved areas.

CRC's R&D assists Canadian industry in maintaining global leadership in advanced communications technology through collaborative R&D, technology transfer, licensing agreements and contracting-in. CRC collaborates with many universities, government laboratories and private industry, both nationally and internationally.

Role of the Organization in Development

CRC and its Canadian partners will be at the Canadian Pavilion demonstrating live, interactive, leading-edge broadband and satellite applications in telehealth, e-learning and community services.

Education

Broadband communications have the potential to bring learners of all ages closer together, regardless of their location. High-speed networks not only provide learners with access to media-rich learning materials, but more importantly, they provide a platform for the exchange of ideas without the limitations of time and place. It is important to emphasize that R&D in broadband infrastructure and applications are but a means to support innovative learning. Of greater importance is how to use these tools effectively, not only to enhance existing learning practices, but also to enable new and valued practices. It is about creating a passion to learn.

The use of broadband technologies to connect "brains to brains" in order to cultivate individual and collective intelligence requires careful design of the entire learning environment. Broadband collaborative space for learning includes not only reorganization of physical environments, but also the reorganization of the mental learning spaces of all participants in the learning process.

Telehealth and Educational Technology Resource Agency

The Telehealth and Educational Technology Resource Agency (TETRA) at Memorial University in Newfoundland is one of the most successful and mature telemedicine centres in the world. What sets Memorial apart is the fact that its activities continue even after grant funding has ended, with approximately 40 percent of its projects becoming continuing services. It has had a substantial and positive impact on telemedicine and distance education within the province, as well as nationally and internationally. Utilizing all aspects of information and communications technology, while continuing to offer audio-conferencing services, TETRA has developed expertise and experience in videoconferencing, Web-based programming, and the management of both terrestrial and satellite networks. TETRA has grown to meet a need for an effective, cost-efficient communications system to augment health and education services in the province.

The community centre model, developed under the Remote Communities Services Telecentre and subsequent projects, has confirmed the technical viability to provide a multitude of applications to the remote and underserved areas in Canada, and has provided a solid base of applications with which to move forward. The model uses the technology appropriate for intracommunity communication, with a satellite trunk to connect to the broadband urban infrastructure. The economic base of the rural and remote communities cannot justify and sustain an infrastructure; thus, the model has lowered the cost of providing individual applications by the aggregation model within the community. The model stands, arguably, as the key building block of a major networking development over the past three years for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Many applications will be demonstrated.

Organization:

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Contact: Jim Burt
Senior Technology Advisor, Science and Technology Division

Address: 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa ON K1A 0G2 Canada

Telephone: (613) 996-4292 Fax: (613) 944-2452
jim.burt@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/international/index.aspx

Exhibitor Profile

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) provides leadership to advance Canada's interests abroad. It enhances the prosperity and security of Canadians; promotes Canadian culture and diversity internationally; directs Canada's political, economic and cultural relations with other nations; and strategically manages the Government of Canada's worldwide network of missions abroad. In carrying out its mandate, the Department also manages a science and technology (S&T) program on behalf of Canada's S&T community.

Role of the Organization in Development

DFAIT's S&T program objectives (www.infoexport.gc.ca/science/program-en.htm) are to facilitate international research and development collaboration between Canada and other countries, and to assist Canadian companies, universities and research institutes up to the point of commercialization of the product or service being developed.

In Europe, many of Canada's collaboration initiatives are conducted under the umbrella of the Information Society Technologies — Europe Canada (IST-EC) (www.ist-ec.org) project, a two-year project, ending in February 2004, whose objective is to connect the European and Canadian research communities in key areas of information society technologies. The project facilitates cooperative participation in comparable Canadian and European research and technology development programs, focussing on the domains of e-learning, e-business, e-culture and e-entertainment.

Canada's World Summit Award Nominees

As part of its efforts to increase collaboration between European and Canadian researchers in these fields, the Department's Science and Technology Division is pleased to showcase Canada's nominees for the World Summit Award in the eight award categories.

Organization:

Industry Canada — Information Highway
Applications Branch

Contact: Office of International Partnerships

Address: 155 Queen Street, 4^th Floor, Ottawa ON K1A 0H5 Canada

Telephone: 1-800-575-9200 Fax: 613-998-0943
oip-bpi@ic.gc.ca
www.connect.gc.ca

Exhibitor Profile

Industry Canada's Information Highway Applications Branch is supporting increased access to and applications of the Internet and other information and communications technologies (ICTs). In doing so, it is strengthening the innovative capacity of citizens and communities.

Building E-Communities

Industry Canada is ensuring a strong connectivity infrastructure by delivering high-capacity Internet to rural, Northern and First Nations communities and funding public Internet access in places such as schools, libraries and community centres. The Department is supporting minority-language communities in the development of on-line content and services that are relevant to them. Funding has also been provided to support unique demonstration projects to transform 12 communities into world-class centres of expertise on integrating information technology into community development. All of Industry Canada's work with communities promotes skills development and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned among communities.

Supporting E-Learning

Industry Canada is improving access to information technology in schools by providing them with free refurbished computers, as well as supporting Internet connectivity in Aboriginal classrooms. The Department promotes the sharing of on-line teaching resources and best practices within the learning community and provides financial assistance and recognition to innovative schools. Other e-learning initiatives include promoting the on-line credit courses of more than 75 institutions to learners in Canada and abroad, as well as contributing to the development of international e-learning standards and supporting their adoption by Canadian content developers.

Sharing ICT Knowledge with Developing Countries

With nearly 10 years of experience in the implementation of ICT initiatives for social and economic development, Industry Canada provides a key point of access to the best of Canada's expertise and solutions for any country or foreign organization seeking to better use ICTs for development. Canada has already advised a number of countries on the creation of national e-strategies. In addition, through the NetCorps Canada International program, Canada has placed more than 1250 skilled Canadian interns in 102 countries throughout the world to help build local capacity in ICTs.

Demonstrations

Broadband Access Across Canada: The Government of Canada is helping rural and remote communities across Canada gain access to high-speed Internet. This is an important step in the government's efforts to bridge Canada's digital divide (five minutes).

Community Access Program (Introduction): The Community Access Program is a Government of Canada initiative that provides Canadians with affordable access to the Internet in places like schools, community centres and libraries. In so doing, the program is providing an on-ramp to the Information Highway for Canadians who would not otherwise have access (three minutes).

Computers for Schools (Introduction): The Computers for Schools program collects, repairs and refurbishes donated surplus computers from the government and private sector sources and distributes them free to schools, public libraries and community access centres throughout Canada (10 minutes).

Computers for Schools — Refurbishing Centre Virtual Tour: Since it began in 1993, Computers for Schools has provided more than 400 000 computers to schools and libraries in all provinces and territories. The program now delivers more than 60 000 computers throughout Canada each year. The video provides a virtual tour of some of the program's computer refurbishing centres (10 minutes).

NetCorps Canada International (Introduction): In this video presentation, youth and program staff comment on the impact of the NetCorps program, which sends young Canadians to developing countries to assist communities in acquiring ICT skills. Each year, 255 techno-savvy youth are sent to more than 60 developing countries (six minutes).

Rankin Inlet Community Access Centre: Since 1995, the Community Access Program has provided seed funding for 8800 public Internet access centres in rural, remote and urban communities throughout Canada. One such example is the Rankin Inlet community access centre, established in one of Canada's remotest Northern communities. The community members speak for themselves about how the Internet has affected their lives (three minutes).

SchoolNet Network of Innovative Schools (Introduction): The Network of Innovative Schools recognizes schools that demonstrate leadership, determination and success in the integration of ICTs in the classroom. Learn how Gloucester Secondary School made use of ICTs to enhance learning (three minutes).

Organization:

International Development Research Centre

Contact: Stéphanie Roberge
Special Project Officer

Address: 250 Albert St., Ottawa, ON K1P 6M1, Canada

Telephone: 613-236-6163 ext. 2081 Fax: 613-567-7749
sroberge@idrc.ca
www.idrc.ca

Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC, www.idrc.ca) was one of the first development agencies to embrace information and communications technologies (ICTs) as a means of alleviating poverty and promoting development. With established programs such as Acacia in Africa, Pan Asia Networking in Asia, and Pan Americas in Latin America, IDRC has a breadth of experience regarding the impact of ICTs on the lives of people in the developing world. This experience is reflected in IDRC's prominent role in international initiatives such as the Institute for Connectivity in the Americas, Connectivity Africa and the G8 Digital Opportunity Task Force.

Experience has also shown the value of adapting ICT initiatives to the varying needs of people in the developing world. In Africa, for example, the focus is on social and economic development through the application of ICTs to education, health and community development. In Latin America, IDRC support is helping harness the region's untapped human potential. By working with civil society organizations to connect the people of the Americas, IDRC strives to strengthen democracy and stimulate prosperity. Asia houses the oldest of IDRC's ICT programs. Support for ICTs now emphasizes equitable access and community use of the technologies — everything from village information centres to research on open source software and promoting local language content on the Internet. It is interesting to note that IDRC support helped to establish the first Internet services in Bhutan, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia and Vietnam.

IDRC is also exploring how developing countries can benefit from innovative ICT applications in areas such as e-commerce, distance learning and health.

Demonstrations

Day 1: ICTs and Poverty Reduction

Can ICTs reduce poverty? It is a question to which many seek answers. Prominent development thinkers and practitioners debate the issue, and IDRC-supported research offers insights garnered from practical experience in the field.

1. Video of the Harvard Meeting featuring Nobel laureates Michael Spence and Amartya Sen, as well as Mohamed Yunus, and other specialists in ICTs, gender and economic development. The video summarizes discussions on the role of ICTs in alleviating poverty.
2. "Internet Reaches the Rural Poor" by Senthil Kumaran, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, India
3. "The Grameen Experience in Bangladesh" by Nazneen Sultana, Grameen Communications
4. "What Difference Can ICTs Make? Telecentre Experiences in Senegal and Uganda" by IDRC/Acacia

(120 minutes)

Day 2: Innovative ICT Policies for Africa

Policies and regulations that promote access and affordability for the majority of the population are key to unlocking the development potential of ICTs. Leading policy makers and researchers will discuss their initiatives in Africa.

1. "Uganda's Universal Access Model" by Patrick Masambu, Uganda Communications Commission
2. "Transforming Telecom Reform for Development" by Allison Gilwalld, LINK Centre, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
3. "Transition to Next Generation Telecom Regulation" by Professor Bill Melody, LIRNE.net, Visiting Professor, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

(90 minutes)

Day 3: Low-Cost Sustainable Solutions (WiFi, VoIP, and VSAT)

In their quest for digital inclusion, communities around the world are using innovative technologies to attain low-cost connectivity. Practitioners will describe some of the technologies currently being piloted, such as WiFi (wireless fidelity), VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) and VSAT (very small aperture terminal).

1. "Community-based ICT Infrastructure" by Onno Purbo, IDRC Research Fellow, Indonesia
2. "WiFi for Favelas Initiative" by Luis Felipe M. De Moraes (PhD), Professor COPPE-UFRJ and Coordenador, Lab. de Redes de Alta Velocidade, Brazil
3. "Information and Communication Network for Sustainable Agriculture" by Frère Godfrey Nzamujo, Centre Songhaï, Benin
4. "End-to-End Connectivity for Development" by Ing. Carlos Vera Quintana, Director, Agenda Nacional de Conectividad, Ecuador

(120 minutes)

Day 4: Empowerment and Capacity Building

The current information revolution could mean unprecedented opportunity for more equitable development. Initiatives are being piloted giving particular groups, such as women, indigenous peoples and youth, the tools and skills to use ICTs to meet their own development needs.