Focus group participants indicated they used several different channels when searching for government-related and other types of information. Personal networks, telephone directories and in-person contact at government offices were some of the most common channels used by “near” and “far non-users”. Late adopter “new users” made significant use of the Internet to find the information they needed, but often indicated they used it in conjunction with other traditional resources, such as the telephone, mail and in-person channels.

Focus group participants were also asked to comment on Health Canada’s reliance on the Internet to distribute breaking updates and rapidly evolving information regarding symptoms and precautionary measures during the SARS crisis. Reactions were both immediate and intensely negative for “new user”, “near non-users”, and “far non-users” alike.

Participants made it clear that the practice of a government department relying on a single service channel to provide potentially critical information was an affront to principles of equality. It made little difference to Internet users that they would have been able to access the information themselves; the idea that others could not directly access the same information they could was disturbing. For those who were unable, or did not choose to use the Internet, the perceived exclusion was felt much more personally, but was motivated by the same desire for fairness and equality.