Such a broader approach will facilitate the needs of particular organizations, and will also address the broader needs of individuals. HRDC’s CLN program is ideally suited to act as a catalyst to facilitate greater coordination and delivery of services at the community level. It is also a useful model that could help to coordinate and link various federal resources and other initiatives into manageable and effective delivery models that are easier to access and use by community organizations. CLN resources are limited however, and the program should not be expected to displace the various other federal forms of support or programs specifically aimed at helping communities or organizations deal with such issues as access, literacy, and training. Instead, the CLN has great potential as a catalyst and organizing device to provide an innovative way of instilling coherency for initiatives at the federal, provincial and local levels.

Interestingly, Canada appears to be at a crossroads in the development of the Internet and other on-line services. On the one hand, these could develop narrowly as entertainment, retail consumer products, and business-to-business products. Or, these could also feature a major public service role, part of which supports the diverse, innovative approaches which are emerging across Canada to address Canadians’ needs in the areas of: education; training; social, cultural and economic participation and development; as well as community capacity building.

Historically, Canada and other countries, missed realizing similar opportunities to develop sophisticated, comprehensive and effective education, training, and social and cultural public services through other media, such as television. Public broadcasting, including provincial education television, has made some contribution to these goals in the past, but the full potential was unrealized. Canada is again at a key crossroads, this time with on-line technology, where government commitment to a progressive public service model involving individual and community development can help realize broader policy objectives in these areas, as well as complement the development of the commercial market place.