Other Possible Federal Government Roles

• Strategies and initiatives of the federal government and community organizations intended to close the various digital divides should include specific goals or objectives that can be measured using quantitative and qualitative methodologies (for example, number accessing computers and the Internet from home or public sites; increased literacy and skills levels for equity groups; increase in local employment for equity groups; changes in economic activities or social services in the community, etc.).
• There are roles for Ministers in the federal government to help create better public awareness about access, training and learning issues. A communication strategy should address such issues as: the importance and relevancy of life long learning; literacy; skills upgrading; and ICT skills. The message should convey how improvements in these areas are important for individual betterment and social and economic participation, as well as community and regional development. Coordination between federal departments may enhance such initiatives.
• There may be opportunities through communication regulation (Telecommunication and Broadcasting Acts) in Canada to help address some aspects of the digital divide. The federal government and the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission should consider the viability in Canada of such initiatives as:
  
  
  • A fund under the Telecommunications Act to address the issue of telephone affordability;
  • A fund under the Telecommunications Act, comparable to the United States’ E-Rate initiative, that would provide connectivity and related operational cost assistance to not-for- profit community organizations providing access, training and content development services;
  • Regulation-based public benefits contributions from broadcasting and telecommunications companies involved in mergers and take-overs. As in the United States, the funds could be used by not-for-profit community organizations for activities related to closing the digital divide, individual and community capacity development, and non-commercial social and cultural content development;
  • Contributions by broadcasting distribution undertakings, broadcasting licensees, and Internet Service Providers, etc., to not-for-profit community organizations for activities related to closing the digital divide, individual and community capacity development, and non-commercial social and cultural content development.