In establishing an improved system for providing labour market information, two time horizons must be distinguished.

• In the short term, information must focus on jobs, immediately or soon-to-be available, and individuals seeking employment, with given characteristics and limited possibilities to change them.
• In the longer term, information would be based more on an in-depth analysis of employment trends on which career orientation and choices should be based.

The local and national employment opportunities databases and the job seekers database would meet needs on the closer horizon; the hirings and separations database would address longer-term requirements.

We believe that technology that was not in place or accessible at a reasonable cost 10 years ago is now widely available and should be used to build the labour market information system that we propose. Technology makes it possible to combine rapidly information collected locally at a national level. It should be used. The result would be a decentralized network with some centralized functions and universal access. Use of the "electronic highway," which is being promoted under the name CANARIE (Canadian Network for the Advancement of Research, Industry and Education) by the federal Department of Industry with substantial involvement of the private sector, should be explored.