Sponsored by:

British Columbia Library Association

Supported by:

Association of B.C. Public Library Directors
B.C. Library Trustees Association
B.C. Freedom of Information & Privacy Association
B.C. Coalition for Information Access
Simon Fraser University
Vancouver Regional FreeNet Association

Governments are actively developing electronic highway policies to maximize economic benefits. Often forgotten is the importance of providing a "public space" on the electronic highway and using information technology to encourage community-building and democratic participation in politics. This conference moves beyond merely looking at the issues to developing policy and strategies to fight on behalf of the public interest.

Welcome and Opening Remarks:

Nancy Levesque, President, B.C. Library Association

Moderator:

Jacqueline van Dyk, Chair, BCLA Information Policy Committee

Keynote address:

DR. DAN SCHILLER
"Ambush on the I-Way: Information Commoditization on the Electronic Frontier"

Scholar of Communications History; Associate Professor of Communications, University of California, San Diego. His books include: Objectivity and the News, Telematics and Government, and Theorizing Communication: a historical reckoning (forthcoming). Dr. Schiller has testified on behalf of the Telecommications Workers Union before the CRTC.

The B.C. Government released its B.C. Electronic Highway Initiative Accord on October 17, 1995. This panel will examine the contents of the Accord and the vision that it outlines for the people of British Columbia. There will be an opportunity for the audience to participate in the discussion with the new Chief Information Officer of B.C.

Moderator:

Sandra Bradley, Harwood Information Associates, Limited

Speakers:

Jo Surich, B.C. Chief Information Officer Michael Shoop, Executive Director of Consultations, B.C. Information and Technology Access Office

Response Panel:

Brian Campbell, Chair, Canadian Library Association Information Policy Task Force
Carolyn McCool, Executive Director, B.C. Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Sid Shniad, Research Director, Telecommunications Workers Union

28 October 1995 - 12:30 - 1:30

LUNCH

Moderator:

Paul Whitney, Director, Burnaby Public Library

Keynote address:

MARITA MOLL

Co-organizer of the Internet lobby project, the "Public Information Highway Advisory Council"; Head of Research & Technology at the Canadian Teachers' Federation in Ottawa; member of the community networking movement; and currently helping to build a broad-based citizens coalition which will work to raise awareness about communications issues and promote citizen participation in communications policy development and implementation processes.

1:30 p.m.
Panel Presentation

Four information policy issues will be introduced by a provocative panel.

Moderator:

Sylvia Roberts, Chair of the B.C. Information Policy Conference

Public Access / Public Infrastructure

Bill Andrews, Executive Director, West Coast Environmental Law Association

Women on the Internet

Gladys We, Graduate Student, Dept. of Communications, SFU
Penny Goldsmith, Chair, Public Access Committee, Vancouver Regional FreeNet Association

Censorship

Jon Festinger, Media Lawyer, Western International Communications (WIC) Ltd.

Content : how to ensure a multiplicity of voices

Nancy Hannum, Director, Legal Resource Centre of the Legal Services Society

2:45 p.m.
Working groups

Break-out sessions give you an opportunity to form working groups to discuss and contribute action suggestions for the four information policy issues previously introduced.

Public Access / Public Infrastructure

Facilitator: Barbara Greeniaus, Direcotr, Library Services Branch, Government of B.C.

Women on the Internet

Facilitators: Gladys We, Graduate Student, Dept. of Communications, SFU
Penny Goldsmith, Chair, Public Access Committee, Vancouver Regional FreeNet Association

Censorship

Facilitator: Ann Curry, Professor, UBC School of Library, Archival and Information Studies

Content : how to ensure a multiplicity of voices

Facilitator: Guy Thomas, Instructor, Science Access Program, First Nations House of Learning, UBC

4:15 p.m.
Plenary Session

Facilitators will report back from working groups with recommendations.

Moderator:

Brian Campbell, Chair, Canadian Library Association Information Policy Task Force

5:00 p.m.
Conference Ends.

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This page last updated 31 January 1996.

Copyright © 1995 BCLA Information Policy Committee

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