Mr Barry Steinhardt, representing both the ACLU and EFF today, said that two important issues would be explored with this second panel. The second issue, equally as important, involves freedom of speech on the Internet as the Internet raises free speech issues to a global level. First, Mr Shniad and Ms Lawson dealt with the access issues.
Access is acknowledged as the key to maximising the technology's positive social potential.
If we are serious about providing access to electronic communications on a universal, affordable basis, governments must create a regulatory framework that is equal to the task, one which obliges corporations in the telecommunications sector to meet our social and economic needs. Mr Shniad concluded that funding for various programs to deal with the issue of access in Canada is unfortunately ad hoc in nature and is unlikely to be sustained over time. The paper highlighted that there is a need for affordable services to low income Canadians. In Canada, almost everyone agrees that in the absence of direct government intervention, some kind of regulated subsidy is necessary in order to maintain universal access to basic telecommunications services. Currently, the Canadian government is working hard to spread Internet access points across the country, and to encourage Canadians of all ages and backgrounds to use the Internet for personal and business gain.