The Community Access Program links communities into a competitive global economy. The Program is plugging every community in Canada with more than 400 people into the Net. Once they're on-line, the people in these communities can improve their quality of life. Children have access to sophisticated educational facilities through tele-learning. Adults can follow training programs to update their skills.
Medical facilities link to the most sophisticated hospitals in the country using tele-health.
We've already seen cases where some of Canada's foremost specialists have performed on-line diagnosis of patients in communities thousands of miles away. I've recently seen an excellent application of the Program in Nova Scotia. Many people in the region left school early to follow the trade of their fathers and grandfathers in the off-shore fishery. But with the dramatic decline of the Atlantic fishery in recent years, many were left without a trade, and did not have enough education to pursue new opportunities. So they've turned to the Community Access Internet sites, where they are obtaining their high-school diplomas and upgrading their skills through distance education.