NOTE: Please forward as appropriate COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY TAKE CHARGE OF THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY! Ottawa, May 7-9, 1995 We're told the information highway is the key to our high- tech future, but community-based groups and non-government organizations have not been consulted by business or govern- ment about how they would use the I-Way or how it could be adapted to meet their needs and budgets. Here's your chance to think your way forward into this gap in public policy! Community and public access electronic networks have been working to create electronic neighbourhoods that reflect the priorities and interests of their communities. At this con- ference, electronic networkers and the voluntary sector will come together to explore common ground and develop a unified voice with which to express their concerns. The event will build solid bridges between long-time users and designers of cyberspace, and those less familiar with this new terrain. The conference will also be an educational opportunity for those looking for the substance behind the information high- way hype, wanting pointers on using online services or seek- ing to learn how their organization can tap the vast infor- mation resources already available on electronic networks. We will proceed on the assumption that common sense and plain language are perfectly adequate tools with which to address these issues. Onsite terminals will be available throughout the conference for FREE tutorials and practical use. ____________________________________________________________ Preliminary Agenda Community Access to the Information Highway ____________________________________________________________ Sunday, May 7 - Day 1 The View from Here: Where We Are Now 7:30-12:00 Registration 9:00-9:30 Welcome and Purpose Mitchell Beer Agenda and Process Dennis Lewycky 9:30-11:30 Panel: Perceptions of Reality on the 'Net Who is charting the information highway? Mark Surman on the Electronic Commons Leslie Regan-Shade on Gender Valerie Collicott on People with Disabilities Keith Kelly on Culture Response: Marita Moll 11:30-1:00 Lunch with Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ursula Franklin "A Critical Overview of Electronic Networks" 1:00-3:00 Panel: Life in the Electronic Public Space Models for community networks. Marc Belanger, Solinet Michael Gillespie, Blue Sky Freenet Kirk Roberts, Web Marty Thompson, Ingenia Response: Garth Graham 3:00-3:30 Break 3:30-5:00 Concurrent Discussion Sessions What content will voluntary sector groups be looking for on the Internet? What are the key issues related to public or community access & infrastructure? What can be learned from existing community and public access networks? 7:00-9:00 Sponsored wine and cheese reception (pending sponsor) ____________________________________________________________ Monday, May 8 - Day 2 Visions of the Future: How Various Sectors See It 7:30-12:00 Registration 9:00-9:30 Reports of 1st day's concurrent discussions 9:30-10:45 Community Visions Labour's View: Jean-Claude Parrot, VP, Canadian Labour Congress The Consumer's View: Irene Seiferling, Pres., Consumer's Association of Canada The Public Interest View: Elizabeth Hoffman, Chair, Steering Committee, Coalition for Public Information Response: Michael Richardson 10:45-11:00 Break 11:00-12:00 Industry Visions The Hon. Claude Forget v Rainer Paduch, President, fONOROLA i*internet Response: Jay Weston 12:00-1:30 Lunch with Keynote Speaker: Karen Adams, President, Canadian Library Association "Libraries as Public Access Points" 1:30-3:00 Concurrent Discussion Sessions What are the roles and responsibilities of policy-makers in ensuring voluntary sector access to Internet services? What support will non-profit groups and their members require? 3:00-3:30 Break 3:30-5:00 Concurrent Discussion Sessions Principles into Practice: What should the information highway look like? ____________________________________________________________ Tuesday, May 9 - Day 3 What We Need to Do Now: Steps Into Tomorrow 9:00-9:45 Reports of 2nd day's concurrent discussions 9:45-10:30 Keynote Representative from Stentor Telecom Policy Inc. 10:30-11:00 Break 11:00-12:30 Concurrent Discussion Sessions Bridging the Gaps: Policy options and opportunities. What should be done to maintain an information highway accessible to all? 12:30-2:00 Lunch at restaurant on-site (participants pay) 2:00-3:45 Concurrent Discussion Sessions Recommendations to government and action plans for non-profit groups. Suggestions and ideas for partnerships. 3:45-4:00 Break 4:00-5:00 Plenary: synthesis and summary conclusions. TBA by InfoLink Next Steps: discussion with a panel of representives of key segments and debate open to the floor. ____________________________________________________________ Process * The onsite terminals will be online daily * Registrants will sign up for one-hour, hands-on tutorial sessions running parallel to concurrent discussions; you will thus customize your own agendas * Registrants are encouraged to double-up with partners to maximize resources * Special sessions may be arranged, if necessary * The concurrent discussion groups on the first two days will be pre-selected based on familiarity/experience with the Internet * The discussion groups on the third day will be pre- selected based on interest area within the voluntary sector * Caucus rooms will be available at various times (times to be announced) * Sponsor display tables will be set up in the terminal area * Rapporteurs will develop syntheses of major discussions, panels and presentations for distribution in hard copy and online at the beginning of the second and third days * Proceedings will be produced for all participants and for a nominal fee to other interested parties * All coffee breaks, and lunch on the first two days pro- vided with registration; lunch on the third day will be served at the site, paid for separately by registrants * There is a site on the National Capital Freenet for information about the event and discussion of conference issues: e-mail to ac045@freenet.carleton.ca or type "go access" while on Freenet * Participants are urged to familiarize themselves with the schedule and endeavour to move quickly between sessions: the agenda is full and we're relying on the co-operation of all to ensure that it flows smoothly ____________________________________________________________ Tutorial Times Sunday, May 7 - Day One 3:30-7:30 (24 sessions) Monday, May 8 - Day Two 1:30-7:30 (36 sessions) Tuesday, May 9 - Day Three 11:00-4:00 (30 sessions) ____________________________________________________________ Conference Steering Committee: Andrew Chisholm, Friends of the Earth Garth Graham, Coalition for Public Information Ivan Hale, One Voice, the Canadian Seniors Network Marita Moll, Canadian Teachers Federation Andrew Reddick, Public Interest Advocacy Centre Susan Scruton, Canadian Council on Social Development Dave Sutherland, TeleCommunities Canada ____________________________________________________________ General Information Location: Tudor Inn Hall 3750 Bowesville Road 613 739-4287 (just N. of airport, off Hunt Club Rd.) Fee: $95.00 + GST until April 20 $130.00 + GST after April 20 $150.00 + GST at the door Subsidies: * 30 Subsidized spaces available @ $50.00 * Request special subsidized registration form * Subsidies will be allocated on first-come, first-served basis, according to receipt of completed form Accommodations: Travelodge Hotel, 402 Queen St. 613 236-1133 $67 single / $69 double Quality Hotel, 290 Rideau St. 613 789-7511 $72 double or single Mention that you are registered for the "Community Access to the Information Highway" conference Shuttlebus service has been arranged between the hotels and the conference site. Speakers: Karen Adams, Executive Director, Canadian Library Association Marc Belanger, Coordinator, Technical Office, Canadian Union of Public Employees; initiator of SoliNet Valerie Collicott, Artemis Consulting The Honourable Claude Forget, co-author of *The Media and the Muse* Dr. Ursula Franklin, distinguished scientist advisor to government on science policy Michael Gillespie, VP, Blue Sky Freenet, Manitoba; Treasurer, Telecommunities Can. Elizabeth Hoffman, Chair, Steering Committee, Coalition for Public Information; Ombudsman, University of Toronto; member of the Infor- mation Highway Advisory Council Keith Kelly, National Director, Canadian Conference of the Arts Rainer Paduch, Pres., fONOROLA i*internet Jean-Claude Parrot, Exec. VP of Canadian Labour Congress; member of the Information Highway Advisory Council Leslie Regan Shade, doctoral candidate Communications, McGill University Kirk Roberts, co-founder of Web, Executive Director of Nirvcentre Irene Seiferling, President, Consumers' Association of Canada; member of the Infor- mation Highway Advisory Council Mark Surman, author and community cable and network activist Marty Thompson, co-ordinator of Community Access, Ingenia Proceedings: Text proceedings of all sessions, including concurrent discussion groups, will be available both online and in hard-copy. >------------------------Cut Here--------------------------< (print form and mail or fax) REGISTRATION FORM (please print) [] Sign me up to participate in a conference on community access to the information highway! Name/Title ................................................. Agency/Organization (if applicable) ........................ Address .................................................... City ............... Province .......... Postal Code ....... Telephone:(w) (.....)............. (h) (.....).............. Fax: (......)............... Email ......................... Registration fees: [] $130.00 + GST Method of payment: [] Cheque (by mail; cheques payable to InfoLink Consultants) [] Mastercard [] VISA Credit Card Number: .............. Expiry date ............. Name of Card Holder: ............................. Signature: ....................................... (A limited number of subsidized spaces are available for students/unemployed/limited income. Call for information.) Please indicate any special needs we should be aware of: [] Physical challenges (please specify) .................... [] Food Allergies (please specify) ......................... [] Other ................................................... What Internet applications/uses are you interested in exploring in tutorials? [] Logging on [] Email/Usenet [] Gopher/Veronica [] FTP/Archie [] World Wide Web [] Other (specify) ................................... * Mail completed registration form to: Community Access to the Information Highway c/o InfoLink P.O. Box 4892, Station E Ottawa, ON, K1S 5J1 OR * Fax completed registration form to: 1-613-235-0155 * For more information: 1-800-265-3973 in Ottawa: 594-5960 email John Thurston, ag264@freenet.carleton.ca or Mitchell Beer, ac779@freenet.carleton.ca ___________________________________________________________ Selected List of Conference Registrants Advocacy Resource Centre Agriculture Canada Association of Canadian Radio and Television Actors Calgary Freenet Canada West Foundation Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse Canadian Human Rights Commission Canadian Teachers Federation Canadian Youth Foundation CARE Canada Coady International Institute Coalition des Aines du Quebec Counterpoint Resource Centre Department of Canadian Heritage Department of Justice Friends of the Earth Fundy National Park Health Sector Training and Adjustment Program Hewitt and Johnson Consultants International Council for Adult Education International Council of AIDS Service Organizations Kingston District Community Information Centre Kingston Rape Crisis Centre Labrador Inuit Health Commission Lanark County Network Project McGill University McMaster University National Capital Freenet National Library of Canada Nepean Public Library Noble Consulting North Shore Micmac District Council Ontario Environment Network Ottawa Centretown Citizens' Community Association Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre Pink Triangle Services Social Planning Council of Ottawa-Carleton Treasury Board University of Guelph University of Waterloo Vision TV -- John Thurston, PhD, Mgr., Emerging Technologies, InfoLink ag264@freenet.carleton.ca / thurston@globalx.net Voice: (613) 737-9648 / 594-5960 Fax: (613) 235-0155 26 Stamford Private, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1T 3J3