COUNCIL FOR AN ONTARIO INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE What is the Council for an Ontario Information Infrastructure? The council is an advisory body reflecting a range of telecommunications interests. Its formation was a key recommendation of the Advisory Committee on a Telecommunications Strategy for the Province of Ontario, which reported in August 1992. What is the council's mandate? The government has established the council to champion the campaign for an Ontario information infrastructure under the provincial Telecommunications Strategy. An information infrastructure is a vast array of information and services transmitted in multiple media - voice, data, image and video - through interlocking electronic communications networks to people who know how to obtain and utilize the information to meet their needs. The council will review progress in achieving the goals of the Ontario Telecommunications Strategy and recommend further actions as required. In addition, it will provide advice to the government on telecommunications and information infrastructure issues and sectoral concerns. Exactly what will the council do? The council will advise the government on: - directions and priorities for initiatives and activities to carry out the information infrastructure campaign; - trends and developments in telecommunications/information technology and the information economy in Ontario and worldwide; - sector issues and developments; - Ontario's telecommunications infrastructure and network development; - the government's use of information technology and telecommunications; - matters referred to the council by the minister on behalf of the government. The council will also undertake the following activities: - lead an awareness campaign to promote an Ontario information infrastructure to stakeholders and the public; - initiate partnerships among private and public organizations; - recommend priorities and review applications under the Telecommunications Sector Framework and the Ontario Network Infrastructure Program. How will the council be structured? The council will consist of a chair, two vice-chairs and members from telecom stakeholders. All members will serve as individuals, not representatives of an organization or institution to which they belong. Given its broad mandate, the council may set up subcommittees, as well as ad hoc committees with a chair from the council and members from within or outside the council. How will the council operate? The council will be free to determine its method of work in line with its role and mandate - and consistent with government administrative guidelines and directives and the laws of Ontario and Canada. The council chair will provide direction in the event that conflicting views are provided by council members. The council itself will determine whether it will operate on a majority or consensus basis, and how to deal with minority views for specific issues or activities. The council may elect to establish working groups, including members and outside experts, to deal with specific issues or questions.