Computer Communications And The Mass Market In Canada

From the back cover: The authors argue that services which evolve from computer-communications technology will transform Canadian society if widespread usage of the technology is achieved. In other words, a mass market will be required. How the market develops, who participates, the terms of the participation, what the market does, and who benefits are important questions of government policy. Only one thing is clear: government must play a key role in balancing the interplay between the forces of competition and government intervention.

This essay is based on part of a project which examines issues of Canadiantrade and foreign direct investment with special emphasis on theCanada-European Economic Community relationship.

Informed observers and policy makers are well aware that in recent years social welfare systems on both sides of the Atlantic have been subject to growing scrutiny, debate and controversy, especially due to high unemployment rates and extreme interest rates experienced during the last recession as well as important demographic changes such as the increase of women into the labour market and the aging population. The papers included in the colloquium discuss the situation of social welfare policy in three stages: historical developments and forces for change; the influence of the political process on social security developments; and, the nature of policy responses to demographic change.

Over the past several years Canadian and international trade policy has been the subject of intense public debate, and near the top of Canada's publicpolicy agenda. The present volume is offered as a further contribution topublic understanding of the policy issues involved. It represents theoutcome of a study over the past two years of how heightened internationalcompetition moves governments, on the one hand, to reinforce barriers toimports as a means of protecting domestic producers and, on the other hand, to encourage and assist producers to adjust to change.

The implementation of the proposed agreement would remove many of the remaining barriers to commerce between Canada and the US, but there remain many details of the proposed Agreement and many potential consequences uncertain. This volume contains the proceedings of a conference that sought to provide a neutral forum to assess the implications for Canada. Analyses the elements of the Agreement, and the regional, sectoral and labour market adjustment issues and broader concerns with respect to cultural, economic and political sovereignty.