In establishing the "Canada.gc.ca" web site as an Internet window on the country the Treasury Board, through the Internet Advisory Committee, had to create a direction for the use of this new medium. The Advisory Committee was faced with merging the complexities of government, with the new opportunities and complications of using electronic communications to transact government business. Building on the knowledge gained by the thirteen government departments that were already on-line, a set of guidelines were published in August 1995 (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca) that standardized the Government of Canada's use of the Internet.
The Internet provides government with an interactive tool that can both reduce costs and increase the effectiveness of service delivery. Cost can be controlled by reducing the reliance on sending paper through the mail and by streamlining the government's procurement practices. The voluntary publication of government information in an easily accessible electronic from will greatly reduce the costly access to Information' process, while providing Canadians with the government information that they require. Interactivity allows government to solicit feedback from Canadians and non-Canadians in the shaping of policy and provides a new opportunity for consensus building. An example of an alliance of government and business is the Strategis site (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca) which brings together a wealth of links to business resources within and outside government.
Bring government communications to an open and accessible medium like the Internet creates a number of challenges. Issues of privacy and security are an ongoing concern. Work is continuing on the secure encryption of messages that will insure their integrity, allowing business to be safely transacted electronically. Responding to the requests of their contractors the Government of Canada has targeted 1998 as the year when they will be equipped to handle financial transactions on the Internet.
A brief tour of the Government of Canada web site (http://canada.gc.ca) shows it to be a well designed accessible presentation. It's a web site designed to be used by Canadians and one that represents Canada to the world.