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PRIME MINISTER LAUNCHES NEW
"CANADA SITE"
February 2, 2001
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today joined Treasury Board President Lucienne
Robillard and Public Works and Government Services Minister Alfonso Gagliano to
launch the redesigned Government of Canada Web site. The launch, which took
place at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, marks a major milestone in
the Government On-Line initiative.
"The new Canada Site is about helping Canadians do more of what they
already are doing: surfing and using the Net to inform and empower themselves,"
said the Prime Minister. " It is about putting the Internet in the hands of
citizens. It is about putting the best information and services on-line. Above
all, it is about enhancing the quality of life and prosperity of all Canadians."
Visitors to the Canada Site at will now find it easier to access the
information and services they need, in the official language of their choice,
whether they are Canadian citizens, businesses or visitors from outside Canada.
The new interface was developed in consultation with Canadians and designed
according to their information needs.
The federal Government On-Line initiative will provide Canadians with
electronic access to government services by 2004, as reaffirmed in the Speech
from the Throne, January 30 th,
2001. The Government On-Line initiative provides Canadians with another
way to access the information and services they receive in person and by
telephone. It is a key element of the Connecting Canadians Strategy aimed at
making Canada the most connected nation in the world.
As President of Treasury Board, Minister Robillard is the lead government
Minister for Government On-Line. As Minister of Public Works and
Government Services, Mr. Gagliano is responsible for maintaining and updating
the Canada Site.
A backgrounder on the Canada Site is attached.
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PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555
Backgrounder
The Canada Site, canada.gc.ca, was first launched in 1995 to provide
Canadians with Internet access to information and services provided by the
Government of Canada. Since then, the site has been regularly reorganized and
enhanced as new on-line information and services have become available. The
Canada Site launched today is easier to navigate and more intuitive to use.
Canada.gc.ca averages 2.5 million page requests per month.
On January 2, 2001, visitors to the Canada Site were introduced to many new
features. Among them, the addition of three "gateways" to information
and services for Canadians, businesses, and visitors to the site from outside of
Canada. This new way of organizing information reflects what users of the site
have said about how they would like information organized.
The Canadians gateway provides quick access to information on health,
consumer protection, benefits, and jobs. Through this gateway, key communities
of interest – Aboriginal peoples, children and youth, newcomers to Canada,
persons with disabilities, and seniors – can easily find the things that mean
most to them.
The business gateway links to information covering business start-up,
employment, taxation, financing, and exporting.
The international gateway offers visitors and businesses from other countries
a window on Canada and information to help them learn about our culture, or to
make decisions about travelling, living, studying, and investing in Canada.
Additional features include links to the following:
· a "How do I…" feature that points to
information about finding a job or replacing lost identification documents,
applying for a passport, and other frequently-requested topics;
· frequently used forms, such as those required to
apply for a social insurance number, a record of employment or a business number;
· frequently-asked questions and answers on
subjects ranging from food and product recalls to special birthday greetings;
· a customization feature that allows frequent
visitors to create a list of links that meet their individual needs;
· directories containing information on how to
reach Members of Parliament and Senators, phone numbers and Internet addresses
for government departments and agencies, the location of in-person service
centres in Canada, and the co-ordinates for Canadian missions abroad.
The Canada Site and Government On-Line (GOL)
The Canada Site is an integral part of Government On-Line (GOL), a Government
of Canada initiative to improve service to Canadians by providing information
and services on the Internet. The Canada Site provides Canadians with another
interactive choice to access the information and services they need.
The February 2000 Federal Budget allocated $160 million over two years
(2000-2001 and 2001-2002) to develop and launch Government On-Line. In its first
year, Government On-Line funding was allocated to redesign the Canada Site and
to undertake projects called pathfinders, which will lead the way to new on-line
services in the months and years ahead.
Like other governments, Canada has set an ambitious goal – to put its
services on-line by 2004, to better connect with citizens. This goal was re-confirmed
in the Speech from the Throne, January 30 th,
2001 (). The redesign of the Canada Site launched today is a significant step
forward.
For more information about Government On-Line visit or call:
Edison Stewart
Media Relations
Treasury Board Secretariat
(613) 941-0255
For more information about the Canada Site visit or call:
Diana Dowthwaite
Public Affairs and Media Relations
Public Works and Government Services Canada
(613) 956-2315
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