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<html> <head> <meta name="Generator" content="Corel WordPerfect 8"> <title>MR. KILGOUR - ADDRESS TO THE SOUTH ASIA PARTNERSHIP CANADA FORUM ON LEVERAGING CYBERSPACE - HULL, QUEBEC</title> </head> <body text="#000000" link="#0000ff" vlink="#551a8b" alink="#ff0000" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"> CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY NOTES FOR AN ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE DAVID KILGOUR, SECRETARY OF STATE (ASIA-PACIFIC), TO THE COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE FORUM ORGANIZED BY SOUTH ASIA PARTNERSHIP CANADA "LEVERAGING CYBERSPACE" HULL, Quebec May 1, 2003 Many here today are no doubt familiar with Dr. Sugata Mitra, one of Delhi's top computer scientists. Dr. Mitra is struck, as are most of us who have had the privilege of visiting India, by its incredible contrasts. During a visit in January, I heard much about India's leadership in nanotechnology, information communications technology (ICT), biotechnology and more. I toured the offices of Satyam, Infosys, and Kshema Technologies and saw operations that are giving California's Silicon Valley--and Canada's own high-tech sector--a real run for their chips. But I also walked just steps outside of these buildings into a world where half the population evidently cannot read or write, only one in four has access to adequate sanitation, and where, despite living in a country that grows more food than it needs, over a third appear to go to bed hungry every night. Dr. Mitra wanted to know what would happen if poor children were provided with free and unlimited access to computers and the Internet. So he created the first terminal of what is now known as a "Hole in the Wall." He installed a high-speed computer in the outside wall of his office, gave the local children permission to do whatever they pleased with it, and sat back to watch what would happen. Within minutes and without instruction, the children began to learn the basics and were soon surfing the Net. Since that time, Dr. Mitra and his colleagues have established "Hole in the Wall" kiosks in dozens of India's poor communities, often targeting young girls. At one point, Dr. Mitra asked one young boy to define the Internet. He replied immediately, "that with which you can do anything." Indeed, it's difficult to understate the impact and the potential of technology--and especially the Internet--to change the world. To say that knowledge is power has become terribly clichéd, but, more than ever, it rings true. In a world of growing disparities of wealth and opportunity, knowledge remains the ultimate leveler. For example, BRAC [Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee] has been doing very good work in Bangladesh. I must say that one of my fondest memories of my trip there last spring was visiting some of the projects that Canada helped sponsor just outside Dhaka. One of them brought together women from the community to discuss the law; to teach them about some of their most basic human rights. As often happens when a minister visits, the operation was thrown into high gear and the entire group came out to greet our delegation. When I asked them the most important thing they had learned, one brave woman stood up and said, "I learned that polygamy is illegal!" If you don't think that even that small bit of knowledge has forever changed her family's life, you're mistaken! Increasingly, those with the knowledge are the ones with access to technology. This phenomenon is certainly not unique to South Asia, or to developing countries; it's a reality throughout the world. While the focus of this forum is on discussing the impact of ICT in development work, I think it's perhaps appropriate to start by looking at the exceptional impact technology has had within our own borders. I'd like to start by discussing how ICT affects the promotion of human rights and democracy, how we need to ensure that it is an instrument of inclusion, what impact it has on diaspora communities within Canada and around the world, and how we can leverage the changes it represents to expand opportunities and improve the lives of billions of people. A Tool of Democratization and Human Rights Imagine if all of the people in the village I visited in Bangladesh had access to the Internet. The potential for ICT to build and foster cultures of human rights around the world is limitless because, of course, before someone can assert her human rights, she has first to learn what they are. ICT puts the power to do just that in the hands of those who would never before have had access to it. What will be the impact of the sole cyber cafe in the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea]? Or the very limited number in Burma? Closely tied to the promotion of human rights, is the idea of the Internet as the ultimate tool of democratization. As James Madison described it, "A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives." As an elected person, I can hardly imagine a more transformative invention. Anyone with access to the Internet now has the power to deconstruct traditional media, explore diverse opinions and formulate alternate viewpoints. We are no longer dealing with an electorate whose key source of information is the local newspaper that appears each morning on a doorstep. Canadians can access an unlimited number of news sources, commentators, editorialists, and even newsmakers themselves. (If you doubt this, try the portal ceoexpress.com) ICT has helped bring about increased transparency in government by making information accessible and challenging cultures of secrecy. Gone are the days of phoning the Queen's Printer to order a report. Canadians are now able to read virtually every statement made by their representative in a provincial assembly or the House of Commons. The Internet has given Canadians a direct line to their government, in a sense, creating real-time politics. Instead of writing your member of Parliament a letter, for example, you can send an e-mail and within minutes, he or she can be aware of your position on a breaking news event. Whereas people wanting to learn about their eligibility for government programs, such as seniors' benefits, employment insurance, or student loans, used to have to physically pick the information up from their representative's office, most now simply go on-line. One of the most significant elements of ICT as a tool for democratization is that it enables this line of communication to work both ways. Politicians and governments have the means to communicate with Canadians as never before and it's changing expectations all around. A constituent who sends me an e-mail, for example, often expects an immediate answer. Those who want your position on something often expect to find it on your Web site. For most elected persons, having your own Web site has become a mark of modernity--to the point where we are quickly approaching the day where a candidate for election won't even be considered credible without one. The challenge, of course, is to use Web sites as tools to engage, not just as a forum for disseminating information. Elected officials around the world are using the Web to recruit volunteers, raise funds, reach out to young voters, generate discussion groups and get voter feedback. While some argue that only a small proportion of Internet users actually select candidates based on the information they read on-line, Paddy Ashdown of the United Kingdom points out, "In marginal seats, (the Internet) could shape the results: where a few hundred votes decide between victory and defeat, having the right list could make all the difference." Your government too is using ICT to reach out to Canadians. Satya Das, a panelist in this forum, one of the Canada's leading public policy analysts and, I'm proud to say, a fellow Edmontonian, cites Bill Graham's current foreign policy dialogue as a prime example. Mr. Satya moderated the Town Hall meeting the Minister held in Edmonton two weeks ago, and notes that mainstream media was of little help in generating interest for the event beforehand. There were no references to the meeting in major papers or on television networks. Yet, the event was standing room only. According to Mr. Satya, at least 90 percent of those present learned of it through listserves. The entire foreign policy dialogue, in fact, is centred around a Web-based collaborative tool, so that even those who cannot make time in their busy schedules to attend a Town Hall meeting can have input. In terms of impact on the ultimate expression of democracy, I think that the day may not be far away when explaining to our children or grandchildren that we used to vote by manually putting a little piece of paper into a box at a school gymnasium will be akin to telling stories of having to ride a bicycle from New Delhi to visit the Taj Mahal. (I do realize that doing so will always be safer than driving there in a car.) Bridging the Digital Divide While recognizing that new technology offers limitless opportunities, we must ensure that they are available to all. Bridging the digital divide must be a priority of responsible governments everywhere. Connecting Canadians, one of the most extensive initiatives ever undertaken by the Government of Canada, was designed to do just that. Through Community Access Programs (CAP), Schoolnet, Smartcommunities and more, we've tried to ensure that virtually all Canadians--youth, seniors, persons with disabilities--and especially those in rural, remote, northern and Aboriginal communities have affordable access to the Internet. We were the first nation in the world to connect virtually all of our schools to the Internet, and since 1995 we've established or approved more than 8,800 public Internet access centres in rural, remote and urban communities throughout Canada. Adults in rural areas beyond the reach of community colleges are now taking high school equivalency courses on-line at their own speed. In the North, village elders are marketing their hand-crafted hunting and fishing spears to customers around the world through the community's Web site. Students in Nanaimo, St. John's, and for that matter, even our friends at a "Hole in the Wall" site in Delhi, have the same access to the collections of the National Library of Canada and the National Research Council as a student in Ottawa. Interpreting Canada's Changing Face The ways Canadians relate to each other and to the rest of the world are changing quickly. As illustrated by the people in this room, the face of Canada is changing briskly too. For the last year, I've been telling just about anyone who will listen about the importance of what I call Canada's "Asianification." Our population is increasingly linked to the Asia-Pacific region through trade, education, and to an almost staggering extent, immigration. Our two-way trade across the Pacific exceeds our trade across the Atlantic, and has for the better part of ten years. Vancouver is quickly becoming recognized as the epitome of a North American Asia-Pacific city. The top five source countries for new immigrants--China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and South Korea--are all in the Asia-Pacific region. One in thirty Canadians is of South Asian origin! From Afghanistan to the South Pacific, Mongolia to Australia, each Asia-Pacific nation has its own community in Canada. As David Hubert, author of Peace Canada: A Choice of Futures, maintains, we are "a nation becoming." And what we are becoming is a mirror of the world. Much has been made of the extent of these people-to-people contacts. However, what they mean in practical areas such as domestic and foreign policy development is sometimes uncertain. I would assert that what "Asianification" will mean for Canada will depend in very large part on how all diaspora communities harness the power of ICT. Michael Szonyi, a professor at the University of Toronto who is currently doing some fascinating research on the impact of Asian-Canadians on Canada's international relations, claims that previous waves of Asian immigration to Canada have had a negligible impact on Canada's foreign relations, largely because of their small numbers, lower social standing, lack of geographic concentration, and disenfranchisement from the political process. That was then, however, and this is now. We live in the age of globalization. People everywhere are connected by cellphones, e-mail, and relatively low-cost travel. Diaspora communities across the country now have access to one of the most revolutionary tools ever--the Internet. First, one's ability to stay well informed of developments in countries of origin has improved dramatically. The approximately 200,000 Canadians of Sri Lankan origin, for example, can monitor the progress of the current peace process through a plethora of Web sites dedicated to reporting every last detail. The often criticized occurrence of diaspora communities being stuck in a time warp or sticking to opinions based on past realities is disappearing. Second, the speed with which new Canadians can learn about Canada's government processes and political players, including their own MPs, MPPs/MLAs, city councillors, and more, is accelerated by the Internet. These days, you have only to enter your postal code into the Elections Canada Web site to be instantly provided with a map and profile of your electoral district, a detailed breakdown of the results of past elections, and an e-mail address for your member of Parliament. Not only has the Internet changed the way an individual can communicate with his or her government, it is revolutionizing the way members of various groups--including diaspora communities--are communicating with each other. Organized, connected diaspora communities also have a vastly improved ability to lobby governments on issues that have a direct impact on them, as well as those related to homeland politics. Those doubting the impact of diaspora communities on issues of importance need only consider the recent anti-war demonstrations across the country. Information about many of these--especially those organized by diaspora groups--was disseminated through the Internet. Again, listserves and message boards proved capable of turning out large crowds. The benefits arising from being a part of an organized, connected diaspora extend beyond an ability to influence politics. ICT can be a valuable tool for capitalizing on the needs of Canadian employers seeking to compete in new markets and reach new customers. It means improving a community's employability by ensuring that its members retain the level of local knowledge, and often most importantly, the personal connections, that give business people an edge. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) is trying to move away from traditional bricks and mortar approaches and toward virtual approaches; we're watching business councils across the country do the same. The Pakistan-Canada Business Council, for example, is trying innovative new approaches. And needless to say, the South Asia Partnership is another prime example. That we're having a forum in Ottawa, at which the opening keynote speaker is joining us via teleconference from Bangladesh, is certainly a testament to your forward thinking. Governments around the world are assessing the changing dynamics of diaspora communities and are moving quickly to take advantage of them. India's recent decision to allow dual citizenship with certain countries was designed in part to encourage investment by members of its enormous diaspora communities worldwide. In China, government efforts to do the same have resulted in overseas Chinese investing some $130 billion in foreign direct investment--or 60 percent of China's total. Leveraging Change All of this is not to say that diaspora community members without technological savvy will--or more importantly, should--be excluded from political processes or economic opportunities. It is simply a reflection of the fact that throughout the world technology is changing our lives; it's those who embrace these changes who will ultimately have the advantage. As Canadians, we must consider how to leverage these changes. How do we make sure that increased immigration and people-to-people connections actually translate into expanded trade and investment with Asia Pacific's powerhouse economies, as well as increased influence in some of the world's most contentious political hot spots. How can Canada's growing Asia-Pacific communities help improve Canada's profile as a high-tech leader thereby enhancing our brand in Asia Pacific and vice versa? And how can we capitalize on the tremendous knowledge and experience that new Canadians bring with them? No doubt, many of the answers to these questions lie in the innovative use of ICT. In summary, I congratulate the South Asia Partnership on the work that delegates will be doing over the next two days. Let me leave you with one more quote from Dr Mitra: "If cyberspace is considered a place, then there are people who are already in it, and people who are not in it ... I think the Hole in the Wall gives us a method to create a door, if you like, through which large numbers of children can rush into this new arena. When that happens, it will have changed our society forever." Thank you! </body> </html>

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