Here's the press release that describes the Council for an Ontario
Information Infrastructure.
Rory O'Brien, Council Member
robrien@web.apc.org (Rory O'Brien)
========
Ontario Ministry of
Economic Development
and Trade
Ministre du
Developpement Economique
et du Commerce
News Release
Communique'
May 28, 1993
Release: Immediate
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL HOLDS INAUGURAL MEETING
QUEENS PARK -- Economic Development and Trade Minister
Frances Lankin announced the appointment of 11 additional members
to the Council for an Ontario Information Infrastructure, which
held its first meeting here today.
"Our mandate is to lead the campaign for an Ontario information
infrastructure under the provincial telecommunications strategy,"
said Chair Jim Coombs. "On an ongoing basis, we will review
progress in achieving the goals of the strategy and recommend
further action. We will also provide advice to the government on
telecommunications and information infrastructure and sectoral
concerns. I'm pleased with these additions to the Council. The
wealth of knowledge, experience and interest that they bring will
contribute greatly to the Council's efforts."
In a letter to members of the Council, Frances Lankin, Minister of
Economic Development and Trade, said that she is "committed to
seeing the Council play a vital role in advancing the growth of
the infrastructure and the sector, necessary to keep the province
competitive in the information age.
"We expect that the Council will be active in advancing the
telecommunications strategy and the campaign for an Ontario
information infrastructure as an expression of partnership between
business, labour, communities and goverrunent," said Ms. Lankin.
An advisory body to the provincial government, the Council was set
up on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee on a
Telecommunications Strategy for the Province of Ontario.
The first meeting was spent discussing the role of the Council in
advancing Ontario's telecommunications sector and information and
network infrastructure, and reviewing priorities and procedures
for the Telecommunications Sector Framework and the Ontario
Network Infrastructure Program (ONIP).
Vice Chair Sheelagh Whittaker said that she was impressed with the
interest in the strategy and its programs that has been shown by
Ontario business and communities. "We've had calls from hundreds
of people, all with innovative ideas," she said.
"One of our first priorities will be to speed these proposals
through the review and development process," said Vice Chair Don
Tapscott.
The Council's next meeting will be held June 22, 1993.
The Telecommunications Strategy for Ontario is a long-term vision
and action plan for telecommunications in the province over the
next decade. It deals with telecommunications both as a critical
infrastructure for economic growth and social and cultural
activity and as a key sector of the economy. The strategy is a
blueprint for action not only by government but by all interested
in telecommunications.
-30-
Bios of new members are attached.
Contact: Anna Larson Ministry of Economic Development and
Trade (416) 325-6685
COUNCIL FOR AN ONTARIO INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIRS
CHAIR: James (Jim) Coombs
Jim Coombs served as President and Chief Executive Officer of
Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel) from 1986 to 1991.
He started his career at Bell Canada in 1952 and worked in a
variety of areas in the company. Jim went to New Brunswick
Telephone Company (NBTel) in 1976 as Vice President Finance.
In 1982 he became Vice President Operations of NBTel. He is
currently a Consulting Associate with Deloitte&Touche in
Ottawa.
VICE CHAIR: Sheelagh Whittaker
Sheelagh Whittaker became President and Chief Executive
Officer of Canadian Satellite Communications Inc. (Cancom) in
1989.
She began her career as a Combines Investigation Officer with
the Federal Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs.
Ms. Whittaker then worked for Canada Consulting Group where
she became a Director and Partner. In 1986 Ms. Whittaker
went to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to be the Vice
President, Planning and Corporate Affairs. In 1988 she
joined Cancom as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer.
VICE CHAIR: Don Tapscott
Don Tapscott is Vice-President, Technology, for DMR Group
Inc. a Canadian based intemational information systems
consulting firm.
During the 1970's, Don managed the "office of the future"
efforts of Bell Nonhem Research. In 1981, he established,
Trigon Systems Group which DMR Inc. acquired in 1986. Don
then began to head up DMR's Emerging Technologies Consulting
Group. In 1992 he co-authered, with Ait Caston, his third
book entitled "Paradigm Shift: The Promise of Information
Technology". Don was Chair of the former Advisory Committee
on a Telecommunications Strategy for the Province of Ontario.
MEMBER: Andrew K Bjerring
Andrew K Bjerring, BASC, MASC, PhD, is Director of Computing
and Communications Services at the University of Westem
Ontario. He has been Treasurer of CA'net Networking Inc.
since 1990, is a member of the CANARIE Steering Committee,
was chair of the ONet regional network from 1988-91, and is
currently chair of the Association of Computing Services
Directors of Ontario Universities.
During 1989-90 he was a member of NSERC's ad hoc Committee on
Research Computation and chair of that Conunittee's
networking subcommittee. He was a member of the Management
Board for the Ontario Centre for Large Scale Computation, and
of the Ministry of Education and Training's recent Advisory
Conu-nittee on High Performance Computing. Prior to his
current appointment, at the University, he spent six years as
Assistant Vice President (Academic Planning and Budgeting).
MEMBER: Dr. Barbara Cameron
Dr. Barbara Cameron is Assistant Professor of Political
Science at Atkinson College in York University. She holds a
PhD in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
She served as Research Director, United Electrical, Radio and
Machine Workers of Canada from 1987 to 1990. Dr. Cameron is
a member of the Management Committee, Technology Adjustment
Research Projects, Ontario Federation of Labour. She is also
a member of the Women's Reference Group, Canadian Labour
Force Development Board.
MEMBER: Kim Cameron
Kim Cameron is a co-founder and the Vice President of
Technology of ZOOMIT Corporation and BCH Information Systems
Inc. of Toronto. ZOOMIT Corporation, founded in 1988,
develops and markets interoperability software based on
intemational OSI and CCITT Standards. BCH Information
Systems was established in 1983 to provide system software
design, development, integration and implementation services.
Mr. Cameron's teaching career and research in metaprogramming
and software economics led to management positions in
academic computing after which he entered the private sector.
MEMBER: Desmond Cunningham
Desmond Cunningham, Chairman of Gandalf Technologies Inc.,
cofounded Gandalf Data Communications Limited in 1971. Today
known as Gandalf Technologies Inc, this publicly held
multinational corporation has subsidiaries in Canada, the
United States, the United Kingdom, Holland, France, Belgium
and Australia.
He is also one of the founders and a past Chairman of the
Canadian Advanced Technology Association (CATA) and is Past
President of the Ottawa Section of the Canadian Information
Processing Society (CIPS). Mr. Cunningham was awarded an
honorary doctorate by the University of Ottawa. He is past
Chairman of the Ottawa Carleton Research Institute and a
Board member of the Telecommunication Research Institute of
Ontario, in addition to holding several directorships in
private industry.
MEMBER: Douglas Cunningham
Douglas Cunningham, a Senior Vice-President of BBN James
Capel Inc., is responsible for analysing the regulated sector
as well as teleconununications equipment manufacturers. He
is also President and controlling shareholder of Dufferin
Communications Inc.
Mr. Cunningham has been an investment analyst since 1972 and
was the top-ranked utilities analyst in surveys of Canadian
institutions in four of the five years prior to taking a
corporate finance sabbatical in 1990. Mr. Cunningham has
also testified before numerous regulatory tribunals as a
capital markets witness. He has HBA and MBA degrees from the
University of Westem Ontario.
MEMBER: John D. MacDonald
John D. MacDonald's 34-year career in the information
technology arena included positions at the VIP level with
Bell Nonhem Research, Nonhem Telecom Canada Ltd and NT
Limited. He retired this past March.
He has a Bachelor in Science and Education from
St-Francis-Xavier University and a Bachelor in Engineering
from the Technical University of Nova Scotia. He has also a
Masters in Engineering from Carleton University. Mr.
MacDonald served as Session Lecturer at Carleton University,
and Chairman of both the Chamber of Commerce R&D Committee
and the University of Waterloo Industrial Advisory Committee.
He was also a member of the Boards of the University of
Waterloo and the Canadian Exporters Association. Mr.
MacDonald is member of IEEE, APEO and the Telephone Pioneers
of America.
MEMBER: Janice M. Moyer
Janice M. Moyer is president and chief executive officer of
the Information Technology Association of Canada, the
country's leading association for the computer and
telecommunications industry. Before taking this position in
1990, she was president of McCormack and Dodge Systems Canada
Limited. From 1974 to 1987, she was with IBM danida Limited
where she undertook a progression of positions at the
company, including executive assistant to the Chairman of the
Board and manager of IBM's largest branch office.
Ms. Moyer is a graduate of McMaster University. She has
contributed numerous articles and presentations to
organisations on the role and importance of information
technology.
MEMBER: Rory O'Brien
Rory O'Brien is Web Programme Coordinator at Nirv Community
Resource Centre in Toronto. For the past five years he has
been responsible for strategic planning for system growth and
development, marketing and promotion, and project management
for this nonprofit computer network.
He holds a B.A Communications from Simon Fraser University,
and a Masters in Environmental Studies from York University.
Mr. O'Brien has served as Chair of the Electronic Networking
Advisory Group of the Premier's Council on Health, Well-being
and Social Justice, and was a member of the Quality of Life
Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee on a
Telecommunications Strategy for Ontario. He is also the
current past president of the Social Investment Organization.
MEMBER: Fred Pomeroy
Fred Pomeroy is Executive Vice President of the
Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada
(CEP). Prior to being elected to that position in November
of 1992 he was president of the Communications and Electrical
Workers of Canada for eight years and president of the
Communications Workers of Canada for twelve years. From
January of 1970 to April of 1972 he was a National
Representative for the Canadian Communications Workers
Council.
Mr. Pomeroy is also a member of such organisations as the
Canadian Labour Market and Productivity Centre, the
Telecommunications and Computer Services SAGIT, the Ontario
Premier's Council on Economic Renewal and he is a member of
the Board and Executive Conunittee of the Public Policy
Forum.
MEMBER: Kirk Reiser
Kirk Reiser has been at the University of Westem Ontario for
the past ten years as the manager of the Computer Braille
Facility. During that time, he has developed a computer
based translator for braille book production. Mr. Reiser is
a partner in a London company, Intelligent Access Microware,
dedicated to producing, servicing and selling access
technology for persons with visual impairments. He provides
advice and consultation on technical accommodation to people
with disabilities throughout Ontario.
He has also been active on many committees such as the CNIB
Advisory board on technology. Before coming to U.W.O., Mr.
Reiser worked at the National Aeronautic and Space
Administration's Lewis Research Centre.
MEMBER: Hardet Velazquez
Harriet Velazquez has had a varied career in the information
technology field. She is currently Vice-President,
Information Technology at Thomson Newspapers Corporation.
Before that she was Executive Director, Information
Technology at the Ontario Ministry of Consumer and Commercial
Relations. She has also had senior marketing and sales
positions at Southam Business Communications and GEAC
Computers Corporation.
--
Garth Graham aa127@freenet.carleton.ca
<<< NGL/CANIS (Community Access Network Information Services) >>>
Box 86, Ashton, Ont., K0A 1B0 613-253-3497