This speaker focused most of her initial 10 min. speach on the different belief systems of the following groups:
The telephone companies are large organizations where a small move is a very large move in terms of administration, costs, etc. This group wants regulation and policy that will ensure them business before they will commit to any drastic change in their current direction with respect to the provision of information. The cable companies are now faced with the challenge of not only providing entertainment but also information access. Both groups are ultimately concerned with where the capital to make the necessary changes is to come from and how it is to be recouped.
Industry Canada's driving motivation is the protection and development of small and medium sized businesses as well as the development of employment for the Canadian population. Convergence for this organization must include the promotion of these objectives. This driving belief system is in contrast to the commercial industry one in that it is a legislated one rather than one driven by economic survival of the organization. On the macro level which encompasses the country the objectives are supposed to safegaurd the Canadian economy but Industry Canada itself is driven by its mandate rather than by a fight for capital.
This is an influencial group within Industry Canada. Their set of beliefs is to encourage a competitive atmosphere in the development of information technology and policy but still preserve the Canadian cultural mandate. Ultimately this means encouraging foreign investment while assuring the Canadian content. The Canadian Heritage group influences Industry Canada's rulings.
CRDC must act as the mediator for the two main groups; commercial industry and Industry Canada. This group must set out the conditions of operation regarding pricing and competition in a suitable manner to deal with market forces (i.e., the policy environment, taking into account the cultural groups vs. the capital driven commercial industries).
The Canadian public is described as being impatient and confused. They want something to happen with regards to the regulation and policy for information technology and are wondering why the issue is being passed from commercial industry to Industry Canada.
Interaction between groups is described to be dictated by the belief systems of the different groups involved. Commercial Industry acted on the impetus of capital considerations while Industry Canada moved with respect to its economic mandate and the influences of the Canadian Heritage group.