RÉSUMÉ : Cet article offre une liste, avec de brèves descriptions, de l'information gouvernementale canadienne de niveaux fédéral, provincial et municipal disponible sur l'Internet. Les adresses de telnet, gopher, FTP ou WWW ou les URLs (Universal Resource Locators) sont donnés pour chaque site. Des liaisons sélectionnées d'hypertexte ont été créées de sorte que si vous aves un client Web tel Mosaic, Lynx ou Cello, vous pouvez cliquer sur l'URL pour vous mettre en liaison directe avec le site.
This guide is intended to give a snapshot of the Canadian federal, provincial, and municipal government information currently available on the Internet. There are changes happening almost every day, many new sites are in the experimental stage, and many of the existing sites are making new information available. An attempt was made to select only those sites which are intended for public access and have posted information of interest to the public. Highly research oriented sites or those listing no more than a description of their department were not included. Sites requiring payment or limited to a special group have also been omitted. Additions and comments are welcomed by the author.
The organization of this guide roughly follows the subject-oriented approach of Blake Gumprecht's guide to Internet sources of government information. The three basic levels of government have been listed separately, as provincial and municipal documents are often of local interest only. The information available from each source is briefly described in each entry, and the various modes of access (gopher, telnet, ftp, WWW browser) are given using a slightly modified Universal Resource Locator system, where "//" separates the mode of access from the address, "/" indicates a subdirectory (e.g. for ftp), or a lower menu level (e.g. in gopher), and special login sequences are spelled out in more detail. It is assumed that readers have some familiarity with Internet tools.
There is much less Canadian government information available on the Internet than there is American. There are various reasons for this, including Crown copyright, or the fact that in Canada, government information is not automatically in the public domain as it is in the United States. There has also been some reluctance to trying something new in some government offices, as almost all governments struggle with budget cuts and reduced staff. Fortunately, more and more government offices are realizing that the Internet can afford them a quicker, easier, cheaper, less labour-intensive way to provide public access to their information than many of the traditional ways could.
Where information was found in more than one place, the original, or more stable source was noted. However, there is no guarantee that what was there today will be there again tomorrow. Also, there can be a difference in the files available at a particular site, depending on the mode of access. A telnet approach may not reveal the same files as a gopher approach to the same site.
Comments, suggestions and additions are welcome. Please address these to acannon@vm2.yorku.ca. Future, updated versions of this guide will be available from the Clearinghouse for Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides:
ftp://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/inetdirsstacks/canada:cannon
National Library of Canada: Still in the experimental stage, but already very useful, this gopher server has been set up as a gateway to Canadian government information on the Internet, especially federal information. It is an excellent place to start, and can lead you directly to many of the other sites listed. Among the information available: National Library of Canada publications such as the annual report, bibliographies and pathfinders, the publications catalogue, staff directory, and the full text of the throne speech (in: /electronic publications).
Open Government Project: World-Wide-Web project developed by Industry Canada to show how the federal government works and who the key participants are. Provides information on the Senate, the House of Commons, Supreme Court of Canada, full text of important government documents and treaties, links to other government departments and provincial information.
gopher://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/open government project
WWW: http://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/opengov
/government centre/federal government login: guest
/Government Centre/National Archives of Canada login: guest
WWW: http://ucluelet.dao.nrc.ca
gopher://alpha.epas.utoronto.ca/Data Library, Census of Population, Census of Population, 1991
or:
gopher://gopher.epas.utoronto.ca
Statistics Canada Gopher: Provides searchable full text of Statistics Canada Daily Reports (current and previous 6 months), schedules of upcoming statistical releases, information about the agency and its publications and services. CANSIM directory and index: alphabetical list of subjects with matrix numbers (in: /Statistics Canada Services)
gopher://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/industry canada documents/ isc.news.releases/federal.budget.1994
ftp://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/pub/isc/isc.news.releases/federal.budget.1994
http://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/isc/isc.html
Consumer Price Index: For monthly CPI for Canada, 1985 to the present, see "CPI History". For calculations of the monthly changes in the inflation rate for the most recent months, see "CPI Monthly Summary".
gopher://provost-admin.uwaterloo.ca/Operations Analysis
/government centre/federal government of Canada
gopher://gopher.emr.ca/NRCan-Info-English/gsc/cgic
Geological Survey of Canada: Information about earthquakes in Canada, minerals, meteorites, the Geological Survey of Canada, and more.
gopher://gopher.emr.ca/NRCan-Info-English/gsc
gopher://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/industry canada documents/ isc.publications.english
http://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/isc/isc.html
ISC News: Industry Canada news releases and fact sheets. Archives are not indexed (use wais text-searcher on gopher to find news releases and fact sheets on a topic). e.g. Jan. 18, 1994: full text of Throne Speech.
ftp://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/pub/isc/iscnews (see also under Discussion Lists)
Industry Profiles: Full text of publications by Industry Canada experts, providing an analysis of the competitiveness of various manufacturing and service sectors in Canada.
gopher://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/Industry Canada Documents/industry.profiles
gopher://wiretap.spies.com/government documents (US & the world)/ Canadian documents
Canadian Human Rights Commission: Full text of the Human Rights Act, 1993, Annual Report, information on harassment, AIDS discrimination, how to file a complaint.
Electronic Frontier Canada: A non-governmental organization set up to ensure that the right to privacy and the democratic values in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are protected in the face of new computing and telecommunications developments. Includes the full text of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, memos, speeches and press releases by the government and lobby groups.
gopher://gopher.ee.mcgill.ca/EFC-Electronic Frontier Canada Gopher
North American Free Trade Agreement: Full text of NAFTA (American version). 1993 final agreement, text divided into sections, includes the September 1993 Labour and Environmental Side Agreements:
gopher://cyfer.esusda.gov/Americans Communicating Electronically/ National policy issues/nafta/nafta
Keyword searchable version:
gopher://dewey.lib.ncsu.edu/waissrc:/wais/freetrade.src
ftp://ariel.unm.edu/pub/nafta
Quebec Statute Law and Case Law documents: Keyword searchable versions of the Civil Code, and Court Decisions on Unemployment Insurance.
gopher://gopher.droit.umontreal.ca
Experimental version of Supreme Court Decisions with searchable index, and Supreme Court Bulletins also available at:
gopher://gopher.droit.umontreal.ca
gopher://cmits02.dow.on.doe.ca
gopher://gopher.emr.ca/nrcan-info
ftp://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/pub/isc/
index of files: /00readme
Communications Research Centre: Full text of Canadian government news releases and fact sheets about communications policy and developments in communications technology.
gopher://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/industry canada documents
(See also Discussion Lists)
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: Provides access to select news and feature radio programs, lists of CBC radio products, information about transcripts available from the CBC and more.
gopher://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/cbc radio trial
ftp://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/pub/cbc
WWW sound files http://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/cbc/cbc.html
WWW newscasts http://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/cbc/news.html
Gazette-List: Extracts from Canada Gazette pertaining to communications issues, e.g. changes to telecommunications regulations and legislation, and information about licensing applications.
(See also Discussion Lists)
Government Centre, Victoria Free-Net: Has a lot of provincial information such as: a searchable list of rare British Columbia plants, statistics, road reports, Ministry of Health press releases, a searchable index of government programs and services, and a British Columbia government telephone directory.
gopher://freenet.victoria.bc.ca/government centre
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources: Information on solar energy (under /energyBC/ ministry solar/solar profiles). Tips on how to reduce fuel bills (under /energyBC/ otherenergy/fuelsmartnews).
gopher://energy-bc.empr.gov.bc.ca
Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks: Includes the Ministry vision and objectives, discussion papers, snow bulletins (current and several months back), British Columbia Forest Practices Code, State of the Environment Report for British Columbia, air quality data, images and text on British Columbia wildlife, and a searchable British Columbia government telephone directory.
Groundwater Section: Includes groundwater maps and images, water well records, industry contacts, national groundwater strategy, water quality limits.
(You will be asked to sign in with your name and address.) Username: BBS
Ministry of Economic Development and Trade: Includes telecommunication strategy fact sheets.
gopher://govonca.gov.on.ca/pub/medt
Ministry of Education and Training Public Gopher: Information about the new ministry, news releases, and Ministry telephone directory. In planning stage: Full text documents such as the common curriculum, education statistics, a directory of education, etc.
Ministry of Environment and Energy: Includes decisions of the Environmental Assessment Board of Ontario.
gopher://govonca.gov.on.ca/pub/env
Ontario Government Gopher: Lists other Ontario gophers. "Organizational charts" contain information about departments, ministries and provincial government agencies. foi_ndex.txt is a subject index file to the information. More information being added currently and in the near future.
Ontario Legislature: List of members with their Queen's Park address and telephone number. (From National Capital FreeNet under the Advisory Council on Aging for Lanark, Leeds and Grenville.)
login: guest enter choice: go aging
Ontario Telecommunications Strategy: Factsheets and other documents on telecommunications in Ontario, and a glossary of telecommunications terms.
On National Capital FreeNet:
City of Ottawa: Information about the City, directory of services and departments, public meetings and committee agendas, city councillors, telephone numbers, public announcements, tenders, street closures, tax information, election information.
/government centre login: guest
Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton: Telephone directory, weekly agenda, motions and decisions from Regional committee meetings, information on departments, tenders, contracts, public meetings, press releases and events.
/government centre login: guest
gopher://gopher.emr.ca/doc/ontario-fax-gateway
The fax/email gateway lets you send an electronic mail message which will be received as a fax.
Send mail to: utgpu!plan9!chyk!
Council members, searchable council
minutes, list of committee members, committee
meeting schedules.
gopher://freenet.victoria.bc.ca/government centre/municipal government
telnet://freenet.victoria.bc.ca
telnet://owl.nstn.ns.ca
National Capital Region FreeNet: Government
information includes many federal as well as
municipal files, information on political parties,
local ridings and elections, etc.
http://debra.dgbt.doc.ca/freenet/freenet.html
Victoria Free-Net Association: Information
provided by and about all levels of government
(municipal, regional, provincial and federal) with
an emphasis on local issues. Also an excellent
source for historical information: Annotated
bibliographies of British Columbia historical government
documents via gopher under Library and
Information Services/Greater Victoria Public Library
Booklists/B.C. Political History--Official Sources, and
/B.C. Politics--Warts and All. A collection of full text
historical documents including Rupert's Land Act, 1868,
Iroquois Constitution, Metis Bill of Rights,
1869 and 1870, the 1837 Rebellion:
Mackenzie's Proclamation to the People of Upper Canada,
etc. available via telnet in /Library and Information Services/Online
Modern History Review/Library of Historical Documents.
gopher://freenet.victoria.bc.ca
telnet://freenet.victoria.bc.ca
To subscribe send email message to:
listserv@debra.dgbt.doc.ca
In the body of the message type:
subscribe iscnews your name
Gazette-List: Extracts from Canada Gazette
pertaining to communications issues, e.g. changes
to telecommunications regulations and legislation,
and information about licensing applications.
To subscribe send email message to:
listserv@debra.dgbt.doc.ca
In the body of the message type:
subscribe gazette-list your name
Statistics Canada: A moderated listserver
intended to be used by customers and users of
Statistics Canada products and services to
communicate with Statistics Canada.
To subscribe send email message to:
listproc@statcan.ca
In the body of the message type:
subscribe statcan your name
To subscribe send email message to:
listserv@vm.ucs.ualberta.ca
In the body of the message type:
subscribe capdu-l your name
Coalition for Public Information: A coalition of
information providers, developers and educators
interested in ensuring that the developing
information infrastructure in Canada serves the
public interest and provides universal access to
information.
To subscribe send email message to:
listproc@resudox.net
In the body of the message type:
subscribe co_pub_info your name
Govinfo: govinfo@sask.usask.ca
A mailserver list about government information in
Canada at all levels of government.
To subscribe send email message to:
mailserv@sask.usask.ca
In the body of the message type:
subscribe govinfo
A general guide to the Internet; covers Canadian
sources on the Internet, including some
government sources.
ElectroPolis: Internet-Accessible Government Resources
and Public Information Newsletter.
Ottawa, Ont.: Strangelove Press. (First edition planned
for May 1994.)
Intends to monitor trends in Internet access to government
information in Canada and the United States.
Contact: mstrange@fonorola.net
Gumprecht, Blake, ed. Internet Sources of Government
Information. 2nd ed. Available:
gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/inetdirs/guides on the social sciences/
government...
ftp://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/inetdirsstacks/government:gumprecht
A good subject guide to United States government
information on the Internet. Includes some
Canadian information.
5.3 Victoria
On Victoria Free-Net:
/government centre/municipal government
login: guest
WWW: http://freenet.victoria.bc.ca/vifa.html
5.4 Other
MMTDB (Maritime Municipal Training and Development
Board): An agency of the Council of Maritime
Premiers, the MMTDB set up this Bulletin Board
System to discuss the potential of using the
electronic network for the dissemination of
information regarding local government management
and training. It contains a directory of Maritime
municipal associations and organizations, issues
in local government, municipal publications listed
by title with cost, job vacancies, and MMTDB-
supported training programs.
6. Freenets
There are dozens of freenets in the making across
Canada. Only two have been up and running for some time:
National Capital Region FreeNet and Victoria Free-Net.
The information listed here can be accessed as a "guest" (ie.
with no registration required). However, there may be other
information on freenets available only to registered users.
login: guest
login: guest
7. Discussion Lists
7.1 Government Lists
Industry Canada listserver:
7.2 Lists About Government Information
Capdu-l: This listserver is run by the Canadian
Association of Public Data Users, whose objective
is the advancement of open access to public data.
Restricted to Canadians.
8. Library Catalogues
8.1 Academic Libraries
The following are selected university libraries
which have full depository status or extensive
holdings of federal and provincial government
documents, the majority of which are catalogued
and available in an online public access catalogue
accessible on the Internet. They can be reached
through gopher, at the telnet addresses given.
If no login sequence is specified, follow the
instructions on the screen. The catalogue
software is given in brackets unless it is an
in-house system.
Carleton University
telnet://library.carleton.ca
at the option prompt: press Enter
exit: off
Memorial University of Newfoundland (SPIRES)
telnet://mungate.library.mun.ca
login: mungate
terminal type: vt100
your response: select
exit: logoff
Mount Allison University (DRA)
telnet://bigmac.mta.ca
username: CATALOG
exit: logoff
Universite Laval (MultiLIS)
telnet://ariane.ulaval.ca
username: ariane
exit: PF1 to first screen, then select Exit
University of Alberta (DRA)
telnet://dra.library.ualberta.ca
username: GATE
login: direct
exit: Ctrl-Z to main menu, then type quit
University of Guelph
telnet://searchme.uoguelph.ca
login: searchme
exit: X, then press Enter
University of Toronto (DRA)
telnet://vax.library.utoronto.ca
username: utlink
password: (press Enter)
University of Saskatchewan (GEAC)
telnet://sklib.usask.ca
username: SONIA
exit: end, then: Q, then: Q
York University (NOTIS)
telnet://yorkline.yorku.ca
terminal type: vt100
exit: X
8.2 Government Libraries
Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology
Library (multiLIS)
telnet://canlib.emr.ca
login: opac
exit: PF1 to first screen, then select Exit
Communications Research Centre Library, Industry
Canada
telnet://hazel.dgcp.doc.ca
disconnect: quit
Geological Survey of Canada Library
telnet://geoinfo.gsc.emr.ca
login: opac
Natural Resources Canada Headquarters Library
(MultiLIS)
telnet://hqlib.emr.ca
login: opac
disconnect: PF1 to first screen, then select Exit
9. Guides
Carroll, Jim and Rick Broadbent. Canadian Internet
Handbook. Scarborough, Ont.: Prentice Hall Canada,
1994.