Introduction: Bruce Morton on Canadian Federal Government Policy and Canada's Electronic Information Industry 1

Federal government information policy and its relation to Canada's electronic information industry is a topic of great importance. Bruce Morton, an expert on Canadian government information has recently written a exhaustive piece on this very subject in Government Information Quarterly.3 His analysis is detailed and the article is chocked full of facts and history of this policy in Canada. In this issue of Government Information in Canada/Information gouvernementale au Canada we hope to add to the discussion by publishing three responses to Mr. Morton's article. There is also in turn a further response by Bruce Morton. Readers are invited to contribute their own views and add to the discussion.

Some background on Bruce Morton and the three people writing the responses:

Bruce Morton is currently Dean at Montana State University Libraries. He has a B.A. and M.A. in English from Pennsylvania State University and an M.L.S. from the State University of New York College at Genesee. In 1975 and 1976, he worked as an education planner in southwestern New York; 1977-84 Mr. Morton was a government information librarian at Carleton College in Minnesota. Since 1985 he has worked at Montana State University Libraries in the capacities of Head of the Reference Department, Assistant Dean for Public Services and since 1993 as Dean. He holds the rank of Professor and is a member of the M.S.U. faculty. About every other year, he teaches a seminar in the University Honors Program. 1983-6 he served as a member of the Depository Library Council to the Public Printer of the United States. Since 1984, he has served as associate editor of the Journal of Government Information. Mr. Morton has been interested in Canadian government information and policy for some years now and has written other pieces on the subject.

Peter Gillis is now a private consultant with his own company but spent many years in government, most recently working at the Treasury Board of Canada in the area of policy. Helen Katz has worked both in private industry and the Government of Ontario, and is currenty head of the Ontario Treasury Library. Her expertise is in finance and policy. Kirsti Nilsen is a lecturer and Ph.D. candidate in the Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto. Her areas of expertise include information policy.

Government policy in the area of information is a critical issue at this juncture. Morton's piece and the three responses add background information and debate, and bring forward various crucial perspectives as well. It is hoped that Canada's policy on electronic information will be discussed and analysed further, with an eye to formulating future policy -- policy that is rational, well discussed, researched and serves all interested parties and users.

Notes

Vivienne Monty, "Introduction: Bruce Morton on Canadian Federal Government Policy and Canada's Electronic Information Industry," Government Information in Canada/Information gouvernementale au Canada, Vol. 2, no. 3.3 (winter/hiver 1996).

[2]

Vivienne Monty
Senior Librarian
York University Libraries
Scott Library 203D
4700 Keele Street
Downsview, Ontario

VMONTY@VM2.YorkU.CA

Phone:  (416) 736 2100 (ext. 88708)
Fax:    (416) 736 5838

[3] Bruce Morton, "Canadian Federal Government Policy and Canada's Electronic Information Industry," Government Information Quarterly, Vol. 12, No. 3, p. 251-295.