"It's about using technology to improve services to people," said Henri-Francois Gautrin, parliamentary assistant to Liberal Premier Jean Charest. Gautrin said e-government will also help save money, estimating the province's Revenue Department will save $18 million a year because it's cheaper to process income tax reports online. For those not online, information would be accessible by telephone all day and all of the night, he added.
E-government will be achieved "small step by small step," adding there would be one point of entry to have access to information from different departments, Gautrin said.
Quebecers would have secure access online, he said, and would be able to find out such things as waiting times at different hospital emergency rooms.
Citizens also would have access to government reports that interest them.
Gautrin said the equipment needed for the e-project would cost about $400 million, while the other $600 million in the government's technological network could be redeployed to support the project.
Charest, who was elected in April 2003, made e-government one of his campaign promises.
Quelle: Canada Eas, 07.06.2004
