Global Learning Consortium MOU

Mr Mac Prescott, Executive Director, Office of International Partnership, Industry Canada Speech - Global Learning Consortium MOU

Mr Mac Prescott, Executive Director,
Office of International Partnership, Industry Canada
Speech - Global Learning Consortium MOU
Singapore, 4 June 1998

Ladies and gentlemen, honoured guests,

It is a great pleasure for those of us involved in the creation of the Global Learning Consortium to be present here today and to have the opportunity to use this forum for a historic event - the world's first digitally signed electronic agreement and the creation of a Global Learning Consortium focusing on the use of ICT in learning and training.

What Is the Global Learning Consortium?

A tripartite agreement signed between Singapore, Canada and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania designed to promote the global use of information technology in Learning and Training (L&T).

What Will the GLC Do?

- Exchange tele-learning expertise and experience among educators.
- Encourage collaborative research through integrated activities and projects.
- Encourage participation of private sector and technological industries.
- Community based activities such as Canada's Community Access Program.

Why Is It Significant?

- The GLC is the first global approach to Learning and Training to promote human resource development by using ICT effectively in the teaching systems of the world.
- It is also the world's first Digitally-Signed International Agreement which is significant in itself but also as it reflects the role that E-commerce will play in all sectors of our economies.

What we are witnessing today is a process, which is a form of electronic commerce that will soon replace traditional paper and pen agreements with electronic documents and digital signatures. We are utilizing a system known as public key infrastructure. Today's signatures will be implemented using software developed by Entrust Technologies of Ottawa, Canada and integrated by General Network Services also of Ottawa, Canada in cooperation with NetTrust of Singapore.

I would now like to invite Larry Olson, Chief Information Officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who will present the digital signature for Governor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania. Larry Irving, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the United States of America will act as witness.

Mr. Olson, would you please present the signature for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Thank you, Mr. Olson.

I would now like to invite Kevin Lynch the Deputy Minister of Industry Canada to present the digital signature for Minister Manley of Industry Canada.

Mr. Lynch, would you please present the signature on behalf of Canada. Thank you, Mr. Lynch.

I would now like to invite Minister Mah to digitally sign the document for Singapore.

Before Minister Mah signs the document, I should point out that while Pennsylvania and Canada have previously signed the document at different times it is not complete until Minister Mah enters his digital signature.

Minister Mah has his smart card containing his signature, which he has placed into the reader and will now; type his password to apply the digital signature.

Thank You, Minister Mah.

In a traditional legal agreement the legal signatures would be visually apparent. However, in an electronic document, the signatures are securely verified electronically. So what we must do is to authenticate each of the signatures to determine if indeed we now have a legal international agreement. Would you now please authenticate the Singapore signature? Thank you and we have an authenticate legal signature representing Singapore.

Would you now please authenticate the legal signature for Pennsylvania? Thank you and we have a legal authenticate signature for Pennsylvania.

Would you now please authenticate the legal signature for Canada? Thank you and we have a legal authenticate signature for Canada.

There you are, ladies and gentlemen, we have authenticated that you have witnessed the world's first electronic signing of an international agreement. Would you please join me in celebrating this very historic accomplishment by Singapore, Canada and Pennsylvania.

I would now like to ask Minister Mah to make the closing remarks.