The development of solutions to national and international communications problems is a matter of the highest priority because of the speed and impact of current communications changes. Canada, which has developed many sophisticated communications technologies and applications, has found that in working out a communications relationship with the United States it must develop a balance between protecting legitimate sovereign rights and ensuring the free flow of information. For example, one problem implicit in the flow of data across national boundaries is the extent to which control over data is retained by the originator or the originating countries. Centralization of data, while perhaps efficient, carries some very real costs that must be considered. Many communications concerns regarding developing nations need to be considered. Recent events have shown that an accommodation to developing nations' needs and a rapprochement between developing and developed nations are occurring. The challenge for each country is to stimulate the production and dissemination of information in a way that permits society, culture, and the economy to flourish. One of the major challenges is to ensure that communications facilities appropriately serve people's needs, and the most delicate question is how much control governments should assume over information flow. (GT)