A new concept to deliver federal government services was launched in Charlottetown Friday.

Service Canada will provide one-stop shopping for all federal government services out of what used to be the old unemployment offices across the province, renamed Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

The newly named Service Canada offices integrates services from a number of federal departments under one roof. Those services will now include parental and pension benefits, employment insurance or information on how to obtain Social Insurance numbers.

Ainslea Cardinal, director of service delivery for Service Canada in P.E.I., assures Islanders that they will still be able to get personalized, one-on-one service in addition to services through the 1-800 hotline and website.

"We are prepared to help people use the new services, like the 1-800 hotline and website," said Cardinal.

"But there will also be people here for those who want personalized service."

Charlottetown MP Shawn Murphy said it is important that people who do not feel comfortable surfing the Internet or calling a 1-800 line can access knowledge staff across the province.

Services Canada centres are located in Charlottetown, Summerside, O'Leary, Wellington, Montague and Souris.

More than 200 people will work for Service Canada in P.E.I., about 30 of them providing front-line services.

"We have to appreciate the fact that we're dealing with a whole continuum of Canadians," said Murphy.

"There are Canadians, especially younger Canadians, that not only are comfortable using the Internet, they want to use the Internet but there are also many Canadians that want to do it over the phone, there are also Canadians that want to do it person-to-person."

Once completely rolled out there will be 320 Service Canada points across Canada. There is also a website (servicecanada.gc.ca) and a toll-free hotline (1-800-O-Canada.)

Ottawa is now looking at ways to provide better service to the Acadian and Francophone regions of the province.

Earlier this week, Charlottetown Senator Percy Downe raised concerns about Service Canada.

Downe, who has been a long time advocate of decentralizing of federal government services, said he fears Service Canada may simply relocate the lowest paying jobs to the regions.

In a letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin, Downe urged the prime minister to ensure whole departments, like Veterans Affairs, are relocated out of Ottawa.

Murphy said he supports Downe's efforts to bring the bureaucracy out of Ottawa but he said two concerns are totally unrelated.

"Service Canada is a new delivery model that's adopted to better access service for all Canadians," he said.

"Senator Downe's concerns are that he wants to see more line departments, federal agencies, moved from the capital region to the regions. I certainly would agree with that."

Malpeque MP Wayne Easter said he realizes the front-office staff sometimes take the brunt of decisions made by politicians like himself. He commended those workers during the official opening Friday in Charlottetown.

"In talking to some of the people who work those front lines and man those telephones, it's not always easy from your side of the coin either," said Easter. "Because when changes are made and people are upset you can't always give them the answer they want."

Service Canada website

Service Canada
- Call: 1-800-O-Canada (1-800-622-6232)
- Click: servicecanada.gc.ca
- Visit: Service Canada centres in Charlottetown, Summerside, O'Leary, Wellington, Montague and Souris.