Canada's Action Plan on Open GovernmentOur Action Plan on Open Government sets out our commitments to Canadians and for the Open Government Partnership, which we will achieve over a three-year period through the effective and prudent use of resources. It is structured along the three streams of our Open Government Strategy: Open Information, Open Data, and Open Dialogue.Canada's commitment to open government is part of the federal government's efforts to foster greater openness and accountability, to provide Canadians with more opportunities to learn about and participate in government, to drive innovation and economic opportunities for all Canadians and, at the same time, create a more cost effective, efficient and responsive government.The Government of Canada first launched its Open Government strategy in March 2011, and then further enhanced its commitment by announcing its intention to join the Open Government Partnership in September 2011.Over the past two years, we have consulted Canadians on both the development of a Digital Economy Strategy and on Open Government. Our Digital Economy consultation sought feedback from all Canadians on how to improve innovation and creativity, and achieve the shared goal of making Canada a global leader in the digital economy. More recently, in the fall of 2011, we launched a consultation to explore Canadians' perspectives on Open Government in order to inform the development of Canada's Action Plan on Open Government.The results of these consultations stressed the importance of providing open access to public sector information and data and, in particular, the need to improve the availability of data to researchers and the private sector with fewer restrictions on reuse of these information assets. Canadians also want the opportunity to engage in an ongoing dialogue with government on policies and priorities. Cumulatively, the valuable information and insight received from Canadians have helped us shape the direction for open government in Canada. As we move forward, we will continue to consult with Canadians and Canada's active open government community on how best to implement this plan.Government of CanadaCAThe Honourable Tony ClementPresident of the Treasury Board of CanadaOpen Government PartnershipCanada is committed to Open Government and is ready to be an active participant in the Open Government Partnership. We support the principles of the Open Government Partnership which we believe will propel innovation, economic opportunity and deeper democratic engagement worldwide.Acceleration of the transformation of our public service and of our government ...To set out our commitments to Canadians and for the Open Government PartnershipAvailability of InformationCanada's track record in Access to Information since 1983 demonstrates that we are committed to ensuring that Canadians access information about their government's activities and decisions in an open, comprehensive and timely manner. All federal departments and agencies are required to proactively disclose travel, hospitality, and conferences expenses, as well as contracts, grants and contributions, summaries of completed ATI requests, and quarterly financial statements of federal organizations.Citizen ParticipationThe online consultations we have conducted reflect that the government values public participation and seeks to engage citizens in public dialogue that will inform the policy creation process and contribute directly to more responsive, innovative and effective governance.Professional IntegrityOur track record on proactive disclosure and on the creation of independent Agents of Parliament confirms our commitment to robust government accountability with high ethical standards, with a strong code of conduct for public officials, for robust anti-corruption policies as well as for the existence of mechanisms to ensure transparency in the management of public finances. The Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service, a condition for employment, acts as a guide to all public servants in all their professional activities, as well as Conflict of Interest and Post Employment Measures, serving to maintain and enhance public confidence in the integrity of Canada's world-class Public Service.New TechnologiesNew Technologies for Openness and Accountability:Our initial work with Web 2.0 technologies has already confirmed the promise of these technologies for enhancing accessibility and transparency by enabling greater information sharing, public dialogue and collaboration. As we move forward with our Open Government Action Plan, we will seek to leverage them further.OpennessAccountabilityTransformationWithin Canada, the Open Government Partnership provides us with a real opportunity to accelerate the transformation of our public service and of our government through a fundamental openness to working with Canadians coupled with the effective use of emerging technologies. Strategic AlignmentThe commitments included in our Action Plan on Open Government, along with the other activities underway across the federal government that align with and promote the principles of Open Government, will accelerate our progress on the delivery of programs focused on the needs of Canadians and result in more responsive and cost-effective services. Cost-EffectivenessImpactOur success will be measured by the impact our measures will have on the engagement of Canadians and the use they make of our open information, open data and open dialogue. SharingWe welcome the opportunity to share our experiences with partner countries and leverage the lessons we can learn from others.Lessons LearnedOpen InformationProactively release information on government activities on an ongoing basisActivity Stream 1CanadiansWe define this stream of activity to include specific support for Open Information: proactively releasing information on government activities on an ongoing basis, making it more accessible to Canadians and easier to find. There are six commitments in this stream.ModernizationModernize the Administration of Access to InformationCommitment 1.1Modernizing the Administration of Access to Information:To improve service quality and ease of access for citizens, and to reduce processing costs for institutions, we will begin modernizing and centralizing the platforms supporting the administration of Access to Information (ATI). In Year 1, we will pilot online request and payment services for a number of departments allowing Canadians for the first time to submit and pay for ATI requests online with the goal of having this capability available to all departments as soon as feasible. In Years 2 and 3, we will make completed ATI request summaries searchable online, and we will focus on the design and implementation of a standardized, modern, ATI solution to be used by all federal departments and agencies.Virtual LibraryDesign of an online searchable repository of published Government of Canada documents of all kinds.Commitment 1.2Virtual Library:To simplify access to a range of government information available to the public in Year 1, we will begin the design of an online searchable repository of published Government of Canada documents of all kinds (e.g. publications, consultant reports, ATI summaries, government research, presentations, white papers, etc.). Moving forward in Years 2 and 3, we will launch this Virtual Library through a pilot which will provide public access to federal publications and documents via a single window. Public input will be sought throughout this pilot to make sure that the Virtual Library reflects the needs of citizens.Canadian AidMake information about Canadian aid spending easier to find, use, and compare.Commitment 1.3International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI)International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI):The International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) will make information about Canadian aid spending easier to find, use, and compare. Transparency is key to fostering accountability which is a hallmark of Canada's tradition in providing international aid. Those involved in aid programs will be able to better track what aid is being used for, and what it is achieving, helping us to ensure that each dollar goes as far as possible toward stated goals. In Year 1, we will review all IATI requirements and publish our plan to make information about the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) activities available and accessible, and in Years 2 and 3, we will focus on implementation and reporting. As a result, donors, partner countries, civil society organizations and citizens will be able to access and use Canadian information and compare it with the data from other participating organizations and countries.RecordsOpen Government of Canada Records.Commitment 1.4Opening Government of Canada Records:The Government of Canada archives contain a wealth of documentary heritage, and it is important that Canadians have access to this information. In Year 1 of our Action Plan, we will increase access to archived federal documents held by Library and Archives Canada by removing restrictions on this information wherever possible, thereby ensuring ongoing access to the preserved historical record of the Government of Canada. Additionally, in Year 1, we will issue new mandatory policy to drive consistent document classification practices across the federal government to reduce the volume of classified documents in the future. In Years 2 and 3, we will work with departments to progressively make the classified documentation already held within the archives of the Government of Canada available online through Web 2.0 platforms and in formats accessible on mobile devices where possible.GCDocsAdvance Recordkeeping in the Government of Canada.Commitment 1.5Government of CanadaAdvancing Recordkeeping in the Government of Canada - GCDocs:To support the implementation of recordkeeping policies and directives, and an advanced government-wide recordkeeping regime, we will establish a hosted government-wide solution for records and documents management to service government departments and agencies. During Year 1, we will deploy wave one of an enterprise solution for electronic record and document management across a number of departments. Building on lessons learned, in Years 2 and 3, we will pursue deployment across the federal government.User-CentricityDevelop an approach for a new user-centric, consolidated web presence for the Government of Canada.Commitment 1.6User-Centric Web Services - GCWeb:Throughout our consultations with Canadians, it became clear that a more organized and accessible web presence for the Government of Canada is a key enabler for openness and transparency. To facilitate access to the wealth of information and services available to Canadian through the Web channel, we are committed to the development of an approach for a new user-centric, consolidated web presence for the Government of Canada within the first year of our Action Plan. In Years 2 and 3, we will initiate the implementation of this new platform, which will include a one-stop, federated search window to government information to provide simultaneous searching of federal web pages, data, and publications.Open DataMake raw data available in machine-readable formats to citizens, governments, not-for-profit and private sector organizations.Activity Stream 2CitizensGovernmentsNot-for-Profit OrganizationsPrivate Sector OrganizationsWe define this stream of activity as making raw data available in machine-readable formats to citizens, governments, not-for-profit and private sector organizations to leverage it in innovative and value-added ways. There are two commitments in this stream.Data.gc.caImplement the next generation platform for the delivery of open data.Commitment 2.1During the recent public consultations on the Digital Economy Strategy and Open Government, Canadians called for open data to be made available in more usable and accessible formats. Building on the successful open data pilot launched in 2011, we will implement the next generation platform for the delivery of open data. Over the past year, we have expanded the number of non-geospatial data sets available from 800 in April 2011, to more than 11,000 in April of 2012. When geospatial datasets are included, the total comes to more than 272,000 unique data sets. During Year 1 of our Action Plan, we will continue to expand on the number of datasets made available through the existing portal, and we will complete our requirements for the next generation platform. In Years 2 and 3, we will design and initiate implementation of the new data.gc.ca portal, as well as further improve the level of standardization of data published by departments. The Government will make use of crowdsourcing, particularly among Canada's open data community, to make sure that this new open data portal meets the needs and expectations of those who will use it most, and provides the best possible opportunity to support entrepreneurs eager to make use of Government of Canada data.Resource Management & Performance DataPublish resource management and performance data through the open data portal.Commitment 2.2Government of Canada Resource Management Data:To fulfill its statutory responsibilities, the Government collects resource allocation and performance management information from all departments and agencies; not all of this information is currently provided online, nor is it easily searchable across departments. Through this initiative starting in Year 1, the government will use information collected from federal organizations to publish resource management and performance data through the open data portal. Years 2 and 3 will build on usage and feedback to provide enhanced search and data visualization tools.Open DialogueGive Canadians an opportunity for two-way dialogue with the Government of Canada on federal policies and priorities.Activity Stream 3CanadiansGovernment of CanadaWe define this stream of activity as giving Canadians an opportunity for two-way dialogue with the Government of Canada on federal policies and priorities. There are two commitments in this stream.Engagement PlatformExplore options for the development of a new Web 2.0 citizen engagement platform that federal organizations can use to conduct public consultations.Commitment 3.1Consulting Canadians:To simplify access and participation in online consultations by Canadians, we will explore options in Year 1 for the development of a new Web 2.0 citizen engagement platform that federal organizations can use to conduct public consultations. Also in Year 1, we will develop a standard approach to the use of social media and Web 2.0 by federal departments to augment their engagement activities with citizens and businesses, as well as pilot a crowdsourcing initiative to involve Canadians in developing ideas and solutions for greater online dialogue and engagement on public policy initiatives. In Years 2 and 3, we will enable the use of common online tools to support engagement activities.RegulationsElectronically post regulatory plans and give Canadians and businesses the opportunity to engage.Commitment 3.2CanadiansBusinessesOpen Regulation:To increase public engagement on regulatory activities in Year 1, federal regulators will be required to electronically post their forward regulatory plans so as to make the regulatory system more predictable and give Canadians and businesses early warning of upcoming changes and the opportunity to engage on regulatory plans. Regulators will also be required to post service standards and policies that clarify when stakeholders can count on receiving guidance in writing. In Years 2 and 3, we will continue to simplify engagement activities to support more efficient and responsive regulatory activities, including posting annual scorecards on streamlining administrative burden.2013-08-012013-08-30http://data.gc.ca/eng/canadas-action-plan-open-governmentOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net