The Open Government team at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is delighted that Canada has been elected to a seat on the Open Government Partnership’s Steering Committee. We see it as a testament to the great work that Canada is doing to advance open government domestically, and to the commitment to deepening Canadians’ engagement with government. We also feel this is a nod from our partners around the world, who see Canada as a country that has a lot to contribute internationally.
What is the Open Government Partnership and why does this matter?
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) is a multilateral organization that helps governments around the world promote openness and transparency and empower citizens. The 75 member countries deliver national action plans that, since the OGP’s creation in 2011, have accumulated to over 2,500 commitments aimed at making their governments more open and accountable. The OGP helps ensure governments follow through on their commitments by supporting an independent review of whether - and how - plans are implemented.
Earlier this year, the OGP ran an international election to replace four members on its Steering Committee. Twelve countries put their names forward and campaigned for a seat. Canada, which was vying as a candidate for the first time, will be joined by Italy, South Korea, and South Africa as new Steering Committee members.
In this role, Canada will support a greater focus on open, meaningful dialogue between governments and citizens, and will place a strong emphasis on public engagement and collaboration. We will be represented on the Steering Committee by the Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board, who spoke about Canada’s values and accomplishments at the recent OGP Global Summit in December 2016.
We are also pleased to see a strong field of candidates campaigning to fill civil society vacancies on the OGP Steering Committee. A vibrant, engaged global civil society community is an essential element of the OGP’s work, as civil society organizations have an important role to play in holding governments accountable for the commitments they’ve made and encouraging governments around the world to do better and do more to support openness and transparency.
We want to take this opportunity to thank all those who encouraged Canada to run and supported our Steering Committee campaign, including friends in civil society and our colleagues in the provinces and territories.
We look forward to sharing more news on Canada’s new role on the Steering Committee in the upcoming weeks. There is a lot of work ahead and we look forward to meeting the challenge!
- The Open Government Team
