Open Government Consultation
Canada's commitment to open government is intended to foster greater transparency and accountability, and to help create a more cost-effective, efficient and responsive government. Continuous advances in technology are helping governments to develop innovative approaches to serving the public, making it easier to access government services, communicate with government officials, and making valuable government information readily available to the public.
With this in mind, we want to work in partnership with Canadians to improve open information by gathering your views. Effective consultation provides us with vital information about how we can meet the diverse needs of people living, studying, working, and visiting Canada.
By getting involved in open government, Canadians can influence decisions. Consultation strengthens democracy by encouraging a closer relationship between decision makers and the people affected by their decisions.
We will use consultation to:
- Inform our vision for the Action Plan on Open Government and shape what we do around the needs and aspirations of Canadians in terms of Open Information, Open Dialogue and Open Data;
- Improve our planning and decision-making capabilities;
- Learn what we need to do to achieve a higher level of satisfaction regarding what activities Canada continues to engage in around open government initiatives.
The potential benefits of effective consultation are:
- A government that listens and responds to the views and ideas of its community;
- Improved working relationships with partners, businesses, stakeholders and Canadians;
- Better service—providing information Canadians want and need;
- Increasing confidence and levels of satisfaction both internally and externally;
- Raising awareness and understanding of open government and increasing participation in government and the democratic process.
Related Links
These links will provide you with a full picture of what efforts and progress the Government of Canada has made to date on Open Government.
Action Plan 2014-16
- Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government 2014-16 (final version)
- Mid-Term Self-Assessment Report on Canada's Action Plan on Open Government 2014-16
- Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government 2014-16 consultation pages
- Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) Progress Report
Action Plan 2012-14
- Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government 2012-14
- Implementation of Canada’s Action Plan on Open Government (Year-1) Self-Assessment Report
Considerations
When suggesting your ideas you may wish to consider the following:
Transformative impact
How does the idea help the Government of Canada become more open and transparent?
Relevance
Does the idea relate to any of these key focus areas of the Open Government Partnership?
- Improving Public Services
- Increasing Public Integrity
- More Effectively Managing Public Resources
- Creating Safer Communities
- Increasing Corporate Accountability
Efficiency
Does the idea improve efficiency?
Audience Reach
Will the idea affect a wide range of Canadians?
Public Support
Have other Canadians indicated support and interest in this idea?
Capacity
Is the idea something you believe the Government of Canada will be able to implement cost-effectively?