[open-government] Canadian Election Platforms - Open Data and Open Government

Mon Apr 11 00:33:36 UTC 2011

*Election Platforms – Open Data – Open Government*
http://datalibre.ca/2011/04/10/election-platforms-open-data-open-government/

Below you will find excerpts from the platforms of: 1)
Liberals<http://cdn.liberal.ca/files/2011/04/liberal_platform.pdf>,
2) Bloc <http://www.blocquebecois.org/accueil.aspx>, 3)
NDP<http://www.ndp.ca/platform>and 4)
Greens <http://greenparty.ca/platform2011>.  They are in order from best to
non-existent.  The *Liberal* platform is the most developed, the
*Bloc*includes Access to information and copyright, the
*NDP* only talks about copyright, and the *Greens*, well nada.  I did not
include the Conservatives, since they said they would do all these things,
with transparency being one of their most important platforms in past
elections, and, well we all know what happened, opaqueness, cancellation of
the census, decimation of science institutions, attacks on the CRTC,
copyright nefariousness, and etc.

Only the Liberals mention *open data*.  As for *open government,* the
Liberals are the only party to include this in their platform and they hit
all the right items: formats, no costs, access, census online, transparency,
accountability and actions.  In French, the concept is called *Gouvernement
transparent*, the Bloc discusses transparency quite a bit but not framed as
open government.  Both the Liberals and the Bloc address *Access to
Information,* the Bloc is explicit about legal reform and the Liberals offer
actions.  The Liberals, Bloc and NDP address *Copyright* reform.  If you
want more detailed analysis on that file I recommend Digital Copyright
Canada <http://www.digital-copyright.ca/election2011/blog> as a resource.  *
Licences* are discussed primarily in the context of broadband and
communications.  I would like to find some good analysis about the various
platforms on broadband, open Internet, billing, wireless, digital divide,
access and so on.  Not surprisingly, *open source* is not mentioned,
although within R & D and technological innovation we see the mention of
software.  I will look at that later.   *Archiving* is also not included nor
is there mention of *cost recovery* although the Liberals discuss access to
free data online.  I already created two earlier posts on the Census
(Eng<http://datalibre.ca/2011/04/10/2011/04/10/election-platform-platforme-electorale-lf-census-recensement-fl/>.
and Fr.<http://datalibre.ca/2011/04/10/2011/04/10/plate-formes-electorales-le-recensement-formulaire-long/>).
There is much talk about science in all the platforms, and I want to go back
and take a look at those areas as often data issues can be found there.  I
must say, the Greens are not only not talking data, they are also pretty
slim and trim on science, which, in both cases is very disappointing. It is
also a hugely missed opportunity by the NDP, I expected more here.

*1. The Liberal
Platform<http://cdn.liberal.ca/files/2011/04/liberal_platform.pdf>
*:

*Open Government**. *

Canada’s federal government must embrace information technology and *open
data* in order to improve services to Canadians and make government more
transparent and accountable for public spending. Putting Statistics Canada
and other government data online wherever possible, after meeting all
privacy and other legal requirements, will strengthen Canadian democracy,
help create and disseminate knowledge and spur innovation.

A key element of the Liberal plan for democratic renewal is *Open Government
*. Liberals will adopt a new approach to information, issuing
government-wide direction that the default position for all departments and
agencies will be to release information to the public, both proactively and
responsively, after privacy and other legal requirements are met. This
initiative will see as many government datasets as possible available to the
public online, *free of charge* in an *open and searchable format*.

Furthermore, all* Access to Information* requests and responses will be
posted online. This new presumption of openness will also drive a new level
of accountability for public finances. We will establish a searchable,
online database for grants, contributions and contracts.
All levels of government, civil society, researchers, business and the
public must have access to independent and reliable statistics and
demographic information to make informed decisions and develop sound public
policy to benefit all Canadians. Therefore, a Liberal government will
restore the mandatory long form census.

* **Fair balance Between Creators and Consumers.* Digital technology offers
many new opportunities, but enjoying content without compensating its
creators shouldn’t be among them. At the same time, consumers should have
freedom for personal use of digital content they rightfully possess.
Liberals have worked to pass effective *copyright legislation*, including a
private copying compensation fund instead of any new tax on consumers.

*2. Bloc Québécois<http://www.blocquebecois.org/document.aspx?doc=788E6B46-7F22-4474-B71D-B7C807EF7137>
*

*2.3.2 Le Bloc Québécois s’assurera que la nouvelle Loi sur le **droit
d’auteur** *soit équitable et ne désavantage ni les créateurs ni les
consommateurs, notamment en modernisant le système de copie privée en
appliquant aux lecteurs MP3 et autres baladeurs numériques des redevances
raisonnables en redistribution aux artistes, en abolissant l’exemption du
monde de l’éducation quant aux paiements des droits d’auteur, et en
reconnaissant le droit de suite pour les artistes en arts visuels.

*Loi sur l’accès à l’information* La commissaire à l’information est
formelle. Le gouvernement Harper ne démontre pas une culture de transparence
et cette attitude est dictée par le premier ministre. En effet, son
ministère, le Bureau du Conseil privé, passe en revue les demandes d’accès à
l’information sensibles adressées au gouvernement, puis les retient et les
retarde.

Un employé du ministère des Travaux publics a même ordonné à des
fonctionnaires de retarder indûment la publication de documents
compromettants pour le gouvernement. La situation est telle que la
commissaire à l’information a entrepris une enquête formelle sur trois
ministres, dont Christian Paradis, de laquelle pourraient découler des
peines de prison.

*1.4.2 Le Bloc Québécois présentera au Parlement un projet de loi pour
réformer complètement la Loi sur l’accès à l’information.*Ce projet de loi,
rendu public en juin 2008, est inspiré du projet de loi préparé par l’ancien
commissaire à l’information, John Reid, et favorise un meilleur accès à
l’information.

*3. The NDP <http://xfer.ndp.ca/2011/2011-Platform/NDP-2011-Platform-En.pdf>
*

We will introduce a bill on *copyright reform* to ensure that Canada
complies with its international treaty obligations, while balancing
consumers’ and creators’ rights.

4. *The Greens<http://greenparty.ca/files/attachments/green-book-2011-en.pdf>
*

Absent

-- 
Tracey P. Lauriault
613-234-2805
http://traceyplauriault.ca/
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