In an open letter to Ontarians on Monday, which intends to provide citizens with a more transparent and accessible government.
The Open Government Engagement Team will be chaired by Don Lenihan, an expert on democracy and public engagement—with the goal of achieving ways to increase government openness, transparency, and accountability.
In the letter, Wynne said the Open Government initiative “will help create a transparent, accessible government that the people of Ontario deserve” and that this is part of the government’s vision for “One Ontario, where every voice counts.”
The panel aims to seek feedback from across Ontario and focus on three key areas.
First, the panel is searching for ways to promote “open dialogue” by creating an online space that would provide more information on government consultations. It would allow Ontarians to have a meaningful role and impact regarding decision-making and policies that directly affect citizens.
Next, the panel focuses on “open data” that would enable academics, entrepreneurs, and innovators to have greater access to statistics. This would enable them to analyze issues like medical wait-times, gridlocks, student achievement, creating new ideas that stimulate economic growth.
Lastly, the panel focuses on “open information” that promises to increase transparency across the provincial government by making information available to the public “on a proactive and ongoing basis.”
Nevertheless, the announcement has received its fair share of criticism by the public and opposition members.
According to Professor Robert Drummond, an expert in Canadian politics and public policy, the initiative indicates the aim of the Liberal government to show it is going to change the way things are done.
The announcement comes at a time when the Liberal Party’s reputation is plagued by the Liberal government’s $1.1 billion gas plant cancellation debacle in Oakville and Mississauga—one of the costliest in the province’s history.
“I think it’s an effort to step away from the gas plant scandal and give the impression that there’s been a change in procedure and there’s been some effort to do things differently,” says Drummond. “Whether it will actually be anything different remains to be seen.”
Mishaal Sinha
Staff Writer
