Implement Directive on Open Government (CA0030)
Overview
At-a-Glance
Action Plan: Canada, Second Action Plan, 2014-2016
Action Plan Cycle: 2014
Status:
Institutions
Lead Institution: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Support Institution(s): NA
Policy Areas
Access to Information, Open DataIRM Review
IRM Report: Canada End-of-Term Report 2014-2016, Canada Progress Report 2014-2015
Early Results: Did Not Change
Design i
Verifiable: Yes
Relevant to OGP Values: Yes
Ambition (see definition): High
Implementation i
Description
The Government of Canada will issue mandatory policy requiring federal government
departments and agencies to maximize the release of data and information of business
value subject to applicable restrictions related to privacy, confidentiality, and security.
Eligible data and information will be released in standardized, open formats, free of charge, and without restrictions on reuse
IRM End of Term Status Summary
Commitment 1. Implement the Directive on Open Government
Commitment Text:
The Government of Canada will issue mandatory policy requiring federal government departments and agencies to maximize the release of data and information of business value subject to applicable restrictions related to privacy, confidentiality, and security. Eligible data and information will be released in standardized, open formats, free of charge, and without restrictions on reuse.
The proactive release of data and information is the starting point for all other open government activity. It is the foundation on which all other aspects of Canada's Action Plan are based. Accordingly, the Government of Canada will firmly establish an 'open by default' position in its mandatory policy framework by issuing a new Directive on Open Government.
The Directive on Open Government will provide clear and mandatory requirements to government departments aimed squarely at ensuring the availability of eligible government information and data of business value while respecting any restrictions related to privacy, security, and confidentiality. Business value takes on a broad definition in this context, including data and information that document the business of government, decision making in support of programs, services and ongoing operations, as well as departmental reporting. Furthermore, the directive will support broader accountability and transparency, and ensure that open government requirements are considered in the development and implementation of all federal programs and services. Departments and agencies will also be required to develop inventories of their data and information, plan for the release of eligible holdings, and lay out a schedule for their release.
Maximizing the release of data and information will enable Canadians to better engage with their government and hold it accountable, creating an environment that supports meaningful civic engagement and drives social and economic benefits through the innovative reuse of data and information.
Deliverables to be completed in 2014-16:
- Issue a new Directive on Open Government to require federal departments and agencies to maximize the release of eligible government data and information of business value subject to applicable restrictions related to privacy, confidentiality, and security.
- Require federal departments and agencies to publish open government implementation plans that describe planned activities to meet the requirements of the directive, including the following:
- Establishing and maintaining inventories of data and information holdings;
- Prioritizing the publication of data and information based on public demand;
- Publishing data and information in accessible and open formats on federal open government websites under an open and unrestrictive licence; and
- Reporting annually on progress made.
- Establish tools and guidance for the publication of departmental data inventories, subject to privacy, security, and confidentiality requirements.
Responsible institution: Treasury Board Secretariat
Supporting institution(s): None
Start date: November 2014 End date: 30 June 2016
Commitment Aim:
This commitment aimed to improve the proactive release of information and data across government departments by establishing a Directive on Open Government that would outline clear and mandatory requirements for the release of information and data. The Directive would require federal departments and agencies to publish a plan detailing how they would establish and maintain information and data inventories, how they would prioritize the publication of information and data in an open and accessible format based on public demand, and how they would report annually on their progress. Ultimately, the deadline for implementing the Directive is 31 March 2020.
STATUS
Mid-term: Limited
The Government of Canada released a Directive on Open Government on 9 October 2014, but had not progressed on publishing implementation plans or establishing tools and guidance for the publication of federal departmental data inventories by the end of 2014. For more information please see the 2014-2015 mid-term IRM report.
End of term: Substantial
Regarding the development of tools and guidance for data inventories, a Data Inventory Template and a Guidance on Completing the Data Inventory document have been completed and provided to departments and agencies. An interdepartmental working group was set up to facilitate the implementation of this commitment.
Progress on publication of the open government implementation plan remains limited. According to data provided to the IRM researcher, a total of 56 open government plans have been submitted to the Treasury Board Secretariat. While this does constitute a step toward the fulfillment of this milestone, none of the plans were published at the time this end of term report was written.
The 56 were in the process of being reviewed by TBS. The 56 departments represent a significant portion of bodies subject to the government’s Information Management Policy, Policy on Information Management, http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=12742 including the Directive on Open Government. According to correspondence with the IRM researcher, the Directive on Open Government is applicable to 91 federal departments and organizations. Personal correspondence with IRM researcher, September 12, 2016 This means that approximately 62% of departments and agencies have developed an open government implementation plan. The milestone was thus coded as having limited completion given that 38% of departments and agencies still have to submit their plans, and that none of the plans been published at the end of term report period.
With two of the three milestones under this commitment having been completed, the overall commitment was coded as having been substantially completed. That said, much work remains to be done around the development of implementation plans and in the overall implementation of the Directive.
Did it open government?
Access to information: Did not change
As was noted in the mid term progress report, this commitment does have the potential to open government if implemented well. However, at this end term point it is difficult to say that the commitment yet to result in additional openness. There are no public results or indicators of progress that could be seen as measures of change. The Directive has been issued, and guidance documents have been developed -they are being used within government. However, no departmental or agency open government plans have been publicized and it remains impossible to determine what type of information and data will eventually be released or how that differs from the information and data that was released under older, existing guidelines. There is still no evidence or information about the format(s) of the information and data to be released. Much legwork appears to be happening inside of government so that the potential of this commitment to open government can eventually be realized, but at this time it has not yet resulted in a visible change, outside of government, to Canadians.
Public accountability: Did not change
As is the case with access to information, the incomplete nature of this commitment makes it difficult to find concrete evidence of improvements to public accountability at this time.
Carried forward?
Parts of this commitment were carried forward to the next action plan. Commitment 3 of the new, Expand and Improve Open Data, reiterates the development of open government implementation plans. It also commits to the release of new data and data inventories, going beyond just the implementation plans. Among other things, the new plan commits to “develop and publish departmental inventories of federal data, as required by the Directive on Open Government, to support collaboration with the public on setting priorities for the release of open data.” Canada’s Third Biennial Plan to the Open Government Partnership 2016 – 2018, http://www.opengovpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2001/01/Canada_AP3.pdf