Executive Council
March 20, 2014

Engaging and Connecting With Residents

Premier Marshall Launches Open Government Initiative

Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador will have new opportunities to shape policy and decision-making with the launch today of an Open Government Initiative by the Honourable Tom Marshall, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Premier was joined by the Honourable Steve Kent, Minister Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement, in making the announcement.

“Today’s launch of the Open Government Initiative is an important signal to the residents of the province that we are listening. We value the input of the public and are committed to your involvement, so that you have a say in the decisions of the Provincial Government. We now ask Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to give us the benefit of their ideas, insights and expertise, which we will use to develop our first Open Government Action Plan.”
- The Honourable Tom Marshall, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Open Government Partnership, a world-wide initiative, aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to make them more responsive to people – with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of government programs, services and decisions. British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, the Government of Canada, and various municipalities across the country all have variations of open government initiatives.

With the aim of becoming a world leader in open government, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Open Government Initiative is built on a foundation of four key pillars: Open Information, Open Data, Dialogue and Collaboration. For further details on each pillar, please see the attached backgrounder.

“This government-wide initiative, led by the Office of Public Engagement, marks a new approach to the way in which our government will engage and connect with the people of the province. I encourage everyone to take part as we build upon this exciting initiative, with more Open Government announcements over the coming weeks.”
- The Honourable Steve Kent, Minister Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement

Along with new online resources, a number of consultation methods will be used to inform the development of the Open Government Action Plan. These will include social media engagement, online feedback, face-to-face meetings and other types of interactive opportunities.

For more information and to “Have Your Say” on the Open Government Initiative, visit www.open.gov.nl.ca.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to listening to residents and to engaging youth, the volunteer sector, families and communities to build a vibrant and prosperous province.

QUICK FACTS

• Premier Marshall has launched an Open Government Initiative together with the Honourable Steve Kent, Minister Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement.
• Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador will have new opportunities to shape policy and decision-making through the Open Government Initiative.
• The four pillars of the Open Government Initiative are: Open Information, Open Data, Dialogue, and Collaboration.
• Governments around the world are placing a focus on citizen involvement in their activities.
• Over the coming weeks, more announcements will be made inviting residents to become involved and share their thoughts on the Open Government Initiative.
• For more information please contact the Office of Public Engagement at ope@gov.nl.ca and “Have Your Say” at www.open.gov.nl.ca.

- 30 -

• View news conference

Media contacts:

BACKGROUNDER
What is Open Government?

An Open Government is one that provides more information and data to residents and offers meaningful opportunities for the public to have input in decision-making and policy development.

Open Government
Open Government initiatives have been developed around the world in response to the desire of residents to be more involved in the government decision-making processes. Governments are using a variety of ways to gather information and obtain feedback from the general public.

Open government commitments involve providing greater access to information, sharing knowledge and creating more meaningful dialogue and collaboration opportunities. This in turn, contributes to greater involvement of the general public in matters that affect them.

Open Government Pillars
This province’s Open Government Initiative is built upon four key pillars: Open Information; Open Data; Dialogue; and Collaboration.

Open information refers to the release of information by Government departments and agencies.

Open data refers to data provided in standard formats, free of charge for anyone to access, use and reuse for any purpose.

Dialogue refers to a range of public consultation activities designed to gain information and insights from residents. This includes online tools, social media, feedback forms, as well as in-person activities,like face-to-face meetings and interactive sessions.

Collaboration means working together to achieve shared goals. It means sharing knowledge and identifying potential solutions among partners, organizations, and communities.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes the need and values the involvement of the people of the province in the development and implementation of the Open Government Initiative. We will ensure that Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are provided with meaningful opportunities to offer input on this initiative.

2014 03 20                                        9:50 a.m.