We are pleased to inform that the Community Data Program of the Canadian Council on Social Development has submitted this document to the Application Process for the April 2012 Open Government Partnership Meeting from Local Civil Society Organizations.

The cover letter, which has been endorsed by those from public, private and non-government sectors including individual experts, encapsulates a watershed moment for open data and open government in Canada. It is the first time where open data and open government advocates had to consider who was to represent them and be a spokesperson on their behalf at such as esteemed forum. There is however much to learn and much bridging still to do with open data advocates who are generally from new media/CIO-CTO/engineers communities.

It is hoped that this process will create a rapprochement between and among the major individuals and organizations. There is much to gain by doing so. This letter and the discussions it has stimulated, have been excellent first steps in that direction.

The Canadian Council on Social Development has advanced Harvey Low, its Toronto Consortium Lead for the Community Data Program (CDP) and a founding and active member of Canada Data Canada (CDC), as the civil society representative for Canada at the Open Government Partnership Annual Meetings in Brazil.

Thank you to Tracey Lauriault and datalibre.ca for sharing and communicating this effort.

Community Data Progtam OGP Cover Letter (PDF)