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The Ontario government is inviting Ontarians to submit ideas on how to make Ontario the most open and digitally connected government in Canada.

The Ontario government has also made a commitment to apply the rural lens to policy and program development decision making. The Rural Ontario Institute has submitted a suggestion that in the interest of open government we make these geographic impacts of provincial policy decision making more transparent so we can hold our government accountable – this is what they say they want.  

Similarly, the Institute encourages rural stakeholders to consider the issues that concern them and what information from the provincial government would make civil society dialogue about public policy more informed, more transparent and more accountable. For example, if you are concerned about rural school closures perhaps the Ministry of Education should be asked to provide the data on school closures on an urban/rural basis. We also note, for example, that a “digitally connected government” requires  a digitally connected citizenry. It stands to reason then that our rural high speed broadband targets could be substantially higher and we could be moving faster to get there.   

So we have an invitation to communicate about what can make the government’s transparency aspirations real – we urge you to contribute your rural voice!