GNWT recognizes the first global Open Government Week

News Releases

YELLOWKNIFE (May 7, 2018) —This week, citizens and governments across Canada and around the world will come together to celebrate and promote the Open Government principles of transparency, accountability, and participation in government.

Open Government Week is a global call to action to promote direct collaboration between citizens and governments. To mark the first ever Open Government Week, events are being held across Canada, around the world, and online, where citizens and governments gather to listen to each other’s ideas, discuss solutions, and commit to taking real action.

In March 2018, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) released the Open Government Policy. Developed with input from NWT residents, the Open Government Policy will help guide a new and innovative approach to better connect NWT residents and stakeholders with their government while promoting openness and transparency across government.

The GNWT encourages all NWT residents to participate in strengthening open government in their communities, territory and country, by joining the discussion on Twitter with #OpenGovWeek, and visiting www.opengovweek.org   to learn more about Open Government Week.

Quotes:

“Increasing government accountability and transparency is an ongoing process.   Through the creation of the Open Government Policy, the GNWT is making progress to increase openness, transparency and accountability by improving and standardizing the way government shares information and data and engages with the public.”
-Louis Sebert, Minister Responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency

“The input, knowledge and expertise of our residents is one of our greatest resources, which our government benefits from to help solve complex problems. We have a responsibility to ensure that we do everything possible to make sure that they have access to the information and opportunities for engagement they need to fully contribute to the decision-making of the GNWT.”
-Bob McLeod, Premier of the Northwest Territories

Quick Facts:

  • In the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019, the GNWT made a number of commitments to increase transparency and accountability, including the development of an Open Government Policy (5.3.5). Responsibility for advancing these commitments was assigned to the Minister Responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency, a portfolio created for the first time in the 18th Legislative Assembly and held by the Honourable Louis Sebert.
  • The GNWT Open Government Policy, released in March 2018, sets out actions and provides a forum for departments to work together to advance the GNWT’s commitment to the principles of Open Government in three key areas:
    • the release of government-held information, such as information about government programs, publications, activities and spending (Open Information);
    • the release of government-held data, such as datasets, facts, figures or statistics (Open Data); and
    • meaningful engagement of residents, communities and organizations in government decision-making processes (Open Dialogue).

Related Links:

Media inquiries:

Todd Sasaki
Senior Communications Officer
Finance
Tel: (867) 767-9151 ext. 14032
E-mail: Todd_Sasaki@gov.nt.ca