Evidence of meeting #26 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was sets.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Office and Security Branch, Department of Natural Resources
Your question fits into the broader context of information management, which is a real challenge for the government and the private sector.
The question is whether we can organize the data in such a way that it can be manipulated mechanically and automatically, without the need for human intervention or an additional investment to cover costs. Over the past 30 or 40 years, information technology has evolved fairly organically, and now we're at the point where we have mass quantities of information and data. I would qualify our ability to publish that data in an open format as really a subset of the broader challenge of managing information. It really reflects the strategic direction set by the government. Information management policies will really move us to a place where we can release information to the public at a lower cost.
I don't know whether that answers your question.
NDP
Mathieu Ravignat NDP Pontiac, QC
As things stand, you don't face any challenges when it comes to resource requirements?
Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Office and Security Branch, Department of Natural Resources
The real challenge lies in how the information is organized, stored and produced. Once that aspect is resolved, resources will, by extension, pose much less of a challenge.
NDP
Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Office and Security Branch, Department of Natural Resources
Precisely.
Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Office and Security Branch, Department of Natural Resources
It's a matter of how the data is organized.
Director General, Research and Evaluation, Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada
In our experience, open data did help in terms of the efficiency of our work, so we're getting less ATIP, less cost-recovery. Those are helping us save resources and invest those resources in making more data available, not sending out DVDs or mail-outs and whatnot.
Having said that, we don't experience any pressing challenges on the resources, but if one had more resources, one always asks if one could do more. My answer to that would be yes, but we don't face challenges that are preventing us today to respect the principles and the current operations of open data.
Chief Information Officer, Corporate Services, Department of Health
I agree with the points my colleagues made, so I won't repeat them.
However, I will say we definitely have a challenge as far as data publication and official languages are concerned.
Internally, the datasets contain text that our researchers and scientists use and sometimes that text is, by default, accessible in only one language. So publishing a dataset always poses that challenge. There is a requirement to release in both official languages metadata that, under normal circumstances, is available internally in just one language. They may not be automatically recorded in the same way, so that has to be done. But I think the key lies in avoiding the duplication of work and opting for an open approach right from the get-go. That means taking the steps that need to be taken and putting the necessary processes in place to do the work the right way and make the data accessible to Canadians in the appropriate format.
Director General, Business and Systems Architecture and Deputy Chief Information Officer, Department of Transport
Mr. Ravignat, thank you for the question.
I agree with the previous witnesses.
Clearly, the way the work is organized is an important dimension. Earlier someone mentioned that the key was to take advantage of a new distribution network, and that means no longer doing some of the things we did in the past. As a result, we have been able to redirect information dissemination resources to the new activities. For instance, a great many documents, databases and publications were used to make the data available, but it was paper-based or kept on a CD. Staff had to spend a lot of time and effort to produce and distribute that data.
In today's climate, Canadians are increasingly equipped to handle the self-serve method. But it does present some challenges, as pointed out during the discussion earlier. The adoption of standards is a critical element in ensuring that the consumers of today's data age—businesses and individuals—are able to find their way. Certainly, challenges exist as far as organizing the information goes, but resources have been shifted to new distribution methods.
NDP
The Chair NDP Pierre-Luc Dusseault
Thank you.
Did you have a comment to wrap up the discussion, Mr. Diverty?
Vice President, Programs, Canadian Institute for Health Information
Just very briefly, like Statistics Canada, it's part of our mandate to make sure our data is accessible. In fact our success is largely based on the extent to which we make data available to the range of users. Obviously, there's always more needs to satisfy than you can satisfy, and you have to make choices around that. But historically we've spent a lot of money assembling data sets, and as those data sets have matured, now we're turning more of our resources to access and supporting users in using the data through understanding and use.
NDP
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to our guests this morning. Thank you for helping us with this study.
I have a couple of questions. My first question is to Mr. Shukle of NRCan. Somebody suggested that possibly Natural Resources would be a more logical home for the location of the open data portal, given that the majority of the data sets belong to this department, and of course, your longevity in this space, since 1842, I believe you said, when you started. Do you agree with this suggestion?
Director General, Canadian Centre for Remote Sensing – Geomatics Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Department of Natural Resources
Our business is really in the geospatial world. I think open data is a broader definition. We're certainly happy with the way the situation is currently. We're happy sticking to our knitting.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Would you also be happy to share best practices with other departments?
Director General, Canadian Centre for Remote Sensing – Geomatics Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Department of Natural Resources
Absolutely.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
My second question would be to CIC and Health. Recognizing that the data in both of these departments is personal information, sensitive information, confidential information, how do you anonymize this data? How do you protect the confidentiality?
I guess I could start with you, Ms. Montplaisir.
Chief Information Officer, Corporate Services, Department of Health
The data we publish is only aggregated data. We don't publish any individual-level data on the sites, so right away we don't have to really deal with the anonymization aspects of it. But of course privacy, security, and confidentiality are always of utmost concern to us. As the information management lead in our organization does the approbation of the release of data sets, we make sure that all of these concerns are addressed right from the get-go.
Conservative
Jay Aspin Conservative Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Right from the get-go, you sort it out right from the beginning.
Chief Information Officer, Corporate Services, Department of Health
Absolutely.