On the cover: Real value of governance: balancing innovation and accountability
By Rosie Lombardi
Technology that allows different government entities to share resources and information horizontally opens vast new possibilities to improve services – but also butts squarely against traditional vertical silos of accountability. Governance structures are now being stretched in new directions to foster but control innovation.
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Wi-Fi growth fuels video surveillance adoption
By Rosie Lombardi
Installations of digital video are growing at eye-popping rates. In 2006, the world market for network video surveillance products increased by 41.9 per cent, according to IMS Research, with the public sector as an avid adopter. Amid privacy concerns, the TTC is among those looking to adopt video technology to enhance security across its fleet of trains, buses and streetcars.
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Federal privacy chief urges law revamp
By Lisa Williams
As the present-day threat for identity theft gets stronger than ever, privacy advocates believe Canadian legislation enacted to protect the privacy of personal information is dated. In the recent tabling of her Annual Report, Federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart urged Parliament to review and modernize the Privacy Act.
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Feds establish Web-based collaboration library
By Mari-Len De Guzman
Turning social networking into public service collaboration, the Government of Canada will set up an online tool through which federal agencies can share knowledge and best practices. CIO Ken Cochrane says it’s but one of the many steps towards attaining Government 2.0 status.
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Industry engages health care
By Alex Binkley
The Information Technology Association of Canada has launched an ongoing “structured dialogue” between the Ontario government and IT industry, to bridge the gap between health care professionals and IT suppliers to better understand each other’s needs and capabilities.
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Elected officials’ role in a citizen-centric world
By Jeffrey Roy
Much of the discussion around IT governance and service transformation centres on the public sector’s internal architecture. The undertone of such conversations is technological organizational innovation. Interesting to note that despite this being government, politics has no role – elected officials apparently not required.
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Metrics boost wait-time cuts
By Mari-Len De Guzman
The new Brampton Civic Hospital will open its doors on October 28, with an integrated information and communications system at the core of the new facility. Hospital officials are emphasizing improvements to patient safety and service delivery as the rationale behind this massive technology upgrade.
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Currency of collaboration
By Kim Devooght, IBM Canada
As the Canadian dollar hits record-highs and governments find themselves in a strong fiscal position, many public sector leaders are asking how Canada can take advantage of this opportunity. To compete on a global scale, governments need to create an open and collaborative environment to foster innovation in a booming economy.
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Q&A with Ken Cochrane, CIO, Government of Canada
By Mari-Len De Guzman
Social networking tools, like wikis and blogs, will have a place in what the CIO of the Government of Canada is calling a paradigm shift towards a Government 2.0 workplace. Ken Cochrane recently sat down with Intergovworld.com editor Mari-Len De Guzman to share his thoughts on the changing face of public service, the aging workforce, and government’s green initiatives.