A blog by Calgary freelance writer Jeremy Klaszus.

Audio from council debate on open data

Posted by Jeremy Klaszus in Klaszus Corner

City council has given the green light to a motion intended to make city data more accessible.

While most aldermen were supportive of the idea, aldermen Joe Connelly and Andre Chabot weren't keen and voted against the motion. Connelly is worried making city data more accessible makes the city vulnerable. The risk, he suggested, may not be worth the reward.

"No one has come to me and said, 'We need greater access to your files," Connelly told council.

Here's the audio of Connelly outlining his concerns, followed by a bit of city manager Owen Tobert's response:

And then Andre Chabot got up and spoke his piece. Like Connelly, he doesn't seem to think it's very important for the public to have access to city information. "I only see a select few individuals who will actually be able to maximize on this opportunity and potentially profit from it, so I’m not going to support it," he said.

Here's a clip of Chabot making his case against the motion. He begins by asking a question of Tobert.

Ald. Joe Ceci then responds to Chabot's concerns. (The motion was brought forward by Ceci and Ald. Brian Pincott.)

City administration will prepare a report on an open information strategy and present it to a council committee by December.


more in News     |     posted Jul 27th, 2009 at 12:01pm     

Comments: 1

grantneufeld wrote:

Alds. Connelly and Chabot appear to be speaking based on assumptions. The point of the report called for by the motion is to take this matter out of the realm of guesses, conjectures and assumptions into the realm of what is known.

It seems that they have not read or, if they have read, have misunderstood what the literature on the open data movement shows from the many governments around the world who have already moved in this direction: Open data gives citizens opportunities to better understand their communities, and to come up with better practices, increased efficiencies and innovative approaches to the many activities of their communities and governments.

on Jul 27th, 2009 at 3:08pm Report Abuse


Post comment: (Login or Register)


All Content Copyright © Fast Forward Weekly 1995-2012

About Us Contact Us Careers Privacy Policy Terms of Use