Elections
Some cities have committed recently to publishing their public data in an open format that citizens can directly access. Should Hamilton pledge to become an "open source city"? Why or why not?
Responses to the question: "Some cities have committed recently to publishing their public data in an open format that citizens can directly access. Should Hamilton pledge to become an "open source city"? Why or why not?"
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4 Candidate Responses (top)
| Ward 06 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Brief Response | Full Response |
| Behrens, Chris | Yes | Hamilton should become an open source city. First of all, this could be a big step for Hamilton towards an honest and transparent municipal government. Information Communication Technology could provide a means for the constituent to communicate closer and more efficient with City Hall. Hamiltonians with accessabilty issues, special needs, care givers, disabilities, seniors, and those who simply cannot make it during business hours would be able to communicate with City Hall, without the inconvienence of trying to get there. |
| Knowles, Steven | Yes | Absolutely! The more we know the better. If we are expected to invest in this city then should know exactly what is happening. |
| Pecyna, Ed | Yes | Hamilton should pledge to become an "open source city". If the data is public, then City Hall should make efforts to make it easy for citizens, businesses and other groups to share this information while respecting privacy and security concerns. Just as there is a push to integrate a better mix of different transportation modes throughout the city, similar efforts should be focused on improving communication between the city and its citizens.
Why? - Better informed citizens make better decisions. - Easily accessed and well organized public data provides impetus for potential innovation. - Possibilities of more cost effective and better delivery of city services. It's time to drag the 20th century buggy-whip crowd into the 21st century! |
| Yan, Nathalie Xian Yi | Yes | The answer is absolutely yes, but the problem is how to make the open source city system work?
First of all, we have the Freedom of Information and the Protection of Privacy Act in place. This act entitles every person in Ontario the right to access a record or a part of a record in the custody, or under the control of an institution. The act also stipulates that information should be available to the public, and necessary exemptions from the right of access should be limited and specific. Therefore this is a legal obligation upon City Hall rather than a privilege conferred by the City. Moreover, the City needs to make information more accessible. I personally hold that out City did well but there is no room for complacency. On top of what I have said, the crucial issue that really matters is the relationship between our City Hall and Hamiltonians. This seems like a two-way street. They do not really interact with each other. A good example would be the barely satisfactory constituent-voter ratio. Apparently people are just not enthusiastic about public issues. From my point of view, it is not enough just to make the City's information accessible. More importantly, the city should take the initiative to solicit the attention and involvement of all the Hamiltonians, which could make the City's decisions more justifiable. |
Response Summary (top)
| Brief Response | Count | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 4 | 100.0% |
| No | 0 | 0.0% |
| Maybe | 0 | 0.0% |
2 Candidates Have Not Responded (top)
| Ward 06 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Febers, Michelle | ||
| Jackson, Tom | ||
