• Table of Contents
• Government On-Line Chronicle
• Overarching Principles & Key Areas of Activities
• 2006
• 2005
• 2004
• 2003
• 2002
• 2001
• 2000
• 1999
• Activities Preceding Government On-Line

Chronicle

2004

The Government On-Line initiative is about maximizing the potential of the e-channel to support timelier, more accurate, and easier-to-use transactions with governments across all channels for all clients. The emphasis in 2004 is on leveraging the e-channel to support service transformation; developing service visions to cater to the needs of individual Canadians, businesses, and international clients; and continuing to "repeat back" to Canadians what the government is learning from them.

The Government On-Line initiative represents a catalytic initiative that has the potential to enhance government operational efficiency and policy framework effectiveness. It shows that governments have a leadership role to play in how new information and communications technologies are used to achieve better results where it matters for the citizens.

In order to scope the service transformation agenda, service visions are developed. Thanks to collaborative efforts among federal departments and agencies, the visions provide high-level business direction for the transformation agenda going forward. The next generation of public services entails rethinking of the service delivery at the access layer across the Internet, telephone, mail, and in-person channels, transforming service offerings in the middle layer, and further developing the common underlying infrastructure.

The Government On-Line initiative efforts are, as always since its beginning, guided primarily by the needs and preferences of clients. In 2004, research indicates that the early adopters want faster service, the ability to find-fill-send government forms on-line, a single government face, and value for money.

Sustainability and Inter-jurisdictional Collaboration

Gateways and clusters teams are busy working on a sustainability strategy. Gateways and clusters are the access layer of on-line service delivery. They embody the client-centric approach of the Government On-Line initiative and are key enablers to service transformation as a whole since they funnel clients' needs to relevant bundled services. However, as horizontal enterprise governance models are explored, the immediate sustainability remains a problem.

The inter-jurisdictional collaboration is essential to address the integration of services to common clients. To advance collaboration, a roadmap is developed and the drivers for change, guiding principles, and enablers are introduced to explore opportunities for interoperability and service integration between various levels of government.

Other Government On-Line Milestones

• tabling in Parliament of the "Government On-Line 2004 Report";
• release of the United Nations Global E-Government readiness report 2004 - "Towards Access for Opportunity" where Canada ranks seventh after the United States, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Republic of Korea, and Australia;
• publication by Accenture of the eGovernment Leadership Report, "High Performances, Maximum Value" where Canada ranks first for the fourth year in a row.

Related Events

• re-publication of "Toward Citizen-Centred Service Delivery: A How-to Guide for Service Improvement initiatives" first published in 2000 by The Institute for Citizen-Centred Service that offers step-by-step advice for initiating a service improvement initiative, including the use of the Common Measurement Tool;
• publication of "Taking Care of Business" by The Institute for Citizen-Centred Service. This study explores Government-to-Business service delivery from the perspective of the business community.