Parliamentary delegates and civil society representatives participate in a dialogue on legislative openness
On Wednesday, May 29 and Thursday, May 30, ParlAmericas in collaboration with the Open Parliament e-Network (OPeN) will celebrate Open Parliament Day and the Parliamentary Track of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit in Ottawa, Canada.
Hosted by the ParlAmericas Canadian Section, Open Parliament Day will be held on May 29, and will bring together parliamentary delegates and civil society representatives from more than 30 countries to exchange on their experiences regarding collaboration with civil society to develop and implement open parliament action plans or initiatives. They will explore how this collaboration can be leveraged to strengthen parliament’s representation and oversight roles to build stronger and more inclusive democracies that deliver better services and public policies, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda.
On May 30, parliamentary delegations will participate in OGP Global Summit sessions where they will exchange with peers, government officials, academia, civil society, and other open government stakeholders. They will debate strategies to enable citizens, civil society and business to participate in government decision-making; empower under-represented people to engage actively with governments; and help citizens understand how open government affects their day-to-day lives. They will discuss important issues, such as disinformation, beneficial ownership registries, gender equality, participatory and inclusive policy making, public sector innovation, anti-corruption, artificial intelligence and access to justice, among others.
The Honourable Robert Nault, President of ParlAmericas and Chair of the ParlAmericas Canadian Section stated that “open, participatory, and inclusive governments are fundamental to building citizens’ trust, improving results, and strengthening our countries. Canada is honoured to host such an important meeting for parliamentarians who have an essential role to play to support greater transparency and accountability in governance, especially as the world faces challenges like disinformation and a rising sense of disenfranchisement.”
“Open government means including all voices, empowering people, and making public policies that improves the lives of citizens while restoring their trust in public institutions,” added Member of Parliament Randy Boissonnault, Vice-president of the ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network and Vice-Chair of the ParlAmericas Canadian Section. “Parliaments play a fundamental role by providing the legislative frameworks needed to successfully implement these initiatives. Parliamentary oversight ensures that open government policies lead to results that strengthen our democracies.”
“The ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network offers spaces for parliamentary peer exchanges and collaboration with civil society to advance transparency, accountability, citizen participation and ethics in parliaments and all public institutions. This global summit is an opportunity to bring together perspectives and experiences from around the globe to develop innovative policy solutions and achieve more ambitious reforms that result in better societies for all our people,” said Senator Blanca Ovelar (Paraguay), President of the Network.
For more information, as well as updates on Open Parliament Day and the Parliamentary Track of the Open Government Partnership Global Summit, we invite you to consult the linked agendas and follow us on social media with the hashtag #ParlAmericasOPN and #OGPCanada.
For Media Inquiries Please Contact:
ParlAmericas International Secretariat at +1-613-594-5222
