For those who are Canadian and who believe in open, I strongly encourage you to check out and register with Ibelieveinopen.ca modeled after its US counterpart Open Congress.

The goal of Ibelieveinopen.ca is to:

Support reforms that increase government transparency and accountability.

Make campaign promises specific and measurable, and report progress on promises and their metrics at least semi-annually.

Publish the content of his or her daily schedule, including meetings with lobbyists and special interest groups.

Support reforms allowing free access to scientific and survey data gathered by government institutions.

Support reforms that make it easier for Canadians to obtain government information they have a right to know.

By registering, you can begin to let your preferred candidate and your MP know what you expect of them. Will this change things today, or tomorrow? No… but the goal is to begin developing awareness among politicians and the public about what we can and should expect from our representatives.

In the US Open Congress has encouraged its supporters to donate money to candidates that have signed on to its pledge but have asked that the donations ends in .09 cents (e.g. $50.09). By “tagging” donations in this way, candidates will know how much of much of the money they raise is tied to the fact that they have pledged to be open. It then becomes a way for them to understand its popularity and to prioritize the goal of being open. Very cool.

Will it work in Canada? Who knows. but it is definitely worth a try. No?