[CivicAccess-discuss] 2 big lectures this week + Open Data Discussion: City of Ottawa

[Tracey P. Lauriault]

*Friday, March 5* all day, there is a fantastic conference at *Ottawa
University* for the inauguration of the Centre for Law, Technology and
Society <http://www.techlaw.uottawa.ca/launch>: Taking Stock of Tech:
Reflections on Law, Technology and
Society<http://www.techlaw.uottawa.ca/en/programs/technology-law-taking-stock-of-tech/description.html>.
The conference Program<http://www.techlaw.uottawa.ca/en/programs/technology-law-taking-stock-of-tech/conference-program.html>is
fantastic and includes some of the world’s foremost authorities on
things
law, infrastructure, data, socio-tehnology…

*Thursday, March 4*, Cambridge Room of the Holiday Inn, *111 Cooper Street
in downtown Ottawa at 5:00 p.m*., Lecture: Zeroing In: Infrastructure Ruins
and *Datalands* in Afghanistan and
Iraq<http://www2.carleton.ca/newsroom/psa/media-expert-to-discuss-the-line-between-satellite-imagery-and-national-security-for-second-annual-paul-attallah-lecture/>by
Dr.
Lisa Parks<http://www.filmandmedia.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/professors/parks/parks.html>,
chair of film and media studies at the University of California at Santa
Barbara (UCSB)

Parks will analyze satellite images of declassified pictures of bombed sites
in Afghanistan and Iraq in the context of the American policy that limits
access to satellite images due to U.S. national security interests, as well
as discussing some of the controversy surrounding the use of Google Earth..

*Today, March 1*, The *City of Ottawa IT-Sub Committee* meeting discussed *Open
Data*.

3 Constituents spoke: Barry from Open StreetMap Ottawa, Hacktivist Edward
Ocampo-Gooding and Tracey P. Lauriault.

I characterize the sentiment as cautious optimism, with concerns regarding
the private sector capitalizing on open data, cost recovery, and cost
priorities of the city. The argument was made that business being innovative
with data was good as they are our employers, our tax payers and our revenue
generators.

There was great support from Councilor
Legendre<http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/mayor_council/councillors/j_legendre_en.html>,
Rideau-Rockliffe Ward, stating that the most dangerous argument being made
was for ‘*democracy*’. He was also very surprised that the City did not
already have such a an open data policy in place. The Chair of the
Committee, Councillor
Wilkinson<http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/mayor_council/councillors/m_wilkinson_en.html>Kanata
Ward, was very interested in different applications, while
Councillors Chiarelli<http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/mayor_council/councillors/r_chiarelli_en.html>,
College ward and
Desroches<http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/mayor_council/councillors/s_desroches_en.html>of
Gloucester-South Nepean Ward, expressed concern for costs to implement
and the loss of potential revenue generating activities.

Bref – The ideas of open data, open access or open government were new to
all the councillors and my take is much education is required to help our
representatives understand the issues.

City Staff did a great job putting together a presentation showcasing other
city initiatives, innovative applications, benefits to the city and the
demand for this by citizens.

*
*

-- 
Tracey P. Lauriault
613-234-2805
https://gcrc.carleton.ca/confluence/display/GCRCWEB/Lauriault
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