But Have You Really Heard? Evaluating Respondent Contributions in Government Consultations and the Effects of Missing Details

The Government of Canada has demonstrated that it is making an effort to be more open and consultative with its citizens through its membership with the Open Government Partnership. Although adaptations to evolving technologies have provided more opportunities for engagement, it is still questionable as to whether respondent voices are truly being heard. Through a case study on the consultations held for the drafting of the second National Action Plan on Open Government in Canada, this notion of respondent representation was explored. It appeared from the outset that there was overlap between respondent contributions and policy, but a more thorough analysis of the data demonstrated that the details of the respondent contributions were left out. As open government is still new, it can be concluded that positive and gradual progress has been made but there is still room for improvement should the Government of Canada intend to expand its participatory opportunities.