Vancouver 2010 Mobile Olympics

I love the Olympics. Besides the excitement of the actual events, I love the sense of camaraderie, national unity and general goodwill that the games bring with them. While it’s true that Vancouver has had its series of mishaps, including a tragic death, the overall spirit of the games can be felt radiating out of the homes and workplaces of our great country.

What’s really exciting about these games is that they mark a new era of interaction and engagement during a global sporting event. I remember only having two options as a kid during past Olympics: watch a select few live events on TV (time-zone permitting) or listen to them on the radio. The rest I would pick up on during the evening news or the next morning’s paper.

Need help in creating a central list of mobile government websites in Canada

As you likely already know I’m a strong advocate of anything mobile, especially given how much time I spend on the road. I’ve been asked quite a bit lately to provide examples of Canadian mobile government websites. The main two that always come to mind come from CATSA (full disclosure: they are a client) & PHAC.I know there are plenty more. What I’m surprised not to have found however, is some sort of central website/directory that provides a list of all Canadian government departments currently offering mobile versions of their websites. If you know of such a list, then please let me know.

Hidden Canadian Government Gems

I’ve mentioned this before and I’ll mention it again, certain government departments are full of great hidden online products/tools that few people know of. Those outside of government walls may find it hard to believe, but it’s true. Some departments have been told to keep a low-profile on their offering for political reasons, others don’t yet realize just how much value they could potentially bring to audiences beyond their existing niche. In other cases still, it’s the complete lack of a well thought out marketing strategy that is to blame.

This will soon change. It’s becoming harder and harder to remain invisible. Believe it or not, we are slowly moving into the early adopter phase of Government 2.0 here in Canada. A demand for increased transparency, collaboration across multiple stakeholders, and a wide variety of new channels for participation with Canadian citizens, are all bringing to light some of these existing little gems, and rapidly giving birth to new ones. We’re still a far cry away from U.S initiatives such as data.gov and apps.gov, however here are three great Canadian online products/tools that I’ve stumbled upon through my consulting:

Working in Canada Tool – A government mash-up tool that allows you to search for an occupation that you’re interested in and receive up-to-date, accurate information from a wide variety of integrated databases. It puts certain private sector fee-based tools to shame. It was initially developed for skilled immigrants looking to work in Canada. Once you try it out yourself you’ll realize that it’s useful for much more than that.

Termium Plus – An incredible translation tool initially only used by government departments internally. It’s now available to the public. Try typing in a word in English and see just how thorough it is.

GC Surplus Auction – If you think you can find great things to buy on e-Bay, take a look a this Canadian Federal Government auction website. I just found a 2003 Yamaha ATV with a starting bid of $100.

There are plenty more of course. And they will only get better, especially as they begin to transition into stand-alone mobile applications. What I’m curious about though is what you’ve come across lately? Whether you’re a public servant, consultant, or citizen, there’s bound to be an online government tool that impressed you.