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Connected Government, E-Government

Canada launches social media site for global public sector

By Xinghui Guo | 16 June 2011

All levels of public service employees can now be connected through a cloud enabled social media site called Public Service Without Borders (PSWB). This service, that will let civil servants share ideas with colleagues all over the world in a secure fashion, was created by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC).

According to IPAC, PSWB is envisioned as a ‘network of networks’ using the internet and other social media to create a virtual community of professionals involved in all aspects of public administration, in Canada and abroad.

“IPAC recognises the need to facilitate the flow of ideas and best practices across all orders of government and areas of public services,” said Denise Amyot, IPAC’s President, of the project.

Through the internet and mobile devices, participants will be able to connect, network, share ideas, impart valuable lessons learned in such areas as governance, healthcare, technology and the environment, and engage with each other. Research on guidelines on the use of social media by the public sector have also been posted in PSWB.

Amyot said: “PSWB will create links between knowledgeable individuals, as much as between institutions and jurisdictions in an objective and non-partisan environment, to ensure that expertise, research, and best practices are shared widely.”

PSWB was based on OpenText’s Social Workplace software, which was also used as a social workplace forum at G-20 summits.

Graham Pullen, Vice President & General Manager, Asia Pacific & Japan, said to FutureGov Asia Pacific that social networking has redefined productivity and that responding to that, along with cloud computing and mobility, is the big task of the public sector CIO.

Having PSWB around is seen by Robert Taylor, IPAC’s CEO, as a “very good example of how technology can maximise collaboration.”

“Let us start by sharing what we have learned about utilising social media to engage colleagues and citizens in our own world,” said Taylor.

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