Patronizing Citizen Richard

 

I want to be Canada's first non-government public servant

I've spent the last four years actively working in the Open Government, Open Data, and Civic Engagement space.  I don't consider myself as an advocate, activist, lobbyist, or expert.  I like to think of myself as a Fanboy and I celebrate change instead of damning the status quo.

 

There really isn't anyone that I know of on the Canadian (or any) landscape quite like Richard.

 

He's pretense-free, which is rare.  He's thoroughly committed to his ideals, of which he's not at the centre - we are.  Richard has a code of ethics that he follows, religiously, because be believes integrity matters.  Richard is open, a natural communicator, great at breaking down complex issues and ridiculously committed to making a difference.

 

Best part is, Richard does what he does because he believes in it.  He's not after profit, even to his own detriment sometimes.  This doesn't mean he's got trouble securing funding or donations for projects - #OGT14 is proof of that.  It means that you never need worry about him being inefficient with resources.

 

What that means is he's the kind of public servant we'd love to have more of.

 

It's kinda hard to save the world on an empty stomach, though, so Richard is looking for support to do what he does.  To be clear - his services aren't for sale; he believes that they're valuable enough that someone out there will surely be willing to pay for them.

 

Richard isn't looking for an employer, an investor or a sponsor - he wants a patron.  Consider him a civic engagement artist.

 

I'm going to invest in Richard - he's earned it and besides, I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.  Whatever it may be, it's something Canada will benefit from.

 

Check him out, folks - this is community art like you've never seen before.  We need more like him.

 

The #OGT14 Round-Up

All the posts I have done, to date, on Richard Pietro's epic Open Government on the Open Road tour.

Other people might right books; I blog.  Richard travels, and meets, and films.

It's all been possible thanks to the patronage of Make Web Not War who believed in Richard's vision of civic engagement as art.  It's paid off for them, it's worked out for Richard and I actually do believe we've all been able to catalyze some change.

So, potential corporate patrons out there - if you'd like to see an actual book, or here Richard talk about his experience in person, or maybe support #OGT15 - let us know.  We'd be open to that conversation.

March 17 - Open Government on the Open Road

May 24 - Building Brand for the Journey Ahead

May 30 - #WeAreOpen to Memes!

June 23 - @RichardPietro needs a Bigger Boat

July 3 - #OGT14: The Adventure Begins

July 4 - @RichardPietro and an Affair at Queen's Park

July 25 - Why You Want to Be #WhereWorldsCollide

July 30 - Why @RichardPietro Deserves Your Support:

Aug 20 - The Most Interesting Person in Canadian Politics Right Now

Aug 29 - Please help me set my #OGT14 table! 

Sept 2 - This is Big: #OGT14 gets endorsed

Sept 9 - The Open Sausage: Inside #OGT14

Sept 15 - #OGT14 It Doesn't End Here

#OGT14 It Doesn't End Here

Every journey must have an ending.

And so tomorrow, #OGT14 - one man's quest to shared #OpenGov while discovering Canada - comes to a close.  

Richard Pietro has criss-crossed the nation, doing a bowtie loop from Toronto to the East Coast, out to the West Coast and is now in Ottawa, preparing for tomorrow's grand finale.

Along the way he has seen our country in a way few Canadians ever get to.  

Richard has experienced the vast solitude of the countryside.  He has touched on the lives of individual Canadians where they work, where they live, and where they dream of a better future.  

Richard has climbed to great heights and delved into great depths in his discovery of Canada.  He's done fun things like ride a zipline and make the earth move; he's had solemn moments of reflection, as when he paused at the Terry Fox memorial.  

It's been a very bearable adventure to follow.

Throughout his journey, Richard has grown in his understanding of Canada and his commitment to Open Government.

Seriously - when you see how amazing our country and it's people are, how could you not want them to come together and build that better world, ensemble?

I can't begin to imagine the thoughts crossing his mind as he prepares himself for his last presentation of the tour.  From nearly being kicked off the lawn at Queen's Park to being welcomed with open arms at Ottawa City Hall, Richard has had one hell of a ride.

It all ends tomorrow.  

This is it, folks; the #OGT14 curtain comes down tomorrow.  It's the ending of the Summer of Open.  For many of us, especially Richard, there will be a great big hole in our lives come Wednesday morning.

But the adventure doesn't end here.  Hopefully, it's just beginning.

While Richard has opened the eyes of many to the world of Open Government, there are countless people who've been working hard at cracking our governments open before the tour started; they'll still be there when it's over.

Through Richard I have met, both in person and online, some amazing, dedicated, creative public servants that are truly putting the service part first.

These are folk like Keith McDonald, Jose Iguiniz, Tehani Mott, Hizeena Abdulla, Melissa Tullio, Jacques Mailloux, Kent Aitken, Aubrie Mcgibbon and countless others.

They wake up every day with a mission - that mission is the same one that set Richard out on the Open Road.  It's the mission that gets people like me out of bed in the morning, too.

What all we Virtuous Schemers want is simple - to help government be all that it can be.  Government, whether we believe so or not, is an organ of society; it beats only so strong as the engagement of the people allows it to.

Right now, government's pulse is weak.  The strength of our democracy is faltering not simply because government has become more opaque, but because citizens have tuned out.  

There's no point casting blame one way or another, demanding someone else fix the problem.  

Divided we fall.

Of course, when we unite, we can not only stand tall, but we can reach further.

You can't have Open Government without an engaged, Responsible Society.  There's little point in government opening the door if we, the people, aren't ready to walk through.

Posts like this are supposed to end with a call to action, a bridge between words and deeds.  

Well, Canada, here's your call to action: what will you do to help open government?

We won't get there by staying at home and complaining about the actions of others that we don't like.

The only way society works is for each of us to step out our front doors and engage.

Richard Pietro has inspired us all to disrupt our lives a bit and discover each other, and Canada, with an open mind.

#OGT14 ends tomorrow, but beyond, the road lies open.

Please join Richard for one last adventure - but then, look yourself to the open road beyond.

I hope to see you out there.  Who knows what we can discover and build together?

The Open Sausage: Inside #OGT14

It's hard to believe that the end of #OGT14 draws nigh.  

Didn't seem so long ago we were seeing Richard off at Queen's Park, where it was a challenge to get permission for a pic of the gang and the OpenGov bike in front of the Legislature.  

Now, of course, #OGT14 has become a national phenomenon and is even drawing international recognition.

From humble beginnings, Richard's dream has become a reality that has gone from sleeping in a tent in a backyard to a massive Grand Bazaar at Ottawa City Hall.  Along the way, he has discovered Canada for himself and helped countless Canadians discover the power of Open Government.

This is as non-partisan as it gets.  

The Political Right believes in empowering individuals to pick up their own stick and run with it - Richard has done that.

The Political Left believes in empowering individuals with the tools they need to succeed, including equitable access and information - Richard has brought the conversation to the people from coast to coast.

What he has done, though, is as much about us as it has been about his dream.  Richard fully and truly believes in the power of Open Government to heal our democratic institutions and wants to work with government and citizens and everyone else to make it happen.

But he can't do it alone.  We have to be open to change, to collaboration and to taking the time to understand the issues and each other.  That's how it works - you can't have an Open Government without a Responsible Society.

Here's your keep behind the curtain, folks - here's what's happening at #OGT14 Ottawa from the inside. 

This is what being open is all about.

The door has been opened, you can see what we have to offer.  We'd love to see you there.

You/Wakata have been assigned Stall K in the Open Government Grand Bazaar.

You/Wakata have been assigned an 8 minute timeslot at 7:53 in the Speaker's Corner. This is during the Talk Show intermission.

 

The Open Government Grand Bazaar is at Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa. The Bazaar is in Jean Pigott Hall. The Talk Show is in Andrew Haydon Hall (City Council Chambers). The doors will be open before 6PM. The start time for the Bazaar AND the Talk Show is 6:30PM. 

For the Speaker's Corner:  If applicable, your Speaker's Corner timeslot is above. Let your followers know! It is preferable that, as an official Speaker, you check in as soon as you arrive and arrive at the Speaker's Corner well before your timeslot. Confirm your presence with Richard Akerman (contact info below). Last Reminder: there are no power points. This will be you, a podium, a microphone, a camera and an audience. You will be facing a busy Open Government Grand Bazaar with buzz and musicians and a static video camera. While there are no power points, any other props that can be deployed and removed in a few seconds are left totally up to your imagination. Do not be afraid to make some noise! The entire Speaker's Corner segment will be taped for later webcast.

For the Grand Bazaar. If applicable, your Stall # is listed above. Let your followers know! It is a 2 x 6 table with that number taped to the surface. Remaining décor is entirely up to your imagination. Bring your own displays, banners, posters, props, pamphlets, swag ... Etc, but be aware that they will need to be free standing or on the table. There is limited electrical outlets - we will attempt to provide electricity to whomever needs it, or relocate your stall if necessary. There is public wifi. I would not recommend planning live internet demo requiring high bandwidth. It is preferable that, as an official Stall operator, you arrive well before your program start at 6:30 to allow for setup, and confirm your presence with Dan Istead (contact info below).

 The Talk Show will run in parallel. If you take in segments of the Talk Show, be aware it will be taped by Rogers TV, and it is important to enter and exit quietly.

INSTRUCTIONS:

If you haven't yet, Please visit the EventBrite page and register. Everyone, participants & presenters must register - this is mainly for crowd control. Jean Pigott Hall capacity is about 350. City Council Chambers (Andrew S. Haydon Hall) capacity is 189. Registration is brisk.

 http://open-government-grand-bazaar.eventbrite.ca

The list that follows are your key contacts for Grand Bazaar and Speakers Corner. General questions leading up to the event can be directed to Richard, Dan or myself. As Captains for Bazaar and Speaker's Corner, Dan and Richard will provide information on their segments respectively. They will manage presenter involvement and logistics coordination on event day. Organizations and Groups should ensure that all representatives who plan to be present are registered, again mainly for crowd control.

 #OGT14 Captain - Open Government Grand Bazaar - Speaker's Corner: Richard Akerman 

#OGT14 Captain - Open Government Grand Bazaar Floor: Dan Istead 

#OGT14 Ottawa City Champion: Jacques Mailloux 

 Finally - We can all play a role in PROMOTION. Anything drawing attention and new enthusiasts to the cause will help.

TWITTER:

The event Twitter Hashtag is #OGT14. Tweet as you wish - include the EventBrite Link - use this Tiny URL: ow.ly/AgcB6 .Recommendations: Join me/us at the #OGT14 Open Government Grand Bazaar at Ottawa City Hall on Sept 16 6:30PM Register FREE here:ow.ly/AgcB6

WEBSITE: 

If you can, please post and share the attached Event Poster, and the EventBrite link. The Web banner can be more detailed: Join me/us at the Open Government Grand Bazaar, Speaker's Corner and Talk Show in celebration of the end of Richard Pietro's national Open Government Tour (#OGT14) at Ottawa City Hall on Sept 16 6:30PM Register FREE here: ow.ly/AgcB6 .

This is Big: #OGT14 gets endorsed

Richard Pietro brings to Ottawa his cross-Canada tour focusing on and encouraging citizen engagement in open government and open data movements.  Ottawa is the grand finale in his tour, which has included between 20 and 30 stops and events.

Those of us who were at the #OGT14 Queen's Park kick-off remember it was a struggle to get permission for a quick pic in front of the Legislature with the #OGT14 before Richard began his epic journey.

He wasn't a celebrity, after all, nor a political pundit with gravitas.  He was simply an engaged citizen with a dream and a journey before him.

That journey - OpenGov on the Open Road, #OGT14 - has proven an inspiration for countless Canadians from coast to coast.  Richard has helped remind us that l'etat, c'est nous when we choose to engage.  He's helped us discover our country and ourselves while spreading the world about why Open Government matters.

From modest beginnings camping in a backyard to being registered as an official event for Canada's Democracy week - many would have said it couldn't be done.

Richard did it anyway.  Not for himself, mind you, but for what he believes we can be when we get informed, engaged and try to make a difference - together.

And this is merely the end of #OGT14 - the journey towards fully Open Gov is just beginning.

It's a great time to be involved, isn't it?

Please help me set my #OGT14 table! (UPDATED)

I am going to be an "Official Speaker" at the September 16 close of #OGT14: Open Government on the Open Road at City Hall in Ottawa. 

Events take place starting at 6:30PM in Jean Pigott Hall at Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa. The doors will be open at 6PM.

I have to fill a maximum of 8 minutes of speaking time saying something poignant about why you can't have Open Government without a Responsible Society.

What I wasn't counting on was this - I've been assigned a 2 x 6 table that I need to populate with something.  Here are my directions:

Remaining décor is up to your imagination. Bring your own displays, banners, posters, props, pamphlets, swag ... Etc, but be aware that they will need to be free standing or on the table.

Here's where I need your help.

My firm Wakata Inc. is dedicated to public affairs with a social purpose; I like to frame my partner Jen Li and I as the stone in the soup, bringing people and organizations together and facilitating shared solutions.  While I'm going to #OGT14 as me, not as Wakata, I want to hold true to what I believe in.

So - what should I display on my table?  Who can I promote, what shared solutions can I hint at in my space?

M first thoughts were that I'd like to promote the following:

Samara - democracy renewal

Why Should I Care - civic engagement

Exhibit Change - improving communication and comprehension

SoJo - a cool web platform that will create community and help individuals turn ideas into action.

MaRS Solutions Lab - anyone planning policy past the four-year cycle deserves some space!

I would have included Make Web Not War, but I imagine they have their own table, being the patrons of #OGT14 and all.

Those are my first thoughts, though I would need some resources from them to put on my table around the stone I just asked Richard Pietro to pick up for me somewhere between Vancouver and here.

What do you think?  All cool suggestions are welcome - and feel free to share them on Twitter using #OGT14!

UPDATED Sept 2 2014:

And the gold star for first carrot goes to Samara!  Samara has offered materials about their Everyday Political Citizen project for my #OGT14 table.

Samara is a perfect compliment for what OpenGov and Responsible Society are all about - our politics can do better, but not without an informed, engaged public.  Their Everyday Political Citizen project is designed to recognize and celebrate the democratic catalysts in our midst; the people who ask questions, who encourage you to get informed, who believe that it's through direct engagement that we can make a difference.

My #EPCitizen nominee for this year, as it happens, is Richard Pietro.

Richard has picked up a stone out west for me to use as the centrepiece of my table, the thing that brings groups like Samara (and hopefully, SoJo, WSIC, Exhibit Change, MaRS) together.  This is appropriate, because his #OGT14 tour has served the same role this summer - bringing together an incredibly diverse community from across the country around one shared theme:

Open Government.

Richard's brought the stone, Samara the first ingredient - but there's lots of space left!  Who's up next?

Partisan Trap and the Open Solution

What could be done?  Quite a bit.  To begin, the prime minister, to whom all Canadians look for leadership, could ditch the stupidest of his party's attack ads and begin speaking positively, regularly and publicly about how he hopes to build a better country.

Den Tandt's article is worth a read, beginning to end; if you follow politics and political commentators, there's much that sounds familiar.  Increasingly, political dialogue in this country is becoming bread and circuses in which even the participants feel like recipients.  

Responsibility has become a fool's errand, as taking ownership is no longer a measure of leadership, but the presentation of a target.  Even being on the victimized end of an attack, including a home-invasion, becomes fodder for personal debasement by one's foes, their hired guns or bitter partisans taking out their animosity at the world on a select few.

Do we have a stronger political discourse because of all the attack ads?  Not at all - we don't have a discourse at all, really.  It's talking points vs talking points, with the scripted officials reading out their lines with as much conviction as a phone bank operator.

Kill or be killed, in a metaphorical sense, has become the norm.  The world's returned, in the minds of some, to a black-and-white place; take Israel/Palestine as an example, but there are plenty domestic ones as well.

I applaud Den Tandt's optimism, but I feel it's a bit misplaced; increasingly I find I'm looking beyond the politicians and whatever their voter margins are to public servants and citizens themselves.

While the pols fight with each other, there are those who seek to work with everyone and make the system better.  This isn't to pad their CV or for personal wins, nor to back a candidate; the Virtual Schemers of the world seek to make the world better because they know it's possible, and that we'll all be better off for it.

My favourite of these is Richard Pietro.  You can learn about his mission to bring Open Government across Canada, by motorcycle, here.

That, to me, is where I differ from Den Tandt the most.  I certainly hope political leaders, PM included have some sort of positive vision for Canada.  For implementation, though, I look to the people making a difference not for brand or a paycheque, but because it's what they believe in.

This is our country.  If it's to get better, it'll happen because we make the conscious choice to stick together.

What Marvel and Open Government Have in Common

"What is it?  I want to know what it is."  You want people reaching out for it... It's fun for me, honestly, to see, because I didn't know the severity of it.  It's severe.  It's a big deal.

 

 

In politics, information that could be shared often gets held back - and this for a number of reasons.  Marketing is key; during a campaign in particular, you want to roll out your platform in stages to keep momentum going, to throw your opponents off balance, so on and so forth. 

 

Sometimes, though, information gets withheld because the people holding it like knowing things that others don't.  The holding of information is valuable to them.

 

I love referring to film makers because when you get an amazing director with a great story - say, a Josh Whedon, a Bryan Singer or a Chris Nolan - they would love to share what they know with you.  They would love for you to be excited along with them. 

 

These folk don't hold back info for personal gain, but out of respect for the audience.  Good story tellers want you, their audience, to have the best, most fulfilling experience possible.  Sometimes that means keeping details back so that you can experience the full impact all at once.

 

Think The Sixth Sense, the first Matrix or more recently, The Lego Movie.  Not knowing those plot twists going in made the story that much more powerful.

 

And Brolin is right - we don't have a lot of surprise, of wonder any more.  We're oversaturated, we're impatient, we're disengaged.  Politics is a great example of this - or at least, good governance is.

How might we empower people to feel about democracy and civic engagement the way they do about a film franchise like Marvel's?  A great starting point would be to have leaders who respected the people as much as good directors do their audiences - and did everything, including info sharing, in a way that made their experience richer

 

Which is exactly what Open Government and Open Data are about.  Done properly, public information that has never seen the light of day will be open, accessible and easy to both navigate and use.  It'd be like citizens having the chance to be part of writing the story of society, in the way a good Twitter chat does. 

Picture everyone having the chance to be a contributing player in society - to design and be their own hero in a pantheon of civic heroes.

That's what Richard Pietro's doing - look at the fun he's having, the experience he's having, the brand he's building - and the contribution he's making.

Open Government is a powerful story just starting to be written, but with an arc that is as exciting as it is important. 

 

It's something those of us already part of the growing Open Community know, a feeling we're dying to share.

 

The best part is that it's not up to us as to when the whole story will get revealed - that's something that only you can decide by joining in.

 

... and Community

.@jasonmhare @OpenCommunityTO anything can be done ;-)... Those who say differently lack imagination and determination #OGT14

We can go pretty fast on our own, but to go far, it takes a little help from our friends.

I know Richard would agree.  His journey, after all, is as much about him helping us as it is us helping him.  

He's a catalyst.  Which, you know, is what leadership is all about.

Why Richard Pietro Deserves Your Support

It is also important to keep in mind that this change isn't a one-sided conversation.  The public also has a role to play - and providing constructive feedback is a way for Canadians to act as catalysts.

I've been in and around politics for pretty much my entire professional life.  I've supported many candidates - sadly, less than I've actually worked for.  

I'd like to think my experiences both positive and negative have given me at least a wee bit of insight into what works and what doesn't when it comes to a political campaign and a "winning" candidate.

So when I ask you to support someone I believe in, who I feel can really change our country for the better, you've got reason to wonder when the ask is coming.

Here's the thing; my guy isn't looking for donations or even votes.  He's not running for anything and, in fact, is decidedly sick of politics-as-usual.

All he wants is for you to get engaged.  He believes that we're better, stronger, more adaptable when we work together openly.

His ask isn't empty rhetoric; he asks no more than he is already doing himself.  With the Open Government on the Open Road #OGT14 tour, this fella is literally bringing the Open Government conversation from coast to coast.

My friend is gaining support for his efforts here and even internationally.  

It's not because he's got the most seasoned campaign team behind him.  He doesn't; most of the people helping him are doing something they've never done before.

It isn't because of the massive funds he's raised; Make Web Not War chipped in $10,000 as a patron and that's pretty much all there is.

No barrage of strategically planned advertising is pushing the Open Government message to its audience.

People support this fella because they believe in him, are inspired by what he says and deep down, beneath the layers of cynical sediment they agree.

Meet Richard Pietro, folks.  We're going to be hearing a lot more about him.

Or, better yet - you can be part of the Open movement.  If you're on Twitter, follow him at #OGT14.  If you're on the path of his tour (schedule found here) stop by for a listen.  

Check out Canada's Open Government Action Plan, here.

Above all else, though, get engaged.  Join the conversation, do some homework on Open Government and Open Data, question - be a catalyst.

The reason I support Richard is because he believes in us.  Hopefully, that's a team we can all get behind.