UK and Canada agree to work together on digital government

Respective ministers sign memorandum of understanding

The UK and Canadian governments have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in which the two countries agree to work together to achieve four “shared goals” in the digital government space.

UK digital minister Matt Hancock and Scott Brison, president of Canada’s Treasury Board have signed the document – appropriately enough via digital means (pictured below) – on behalf of the governments of their respective nations. The MoU represents a commitment on the part of each country to work in unison to achieve four ambitions the digital government space:

  • To provide better digital public services
  • To ensure that we support everyone in using digital public services
  • To promote economic growth
  • To use open standards for government information, data and software

“Over the past six years, the UK has developed a model for digital government transformation that is recognised as among the best in the world,” said Hancock. “This memorandum of understanding reflects the UK and Canada’s shared ambition to make sure that digital innovation continues to underpin the delivery of our public services.”

In July of this year, Canada launched the Canadian Digital Service, a counterpart to Whitehall’s GDS.

Brison said: “This MoU commits us to working together to deliver improved government services to those we serve, and to do so in an open, transparent manner. I’m excited about the potential of what we can do.”

In 2016 the UK government signed a similar MoU with Australia, in which the two countries pledged to cooperate to improve digital public services while sharing skills and best practice with one another.

 

Sam Trendall

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