Canada on top in on-line government service
At least someone seems to be taking advantage of technology's potential to make government more accessible and less irritating.
Ottawa — Canada has dramatically extended its global lead in the delivery of electronic government, and has now emerged as the only country where on-line delivery has become an integral part of public services, a new international study has found.
Canada, the only country of 22 that made the survey's "service transformation" category, earned a score of 71.3 per cent — more than 15 per cent better than Singapore, in second place, and the United States, in third. Denmark, Australia, Finland, Hong Kong, Britain, Belgium and Germany rounded out the top 10.
South Africa pulled up the rear, with a score of 13.7 per cent.
In the document released yesterday by the international consulting firm Accenture, the federal government is lauded for focusing on the needs of its users in implementing its Internet-based services and using an inter-departmental strategy.
It's the third time in the survey's four years that Canada has been put at the top of the list.
"Canada is pulling ahead again," the document says. "Canada shows signs that it has ingrained leading-edge practices, specifically, involving customers in service departments and identifying and focusing on high-value services."
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency was cited as a strong example of on-line government services, particularly its willingness to work with business. The study also pointed to the Canadian Corporations Directorate's electronic filing centre, which allows companies to file annual returns, incorporation papers and other documents over the Internet.
The document lauds on-line delivery for improving service and saving time for governments and users. E-government specialists say it's critical for governments to keep up with their citizens' methods of communications and on-line delivery offers money-saving opportunities.
Sure, but can they drop a precision-guided 2000 pound bomb on an Iraqi Presidential palace?? I thought not.