Classic dilemmas are like riddles, or puzzles. Solving them can feel elusive, leading to prolonged bouts of inadequacy, schism, and want. A classic dilemma has three aspects.

1. The unreachable destination
2. “~”, or the conjoining factor, aka the relation-ship
3. The easily possessed requisites, or raw goods (already in arms reach)

By viewing this project, along with similar attempts at catalyzing Open Gov(ernment) as classic dilemmas, we institute a logic model that overcomes adversity.

Whereas the aggregating of federal budget data represents the (seemingly) unreachable destination, I argue that Treasury Board’s website (and similar resources) represent our easily possessed requisites.

This raises the question of relation-ship. What conjoining factor will solve our dilemma, given my claim that Treasury Board’s data leads to aggregated federal budget data in two easy steps? I’m asking: what’s the next step? How would we get there (3) from here (1)?

A dilemma’s relation-ship helps frustrated populations sail over rough waters. The ship’s physicality comes from the raw goods that surround us, where here ‘us’ refers to progressives in support of Open Gov and ‘raw goods’ refers to government department/Ministry expenditures data.

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The other day I spotted a relation-ship hailing from the United Kingdom. I called out to the ship. “Who are you? Where are you coming from? And where are you headed?” They replied, “Where does my money go?” As I mulled this over privately, a second reply came from the distance. “We are what we seek. Our identity-as-question indicates our origins. Questions and identities infused with direction enable movements.”

I stood there, thinking about our own dilemma, trying to make up an identity-as-question like the Brits had done. I thought about all the British high water adventures. ‘Wondered about their past movements, landings, and domineering actions. Something’s different these days. The universality that the UK and other great States claim doesn’t seem to be territorial, nor coercive. I would call it an adoptive universalism, wherein the off-spring of great States are initiatives encapsulated by questions. In this way, any country might ask the same question. But in doing so, it displays its own public initiative.

So now I’m asking, where does my money go? Specifically, where does my Canadian money go? The money can always be traced further out. But my British mates meant something specific by the word ‘go’. They meant ‘going’. Where does my (tax) money go (annually)? The Brits wonder, as do we, what additions or alterations occur annually, affecting my (tax) money’s flow?

Adjustments in spending are made public during the tabling of Canada’s annual budget. Ministries provide the basis for mapping money. From Ministry to department, and from department to program. It gets a bit more detailed, but what data verifiably assists the layman’s understanding? Each point of money retention is a node, or data point. And where a node delivers grants, funds, or expertise to civil society and the market, there we can record a stimulus.

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At launch, this initiative was necessary. It gained its conviction in a climate of near-zero interest rates, bankrupt transnationals, share-acquiring governments, and failed banks. While foreign governments leveraged (read: tested out) advanced online data gathering and dissemination tools, the Canadian Government stood still. While Americans collaborated to enable novel self-reporting routines, Canada’s Government reacted by creating a Google Map with little pin markers, indicating where projects were slated or underway around the country. Something had to be done. We tried to identify that specific something, but instead began by settling for a buck shot. A site. A wiki. A blog. Even a back-end project space. We had everything, except for an explicit root cause that Canadians could comprehend and rally around. Didn’t anyone stop to ask, “what’s a stimulus (package) anyways?

We wanted to affect change. We took action by creating a bunch of space. We then invited public participation. But invitations alone do not create communities. There needs to be a promise, or possibility around which community can gather. In the case of a data initiative, data needs to be acquired, or at least be on its way. Very quickly, it was clear that Open Data in Canada was still maturing as a movement. That meant no data, for now. The political waters were hostile to our popular destination. Though moored for some time, we’ve regained our energy and are channeling positive thoughts elsewhere.

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The equation for a budget tracking and implementation schema (PDF) is:

This = These = Those

Here, this refers to the budget as a whole. These refers to the major zones or Ministries where funds are allocated. Thirdly, those refer to the specifically-named funds or programs where money is retained for interaction with civil society and the market.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer is in the middle of a classic dilemma. He’s pointing to a far-off place, where forecasting and costing boost planning for initiatives. Kevin Page needs to ask: what resources are at my disposal? How can I bring about new accountability? What can I construct with these materials at hand?

From a bit of this to a collection of these.

When writing this post, I was reminded of my initial interests in the @StimCan initiative.

“How best can we facilitate data’s exchange?”

I then thought three statements would do the job.

I have _____.
I want _____.
I need _____.

For example, I have __data on the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund___ (PDF).

I say if you’re down with data, then we should mix things up a little.

I think if we need something done, lets just (put in an) ask.

I want  ___to Track the Money___!

But that’s America’s motto. And aren’t mottos presumptive?

Instead, what’s Canada’s question?

Maybe, “How can we track our Loonies?” That won’t fly. Someone might misinterpret the meaning of ‘our loonies‘.

What’s happening in Canada’s loonie bin? That, too, might be misinterpreted. Either way, looks like we just need more interpreters.

Open Data and Open Government are each gaining ground. Maybe you’re wondering what the difference between the two is? That question marks the end of this initiative, and the uptake of a broader, more diffuse effort. Canadians are demanding Open Data while giving form to Open Government.

We’re placing demands on what’s taking shape. Time for Canada to Open up a little.