Mark Blevis

With increasing threats (data breaches, cyber-attacks, deep fakes) to Canadians and Corporations writ large across the country - this is designed to wrap your mind around the scenario planning on what you and your organization should be thinking about. It's not far-fetched that this has got to be a part of the entrepreneurship playbook in Canada. If you are curious about course design - check out the website and if you have questions please be in touch!

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📢 Manufacturing leaders and decision-makers: PLANT is hosting a three-part webinar series discussing key challenges and opportunities shaping the industry. Don't miss it!

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Did You Know? 🤔 OCAP™ stands for Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession. These principles guide how First Nations data is collected, protected, used, and shared. It ensures that First Nations control their own data, benefiting the community while minimizing harm. OCAP® is a tool to support strong information governance on the path to First Nations data sovereignty. Learn more: https://buff.ly/3QWLTff

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✍ Dear Federal Public Service employees - Your solidarity is needed! 🤝 Did you know that in Canada, paid maternity leave benefits have only been around since 1971? This change significantly increased women’s participation in the workforce from 30% in 1960 to over 60% in 2022. This did not happen effortlessly. Labour unions pushed for better working conditions and advocated for the changes in policy. Each working condition improvement helped secure more important changes down the line - adoption leave, paternity leave, parental leave, expansion of how family is defined, etc. Labour improvements support those who are excluded and disadvantaged by existing policies. #betterWorkConditions The recent Treasury Board announcement of an increased prescribed presence in the workplace (return to office) creates barriers similar to the lack of maternity leave benefits of pre-1971. Some folks are saying that those advocating for flexibility in their work and against the requirement to work in the office are "entitled". Were those advocating for the maternity leave benefits in 1970 also "entitled"? Remote work is a feminist issue and an equity issue for many! It is not a luxury, it is essential for mental health and psychological safety in our workplaces, to retain talent, and build resilience. What if "entitlement" is a new word for seeking better, more modern working conditions? Let's #BeEntitled 🤰 👩‍👩‍👧 👨‍👧 ♿ To change the system, we need many voices and allies (even if you don’t see the benefit, realize that many, many will benefit from the flexibility)!  Executives, we know you are not thrilled about it, we need your support! #BeAnAlly For many, being maximally present in the office, means being minimally present in their non-work lives due to fatigue, masking overload associated with disabilities, and limited time to spend with family, among other examples. ✍ Send CAPE union letter to support flexible work https://lnkd.in/gqPPqpEB (over 25,000 letters sent to MP) and the ones sponsored by your own union. 📩 Fill out PIPSC survey until May 17 https://lnkd.in/gDgeXa8r and send a letter https://lnkd.in/gCx3HZ8U (over 7,000 emails sent). 📩 Send PSAC letter (over 40,000 letters sent) https://lnkd.in/gZvuhSFV 💬 Share with others; flexibility is bigger than individual needs, it is needed for a better future! References in comments. #RTO #unions #LabourRights #returnToOffice #telework #flexibleWork #accessibility #disability #inclusion #equity #allies #modernWork #GC #GoC #digital #UX #flexibility #IT #PublicService #GCdigital #PIPSC #PSAC #CAPE #RemoteWork #WFH #WorkingFromHome

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We’ll be on the exhibitor floor today and tomorrow at Municipal Information Systems Association British Columbia (MISA BC) in Whistler. Having lots of great convos about unifying the digital experiences of how the public interacts with munis, and what integrations and portals are needed to support those goals. We’re tackling #HousingPermits integrations next. What permitting systems do you use? So far we’ve heard munis most using City Works, Amanda, Cityview, and Tempest. #govDX #websites #headlessCMS #integrations #BCstartup #onefrontdoor

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As part of some of the roles I have had over my career, I have had to have a Police Criminal Record Check (CRC) or a full blown Government security clearance. In doing some research recently, I came across this very interesting article. I can imagine the frustration of employers during the evaluation and reference process today. I would have never guessed that some are resorting to using CRC as a tool in that process. Employee Background Checks in Ontario: What Employers Need to Know In Ontario, background checks have become a common practice for employers, encompassing criminal records, credit history, driving records, resume verification, and reference checks. The Police Record Checks Reform Act governs the types of checks that can be conducted, ensuring that employees' privacy rights are protected. Employers must obtain consent from individuals before conducting these checks and are prohibited from accessing certain sensitive information. Understanding the legal requirements and best practices for employee background checks is crucial for businesses to ensure compliance and maintain a safe work environment. https://lnkd.in/gfPbs4Qz

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Thanks so much to Daniel Rasic from Virtual Hallway for stopping by the studio to have this conversation! Healthcare is one of those things that ultimately impacts us all, and it's no secret that our system is struggling. So, when I get the chance to talk to the folks working to improve it - I have a lot of questions, especially when the technology got its start right here in Nova Scotia! Check out the episode below to learn all about Virtual Hallway and how it could help you navigate your care!

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Reading all sorts of analysis on cabinet resignations and a potential election. Please remember we also need media that monitors government business that directly affects your firm and family. www.blacklocks.ca #documents #committees #audits #reports #journalism #AccessToInformation #governmentofcanada #MONEY

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This update is a great example of how collaboration and a focus on data usability can deliver tools that empower analysts and developers alike. Whether you're building custom maps, exploring datasets, or integrating this information into broader projects, the availability in formats like CSV, TSV, JSON, XML, and via the CKAN API makes it super versatile. Happy to be part of that team involved in this initiative and to those using this data for projects that drive insight and innovation. Check it out on the Ontario Data Catalogue at https://lnkd.in/gqHungSw. Looking forward to seeing what the community creates with this! 💡

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"Year-end starts on January 1st." - Kimberley Fiume, Sability (meaning, our team is designed to help proactively plan and stay on top of your compliance requirements. Don't wait for an audit!) I look forward to connecting with 800+ payroll enthusiasts in Halifax, Canada next week!! If you cannot attend, but would like to be included in our Canadian Payroll Monthly newsletter or learn about our various payroll review offerings, please message me. #teamSability #payrollcompliance

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Earlier this month, Katy Lalonde, Director, Digital, participated in panels at FWD50, a leading conference on digital innovation in the public sector. She discussed the importance of building user-centered digital services to improve how Ontarians navigate government services, and joined critical conversations on technology procurement — a key factor in driving digital transformation. FWD50’s focus on innovation aligns with Supply Ontario’s commitment to bringing innovative approaches to government services. Thank you to the FWD50 community for the insightful discussions on improving government tech!

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🚨 Linked In network: YOUR HELP IS NEEDED! 🚨 Are you a reporter or journalist, or know someone who is? In approximately 650 words or less, I've penned an opinion piece tackling a topic I think needs more attention: AI literacy and why it’s critical for Canada’s future. It covers how AI is reshaping our lives and why equipping our society with the skills to navigate this new reality is more important than ever. Not to engage in clickbait or anything, but I believe the ending of the piece would surprise people and open up some interesting conversations... If you’re in media or know someone who is, I’d love to connect and discuss! Feel free to drop me a message or share this with your network. I want to ensure this important conversation remains top of mind for our leaders when considering how to address AI's lesser-known impacts on society and that it reaches the right audience. Any help is appreciated. Merci! --- Disclaimer: the image below is generated by artificial intelligence.

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Under the various statutes establishing the agencies in the public safety portfolio (RCMP, CBSA, CSIS, and CSC), the Minister of Public Safety has the authority to provide “direction” to the Agency Heads, who are responsible for the operational aspects of the agency, “under the direction of the Minister."  Direction is sometimes provided through formal instruments known as “Ministerial Directives” or "Ministerial Directions." Most directives provide high-level direction and require the Deputy Minister or Agency Head to determine the ways and means of accomplishing objectives. They may be issued for limited periods of time to address a specific issue if legislation can not come into force in time. They also can be amended. Last week, my team's amendments to the Ministerial directive to the RCMP were posted. These amendments ensure that the directive includes that the records impacted by Bill C-5's creation of the new subsections 10.6(1) or (2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) must not be disclosed after a certain period of time has passed. https://lnkd.in/e3R2yNWx

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🙌 Enhanced #OpenData - the locations of Ontario's Correctional Institutions - now includes latitude and longitude coordinates, making it easier for people to create interactive maps using this data in popular web mapping programs 🌎. The #data can be downloaded from the Ontario Data Catalogue in CSV, TSV, JSON, or XML formats, or accessed through the catalogue's #CKAN API. While not in time for this year's #30DayMapChallenge this #Mapbox fly-to of Ontario's CECC was created using this open data in the #rstats package {mapgl} in two lines of code inspired by an example from the challenge. This is one of over thirty datasets publicly shared by the Ministry of the Solicitor General as open data. It is provided in machine-readable format, geocoded, and with a data dictionary to support reuse by data analysts. https://lnkd.in/e7fbaRUa data.ontario.ca /dataset/ontario-s-correctional-institutions-locations #GIS #Maps #OpenGov #PublicData #CriminalJustice

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Federally Regulated Entities Under Scrutiny for Non-Compliance with Accessibility Requirements From Michelle McKinnon at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP- "The Accessible Canada Act and Accessible Canada Regulations came into force in 2019 and require federally regulated entities to, among other things, consult people with disabilities and publish Accessibility Plans. Accessibility Plans must include certain information, including information about barriers facing people with disabilities and solutions to address those barriers. Federally regulated entities with more than 100 employees were required to publish their Accessibility Plans by June 1, 2023, and federally regulated entities with between 10 and 99 employees were required to publish their Accessibility Plans by June 1, 2024." #AccessibilityInTheNews https://lnkd.in/guQFbdzw

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https://lnkd.in/gXJX9sBX Canada is STILL on the brink of locking us out of most parts of the Internet with a great firewall. Our time with an open Internet will end if Bill S-210 becomes law as it is today. We need your help to rally your network and urge MPs to fix or reject the bill this Fall! Remember Bill S-210? After we narrowly delayed it this spring, it will be back for a FINAL vote in the House when Parliament returns in September. The bill could be passed with ZERO fixes, carrying dangerous provisions that won’t just require us to verify our age before visiting an adult website, Reddit, file-sharing sites, or even a search engine, but worse, force our ISP to verify our identity and monitor our Internet activities.

Here is the link to this week's Insights Podcast on the Acadia Broadcasting Network as we welcome back Donald Savoie, prolific author and public policy expert, to the podcast to discuss his latest book about the bloated public sector and the need for reform to improve the delivery of public services in Canada. What is your opinion of the quality of public sector service to Canadians? #publicsector #publicservices https://lnkd.in/eYeZTTx9

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Embracing the AI Frontier in Government Stephen Burt, Chief Data Officer of Canada, reminds us that the path of AI is full of potential but requires careful navigation. We shouldn't shy away from exploring generative AI. Let's harness its power responsibly to better serve Canadians. #AI #Government #Innovation #Canada

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