Public Sector Podcast: AI and Data Analytics: Shaping the Future of Public Services

In this episode, we sit down with Ima Okonny, Chief Data Officer and Assistant Deputy Minister from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), one of the largest federal departments in Canada, to discuss how data, AI, and innovation are transforming service delivery for Canadians. With a focus on inclusivity, transparency, and action, this conversation explores why strong data foundations and ethical frameworks are essential to reaching every citizen—regardless of where they live or who they are.

From addressing accessibility and demographic shifts to building internal AI capabilities and fostering trust, Ima showcases ESDC’s approach on how to lead with purpose and scale responsibly.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS:

• The “Why” Behind the Data: Understanding Canada’s evolving population needs—and why disaggregated, contextualised data is critical to inclusive service design.

• A Strong Data Foundation: How ESDC built a data strategy, platform, and governance framework from the ground up, including a multi-layered approach to architecture, culture, and literacy.

• Trust, Transparency, and Ethics: Embedding responsible AI principles across every layer of decision-making—through oversight boards, open data transparency, and privacy-aligned implementation.

• Real-World Innovation at Scale: Using AI and machine learning during the pandemic to triage high volumes of service requests—developed entirely in-house.

• Master Data Management & Integration: The challenges and progress in unifying citizen data across programs while upholding security, privacy, and policy obligations.

• Workforce Capability & Change Management: Hiring and upskilling internal data scientists, fostering cross-departmental collaboration, and aligning data and AI teams under a unified strategy.

WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN:

If you’re working in public sector innovation, digital transformation, or data governance, this episode offers actionable insights into how a large, complex organisation is driving equitable outcomes with AI—without losing sight of its human impact.

QUOTABLE MOMENTS:

“We’re not just doing data for data’s sake. We’re doing it to serve Canadians—responsibly, inclusively, and transparently.”

“People underestimate the time it takes. It took four years to build our foundation—and we’re still evolving.”

FURTHER RESOURCES:

• ESDC’s Open Data Portal

• Treasury Board Secretariat’s Directive on Automated Decision-Making

• Collaboration with Canadian AI Institutes

🎧 Tune in now to hear how trust, data, and ethics are reshaping service delivery in the digital era.