On Monday at the MaRS Centre in downtown Toronto, Research and Innovation Minister Glen Murray unveiled an important example of how digital technologies can bring to life the fuzzy “participatory democracy” notion championed decades ago by former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

Murray made the announcement at the province’s first Social Innovation Summit, which brought together 150 local and international leaders from business, not-for-profits, academia and community groups to brainstorm the best ways to tackle economic, social, cultural and environmental challenges.