“A Voice for All: Engaging for Change”

Conference on Citizen Engagement October 27 - 28, 1998 Report

Institute On Governance 122 Clarence Street , Canada K1N 5P6 Phone: 1 613 562-0090 Website: www.iog.ca TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. THE CONFERENCE IN BRIEF 1

II. SUMMARY OF KEYNOTE SPEECHES AND PLENARY SESSIONS

A. The People's Representatives - The Honourable 2 B. Ears to the Ground - Frank Graves, David Zussman, Tim Plumptre 3 C. Citizen Engagement and the Public Service - Jocelyne Bourgon 5 D. Bias or Balance? The Role of the Media – Edward Greenspon & Phil Kinsman 6 E. Globalization and Citizen Engagement - Benjamin Barber 7 F. Youth Rap-Up - Paddy Bowen, Marie-Josée Beaudry, Jon Brown 8

III. SUMMARY OF WORKSHOPS

A. Of Your Own Free Will - Lynne Toupin and Traci Walters 9 B. Counting Crows - Dr. Toh Kin Woon and Flora Liebich 10 C. How Big is City Hall? - Barbara Hall and Liz Rykert 11 D. World Exchange - Rieky Stuart and Jacquie Dale 12 E. ℞ Engagement - Marie Fortier 13 E. Discovering The Society We Want - Rhonda Ferderber and Sheila Eskenazi 14 G. Blending Voices, Creating Harmony - Myrta Rivera 16 H. Views on Tap - Lyle Wray 16 I. Making Cents - Susanna Cluff-Clyburne 18 J. Decline of Deference - Neil Nevitte 19 K. Cutting Edge of Engagement - John Bekale, Ted Blondin, Bob McLeod, Lorne Tricoteux 20 L. From Conflict to Consensus - David Cameron 21 M. Virtual Citizenship? - Alex Usher & Reg Alcock 22

IV. SUMMARY OF CONFERENCE FINDINGS 25 I.) THE CONFERENCE IN BRIEF

On October 27 and 28th 1998, the Institute On Governance held a conference on citizen engagement entitled "A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change". 165 individuals representing government, the private sector, academia, foundations and voluntary organizations took part in this event.

The Institute On Governance chose the theme of "citizen engagement" for the conference to shine a spotlight on an increasingly used but ill-defined term. "Consultation" has been a common term in the lexicon of decision-makers over the past decade. This has generally meant better canvassing the views of stakeholders and clients in the making of sound public policy, often in the form of advisory boards, forums or task forces. "Citizen engagement", by contrast, has emerged more recently to denote processes of deliberation with individuals and groups who may be affected by policy or program changes, but who lie outside the circle of departmental clients as conventionally defined. It also entails shared agenda-setting and more open time-frames for deliberation on issues of public policy.

"A Voice for All" was designed to highlight the opportunities, constraints, methods and benefits involved in seeking direct input from citizens. Plenary discussions and workshops focused on case studies, methodologies and technologies related to citizen engagement. This included experience from within the local, regional, federal, international, voluntary and private sectors. Discussions also addressed value changes in Canadian and western society that have implications on how citizens relate to their communities and their public institutions.

Since its founding in 1990, the Institute On Governance has been keenly interested in the manner in which citizens, government, the voluntary and private sectors interact. Over this time, the Institute has sought to inform public and non-governmental bodies about effective processes of consultation and engagement. The conference was held to provide a forum to exchange lessons learned and to identify directions for reform.

The following report represents a distillation of the findings presented at the plenary sessions and workshops. The last section attempts to highlight the common themes that emerged during the two-day conference.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 1 Institute On Governance II.A) Keynote Address - The People's Representatives

The Honourable Andy Scott, MP, PC, Solicitor General of Canada

Solicitor General Andy Scott highlighted the importance of undertaking citizen engagement in the process of developing sound public policy, as well as the need for politicians to accept this manner of decision-making. The necessity of citizen engagement derives from a number of factors, including the sophistication of public knowledge, the diffusion of political power in society, and the importance of strengthening civic participation in Canada.

Mr. Scott elaborated on three different models of citizen engagement that he implemented as MP for Fredericton and as Solicitor General of Canada:

1) Citizens' Forums - Since his election to the House of Commons in 1993, Mr. Scott has met approximately every seven weeks with representatives from the community. Using his MP householder to canvas the views of constituents on acceptable topics for deliberation, Mr. Scott asks participants to prepare for meetings by reading background material or conducting research. Selected issues have included abortion, young offenders, sexual orientation and gun control. Participants have included individuals from the artistic, academic and business communities.

2) The Farmer's Market - Every Saturday, Mr. Scott makes himself available informally at the local Farmer's Market in Fredericton. As Mr. Scott described, the market -- as the "nerve centre" of his riding -- is "where I learn all the things that I couldn't possibly know if I stayed in my office in Ottawa all the time." Aware that not all citizens are willing to invest their time in attending more formal citizens' forums, Mr. Scott recognizes that he had to make himself easily available to his constituents.

3) The National Reference Group - Upon becoming Solicitor General, Mr. Scott instituted a regular meeting of stakeholders interested in corrections and criminal justice issues, called the National Reference Group (NRG). Seven meetings were held between August 1997 and October 1998 on a variety of issues: corrections and criminal justice issues from the perspective of the Atlantic region, the Aboriginal community, and women; reforms to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act; children at risk; and human rights. Beginning with 31 members, NRG grew to over 500. Mr. Scott believes that the continuous dialogue between his Ministry and the numerous stakeholders -- bolstered by a regular electronic bulletin and a quarterly newsletter -- has led to more open and frank sharing of information. The NRG also demonstrates that "citizen engagement has a public education role to play."

Mr. Scott listed three lessons he learned in engaging citizens:

1) People want to be involved, and if given the opportunity to be heard by their elected officials, individuals will take the time to be informed on issues. Political officials must also be eager to listen and learn rather than to indiscriminately promise.

2 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance 2) Citizen engagement demonstrates the importance of having citizens recognize the diversity of views on any given topic.

3) Citizen engagement works, despite commonly held views that the public is an uninformed nuisance. Citizens crave an outlet for dialogue and discussion, and dissent must be accepted as part of this process.

II.B) Panel - Ears to the Ground

Frank Graves, President, EKOS Research David Zussman, President, Tim Plumptre, Managing Director, Institute On Governance

Frank Graves opened the panel by sharing the results from a survey of 2042 Canadians in March 1998 on the issue of trust in government, political and civic literacy, and the need to engage citizens. Some of the key points include: q there is a modest improvement in the levels of trust towards the federal government in 1998 relative to 1994, though overall perceptions of ethical standards remain low; q 45% of Canadians believe that the federal government consults badly with Canadians on national issues; q there is a surprising degree of balance characterizing perceptions of who should and who does exercise power. Government is generally viewed as exercising an appropriate level of power, while the media and big business are perceived as unduly powerful; q Canadians are willing to participate in engagement exercises, even if this requires a commitment of time or advanced preparation; q existing political institutions and structures in Canada are viewed as not good enough, though Canadians would prefer them to be improved rather than replaced.

Mr. Graves stated that "citizen engagement" is not the flavour of the month in Ottawa circles, but admitted that the understanding of this term remains theoretical, rather than practical. In the short-term, he suggested that best practices be consolidated and that local innovations in the area of citizen engagement be highlighted. In the medium and long term, he encouraged the formation of partnerships between governments, the private sector and the voluntary sector in conducting such initiatives.

David Zussman also alluded to the low levels of trust towards government during the last fifteen years, a trend that has also taken place globally. Traditional methods of consultation do not seem to be working, resulting in the call for more inclusive and transparent forms of decision-making. Drawing on the results of a search conference on citizen engagement organized by the Public Policy Forum in the fall of 1998, Dr. Zussman highlighted a number of findings: q skill sets required for citizen engagement are not widely held or, indeed, understood;

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 3 Institute On Governance q there is a need to define the obligations of the "engaged" (e.g. stakeholders or citizens) to become sufficiently knowledgeable on issues of public policy; q those who have been traditionally excluded or disenfranchised from the governmental decision-making process must be engaged (e.g. youth, aboriginals, rural Canadians); q decision-making time frames are different for volunteer, business and governmental organizations. Within the public sector, there is a perception that citizen engagement lengthens the policy-making process; q a greater distinction needs to be made between consultation and engagement.

Tim Plumptre focused his remarks on the inconsistency between intentions and actions in improving consultation and citizen engagement in the federal government. In 1990, for example, the Federal Task Force on Service to the Public strongly endorsed the concept of consultation as an "engrained ethic" in the public service, recommending the adoption of a government-wide operating policy, training in public consultation for executives, and the establishment of a private sector advisory council for PCO. At present, none of these initiatives have been implemented.

Mr. Plumptre highlighted a number of constraints that federal departments currently face: q the Minister's interest and participation in consultation efforts is often crucial in ensuring success. Ministerial commitment, however, remains inconsistent; q leadership by Deputy Ministers varies across departments; q pressures of time and resources impede effective planning and implementation of open- ended consultation or engagement efforts; q few departments have the means, particularly at the executive committee level, to set consultation priorities; q there is a lack of knowledge of tools and techniques associated with consultation and citizen engagement.

Mr. Plumptre suggested several steps that federal departments might take to strengthen their consultation capacities: q ensuring sustained attention on consultation by individual Ministers and Deputy Ministers; q building consultation into the Estimates process; q establishing a central fund for use by individual departments for large or unanticipated citizen engagement initiatives; q creating forums within individual departments to determine consultation priorities; q providing learning opportunities for staff; q adopting and monitoring departmental policies and principles of consultation; q building collaborative networks (between departments and with the private sector).

4 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance II.C) Keynote Address - Citizen Engagement and the Public Service

Jocelyne Bourgon, Clerk of the Privy Council, Government of Canada

Jocelyne Bourgon alluded to the need to modernize government's relationship with the public. During recent years, many commentators have argued that government is not "in synch" with citizens -- a phenomena found throughout Western democracies. More innovative, transparent and inclusive processes must be found in the way that government develops policies and delivers services.

Ms. Bourgon stated that the recent findings from the EKOS study -- showing interest on the part of the public to be involved in consultation initiatives -- represent positive news for democracy in Canada. Citizens are rightly reclaiming their place in civil society, and citizen engagement has accordingly become an important "tool" for public officials to help repair the declining trust of citizens towards their institutions. It does this by fostering a two-way learning process between citizens and their officials. Both work together in seeking common ground throughout the decision-making process.

Ms. Bourgon cautioned, however, that citizen engagement should not be used for all issues or policies before the government, as it is not a substitute for the democratic process nor does it replace traditional consultative processes. There will be times when the government will simply need validation of its views (e.g. presentation of White Papers), and in these instances, citizen engagement should not be used. Above all, public servants must be straightforward in explaining their intentions when interacting with citizens, be it in gathering information, obtaining consent, defining problems, or seeking solutions.

Ms. Bourgon stated that there is no one model for citizen engagement, and that a department’s mission and culture will usually dictate the appropriate methodology for engaging constituents. Accordingly, responsibility for planning and financing citizen engagement initiatives should rest with individual departments, as efforts to centralize funding would likely represent a step backwards. Ms.Bourgon also encouraged experimentation with, and improvement of methodologies associated with citizen engagement. Rural Canadians, for example, must be better incorporated into the process. As well, government information provided to citizens should be written in plain language and be as accessible as possible.

Recognizing that federal departments must carefully choose the instances where citizen engagement would be useful, Bourgon maintained that improving this process remains a priority of the public service. Above all, it addresses the public's stated desire to deliberate meaningfully on issues that affect their lives.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 5 Institute On Governance II.D) Panel - Bias or Balance? The Role of the Media In Engaging Citizens

Edward Greenspon, Ottawa Bureau Chief, Globe & Mail Phil Kinsman, Director General, Communications, Environment Canada

This session highlighted some of the tensions inherent in governments' attempts to work formally with the media in engaging citizens. While it is recognized that the media play a crucial role in educating citizens about social and political affairs, there is more controversy regarding the responsibility of the media to collaborate with government in reaching out to citizens.

Phil Kinsman contended that the media can and should play a role in citizen engagement. As an example, he cited Environment Canada's efforts to seek community involvement in finding ways to clean up the Sydney tar ponds. The media have played an important role in drawing attention to this multi-stakeholder and community-based initiative. Mr. Kinsman contended, however, that while the media provide a means through which the government can disseminate its message, the outcome is often unpredictable and uncertain. This, in turn, demands that the government explain its intentions openly and clearly to the media. For example, documentation should be sent to journalists well in advance of any citizen engagement initiative to minimize the chances of incorrect reporting.

Edward Greenspon remained skeptical about the media working closely with government on engagement or consultation efforts. Citizen engagement initiatives, he argued, will likely only take place when the government can still control the agenda. He cited examples that illustrate departmental fears of opening up to the public: q recent reporting on the revised TAGS initiative by Greenspon was met by an RCMP investigation of supposed leaks from cabinet; q there is presently little information arising from the closed-door intergovernmental discussions on reforms to the social union; q scientists in Health Canada recently testified before a Senate committee, arguing that unfavourable research on a bovine growth hormone was subject to cover-up within the department; q negotiations over the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) were conducted in private.

Mr. Greenspon argued that a journalist's role is to "shine a flash-light into the corners of the decision-making process." In this manner, a journalist brings the public in at an earlier stage in the decision-making process. With over 1600 communications specialists in the federal government and only 300 members of the Ottawa press gallery, journalists carry an added responsibility to objectively and independently report the news. Greenspon admitted, however, that the media are by no means perfect in their reporting practices, and that they are often more concerned about the packaging of a story, than about its substance.

Finally, Mr. Greenspon stated that he would prefer to see spontaneous civic engagement emerging at arms-length from government (such as the anti-VLT movement in Alberta).

6 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance Given centralized decision-making in the federal government, moreover, he would also like to see MPs better "engaged" in policy making.

II.E) Keynote address - Globalization and Citizen Engagement

Dr. Benjamin Barber, Whitman Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University

Dr. Barber spoke about the challenges of engaging citizens at a time when democracy is under duress, evidenced by high levels of cynicism towards government and politics throughout the world. Efforts to repair levels of trust and political participation are complicated by the following factors: q Participation in local communities (e.g. PTA meetings, soccer leagues), which ultimately fosters participation at higher levels of government, is dramatically down relative to 20 or 30 years ago. At a time when public servants are attempting to reach out to citizens, citizens themselves appear to have lost confidence in themselves to effect social change. q Citizens continue to seek political leaders who can “save their society”. This “white horse” syndrome ultimately hinders citizens from participating in, and thus strengthening the political system. q Bureaucracy and gargantuism in both the government and business realms have encroached upon the “free spaces” of civil society. Large corporations, particularly, have exerted an excessive influence on a variety of public institutions, especially public schools and universities. The size and pervasive influence of these organizations lead to problems of accountability, inflexibility and unresponsiveness.

Dr. Barber also identified a number of challenges that public elites must embrace if citizen engagement is to have real meaning: q Public servants must help citizens take themselves seriously. In effect, citizens must be shown that their input in the political process is appreciated and effective. q Public elites must balance the emphasis on citizens’ rights with citizens’ responsibilities, yet to give responsibility without empowering people is a deep fraud, according to Barber. Empowerment entails genuine power sharing, and this shared responsibility also means that citizens, and not only government, will be accountable for outcomes. q Western cultures’ obsession with efficiency must be lessened to permit greater citizen involvement. Citizens are as capable of making public decisions as experts and professionals -- they simply require more time for deliberation. If efficiency remains the key priority of a government, democracy will never function. q Free spaces for public deliberation need to be carved out for citizens between governments and corporations. This involvement of citizens, moreover, must first begin at the local level (in neighborhoods) before working up to the provincial, national or global level. q Attention should be given to creating an infrastructure that fosters global civic participation. An “International Civic Fund” that stands beside the IMF or WTO could be a useful mechanism to foster civil society in emerging democracies.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 7 Institute On Governance q Effective public leaders function as enablers or facilitators. Citizen engagement works best when the efforts of public officials eventually become superfluous.

Dr. Barber ended by highlighting a number of essential features about citizenship. First, it is best thought of as an acquired trait. Citizens must be effectively trained in every generation -- in schools and through their actual participation in public affairs (in churches, unions, community leagues, governments, etc.). Officials must accept that an “engaged citizen” is not synonymous with a “satisfied client”. A spirited and engaged citizenry will make governing more difficult in the short-run, but will ultimately serve democracy well in the longer term.

II.F) Panel: Youth Rap-Up

Paddy Bowen, Executive Director, Volunteer Canada Marie-Josée Beaudry, Youth Division, Human Resources Development Canada Jon Brown, Past President, Secondary School Student's Association

Theme: “The Challenges of Engaging Youth”

This session addressed the challenges of engaging youth and highlighted a number of success stories and continuing struggles. One of the more positive developments over the past decade has been the increasing level of volunteerism among youth (from 17% to 33%). Indeed, according to the 1997 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, youth between the ages of 15 and 24 are more likely in the late 1990s to be volunteers than are individuals in any other age group. Moves to make this activity mandatory (for graduation from high school, for example) remain controversial, however. Several of the panelists argued that the key challenge is to educate youth about the positive impact that volunteerism can have on their lives, especially as a means to gain invaluable experience and skills.

Past attempts by government to involve youth in governance bodies have generally been unsuccessful. HRDC’s recent efforts to consult with, and engage its young workforce have shown that for such processes to be successful and meaningful to young participants, it is best to focus on issues of interest to youth.

The panelists pointed to a number of "lessons learned" from their experience in dealing with youth issues: 1. Find out what interests youth and let them drive the process. Let youth engage youth. 2. Allow youth to create their own projects. 3. Involve youth in projects which are focused and tailored to their abilities. 4. Experiment with various strategies – it is a trial and error process.

While statistics point to the low levels of political literacy and community participation of youth, panelists argued that these levels are partly a function of human nature. Efforts to engage youth should be tempered with the realization that youth are preoccupied with issues far removed from the affairs of state.

8 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance III.A) Of Your Own Free Will

Lynne Toupin, Director, Special Projects, National Voluntary Organizations of Canada Traci Walters, National Director, Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres

According to the 1997 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, there are approximately 200,000 charitable and non-profit organizations across Canada, together employing 1.3 million Canadians (plus 1.5 million volunteers) and representing annual revenues of $90 billion. For the most part, these voluntary organizations are small and oriented towards providing local services. Most national organizations engage in some advocacy, but retention of charitable tax status demands that no more than ten percent of their activities be advocacy related. Most local voluntary organizations, by contrast, do not engage in advocacy.

According to Ms. Toupin, effective advocacy work at the national level requires the following elements:

q a capacity to communicate effectively with membership across the country; q the ability to obtain relevant information and to do research; q sufficient time to absorb information and make reasoned policy decisions; q knowing who to talk to, how and when; q strong leadership to gather different perspectives and to forge consensus.

Ms. Toupin outlined the schizophrenic attitude displayed by the federal government towards the voluntary sector in Canada during the last half-decade. During the recent era of federal program cuts, the work of voluntary organizations was called into question, particularly those with an advocacy orientation. Under the present context of support for citizen engagement, the government has viewed voluntary organizations more positively as a potential partner in involving citizens in policy debate and deliberation.

Ms. Toupin believes that voluntary organizations can play an important role on behalf of government in canvassing the views of Canadians and ensuring that their voices are brought to the decision-making table. This is based on the fact that in the minds of citizens, community leaders and volunteers typically have more credibility than politicians or public servants. The voluntary sector also has access to groups of Canadians who are interested in specific policy issues. And while the voluntary sector generally does not possess the capacity to engage Canadians on policy matters, it can help ensure fairness, openness and transparency to the engagement process.

Traci Walters, National Director of the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres, also highlighted the federal government's inconsistency in its treatment of voluntary organizations. She pointed specifically to the federal Disability Task Force (which recommended 52 policy changes, only 8 of which have been acted upon), as well as the federal CHST block grant to the provinces. This latter initiative has resulted in a "checkerboard" of health standards for the disability community in Canada, and has ultimately imperiled federal accountability in this area. According to Ms. Walters, the federal

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 9 Institute On Governance government has too often acted under the false presumption that citizens can air their views independently of any mediating institutions. She added that voluntary organizations play an essential role in bringing voice to marginalized or disenfranchised groups.

III.B) Counting Crows - How a Community in Malaysia is Monitoring Development

Dr. Toh Kin Woon, Executive Councilor, Penang (state government), Malaysia Flora Liebich, Senior Governance Specialist (Asia Branch), Canadian International Development Agency The session focused on a citizen engagement initiative presently underway in the state of Penang in northwestern Malaysia. Funded through CIDA and executed by the Institute On Governance, the Sustainable Penang initiative has established a process of greater public involvement in developing and using sustainability indicators for monitoring development in the state of Penang. The aim is to have these indicators incorporated into an integrated development plan which will guide the realization of Penang in the next millennium.

Launched in October 1997, the initiative consists of five roundtables held over one year. Each of these meetings brings together between 50 and 70 people from government, NGOs, business, professional associations and academia to express concerns and to recommend solutions. Topics discussed have included ecological sustainability, social justice, economic productivity, cultural vibrancy and popular participation. At the end of each session, groups are formed to develop and monitor indicators and to take up worthwhile related initiatives.

This entire process will culminate in a Penang Popular Assembly involving over 100 people, scheduled for March 1999. The first draft of the People's State of Penang Report, compiling approximately 50 issues and indicators concerning sustainable development, will be presented for review and subsequently widely distributed. It is also hoped that the indicators developed though this initiative will be incorporated into the upcoming official Strategic Development Plan of the Penang state government.

It was observed that the Sustainable Penang initiative has been remarkably successful thus far, given the political and social context in which it is operating -- the absence of a free press, and few traditions of participatory democracy or open government. Canadians, in comparison, often take for granted their strong democratic traditions, both in their communities and political institutions.

Dr. Toh highlighted a number of important lessons gleaned from his experience to date: q Fostering citizen engagement through unofficial or non-institutionalized channels can create pressure for government to act and to interact in a different way. This type of civic advocacy can be more effective in seeking political change than in directly challenging the government. Additionally, since citizen engagement frequently entails a shift of power away from government, organizers should expect -- and plan for -- some resistance.

10 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance q Participants in the Sustainable Penang roundtables tend to come from privileged backgrounds or from NGOs that are already active with such issues. A goal for organizers of public deliberation processes should be to ensure representativeness of participants. q Engagement processes should not be dependent solely on one individual. If the aim is to institutionalize the process, it should be largely independent of a single personality. q The goals of engagement activities should be realistic. It is unreasonable, for example, to have citizens develop and monitor over a hundred sustainable development indicators. Ensuring convergence between expectations and outcomes will help sustain interest in the engagement process. q Efforts to engage citizens in social change should be made to generate small and visible successes or outcomes in the short-term.

III.C) How Big is City Hall?

Barbara Hall, former Mayor of Liz Rykert, President, Meta Strategies Inc.

This session focused on the creation of the Toronto "mega-city", the result of provincial amalgamation of the six municipalities making up Metro Toronto. Ms. Hall gave an overview of the events that led up to the amalgamation, and focused on the partnerships that developed between the six municipalities and citizens groups who opposed the provincial merger.

Liz Rykert, a community development worker with experience in using the internet to engage citizens, spoke about her experience as a member of a group called “Citizens for Local Democracy”, and emphasized the role of the internet in supporting the fight against the amalgamation.

Some participants noted that the amalgamation experience was not a good example of citizen engagement, and that it consisted, rather, of citizens mobilizing to oppose something proposed by government. Some wondered about the long term effects of this "failed" mobilization, given that the provincial government proceeded with the amalgamation in spite of stiff opposition. According to Ms. Hall, positive affects included community strengthening and shared learning -- over 1200 briefs were presented to the legislative committee set up to review the draft legislation. A more negative outcome was the anger and cynicism towards government that this experience engendered among citizens. Ms. Hall noted that the intensity of emotion was stronger than anything she had experienced previously in public office.

In response to a question about what motivates citizens to participate, Ms. Hall noted that participation is often driven by a desire to avoid a worse future. She added that people must feel that their participation will make a difference. Liz Rykert added that at the end of the Toronto process, members of her group happily spoke about getting their "Monday evenings" back.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 11 Institute On Governance One participant wanted to know how the "no" forces had dealt with the media. The panelists responded that all three Toronto dailies were strong advocates of the merger and were difficult to deal with because of their editorial stand. Nonetheless, certain journalists were sympathetic, notably Michael Valpy of the Globe & Mail.

Ms. Rykert was asked whether governments could make better use of the internet, such as when conducting consultations on proposed legislation. She gave the following advice: q be sure that government is completely transparent about its purposes; q documents should be posted on the internet as soon as they are made public; q make use of neutral third parties to post material; q government should collaborate with NGOs in using the internet to engage citizens; q internet chat groups should use trained facilitators; q given the variety of uses of the internet (e.g. retrieving information, posting information, providing a forum for discussion), services to users should be tailored to meet their specific needs. Ms. Rykert also noted the importance of integrating on-line and off-line activities in any consultation process involving the internet. For example, daily meetings can be posted on the internet, and participants can post their draft submissions with a request for comments. The challenge is to achieve a snug fit between the net and non-net activities.

III.D) World Exchange: Canadians Deliberating on Global Issues

Ricky Stuart, Deputy Director, Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC) Jacquie Dale, Organizational Development Coordinator, CCIC

Drawing upon the work of the Kettering Foundation in the United States and its use of study circles, CCIC has developed a forum for public deliberation on issues of foreign policy. Their championing of this technique is based on the perceived overemphasis on debate, expert opinion and one-sided consultation both in the media and government. While debate is oppositional, dialogue is collaborative: two or more sides work together toward a common understanding.

The deliberative dialogue process consists of framing a discussion around a variety of real choices -- often with the help of a tightly crafted issue-book (e.g. on global poverty, or defence policy). A discussion on the appointed topic then takes place, usually moderated by a facilitator. The main components of the dialogue include identifying trade-offs, sharing values and personal experiences, and seeking common ground. Participants are challenged to frame issues in a way that examines costs and benefits of various policy choices, thus building their capacity for objectivity and strategic thinking.

The panelists listed several strengths of the deliberative dialogue process: it encourages and increases respect for a diversity of views; it allows for deliberation on complex issues; it offers a strong opportunity for multi-sectoral partnerships; and, it avoids forcing people into an “us” or “them” identification. Resistance to this technique usually stems from “expertism” ("I know what’s best") and frustration with the occasional length and complexity

12 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance of the decision-making process. Other challenges include encouraging full participation in a highly verbal process, ensuring a balance between self-selection and representativeness of participants, involving business sector participants, maintaining impartiality of facilitators, and functioning at a large enough scale to maintain credibility in the process.

Based on CCIC`s experience in running a series of deliberative forums, the panelists identified a number of lessons learned. Namely, deliberative dialogue: q has the potential to re-animate democracy; q can be a strong educational tool for global citizenship; q sounds obvious, but should be experienced to recognize its effectiveness; q requires a variety of perspectives for useful dialogue; q emphasizes people’s experiences, rather that facts and statistics, as starting points for deliberation.

III.E) ℞ Engagement - Experience from The National Forum of Health

Marie Fortier, Assistant Deputy Minister, Home Care Development, Health Canada

Marie Fortier shared her experience as Executive Director of the National Forum on Health, established in 1994 to advise the federal government on how to improve the health and health care system of Canadians. From the outset, advisory board members (including the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health and 24 health care professionals, volunteers and consumers) decided to integrate consultation in all their activities and to carry out their work in a fully transparent manner. Members identified a need to consult with individual Canadians, stakeholders, and with key experts and opinion leaders.

Dialogue took place in two phases: first, to identify and examine key issues which the Forum should address, and; second, to test the Forum's proposed directions and options before it made recommendations to government. Drawing on the experience of models in Sweden, the United States and Canada, Forum members chose "study circles" as the primary vehicle for dialogue. Under this format, 15 to 20 people with different backgrounds and views are brought together to discuss issues with the aid of a consultation document or workbook.

During the first phase of the Forum's work (between November 1995 and April 1996), study circles were held in 34 communities, involving approximately 1300 Canadians. Other consultative mechanisms included an invitational conference for stakeholders in Toronto, an internet discussion group, reviews of letters and submissions, media activities, public opinion polling, and special workshops.

The second phase consisted of providing feedback to phase I participants on proposed directions and options. Given a shortened time frame for reporting, the Forum decided to hold weekend conferences in Vancouver and with participants drawn from the public and stakeholder discussion groups. Those who were unable to attend the conferences were invited to respond to a telephone questionnaire. 500 additional people, randomly

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 13 Institute On Governance selected from the population at large, were polled on health care issues as a basis of comparison with the responses of Forum participants.

The Forum completed its activities in February 1997 with its presentation of a two-volume report to the Prime Minister, entitled Canada Health Action: Building on the Legacy. Outcomes included provisions in the 1997 federal Budget that addressed several of the Forum's key recommendations and a number of spin-off initiatives including conferences, research papers, and policy development work at the federal and provincial levels.

A number of important lessons emerged from this initiative: q Strategically situating the Forum Secretariat outside, but close to, departmental operations enabled it to work independently, while sharing knowledge with Health Canada. q Sensitivity must be made to different regional issues and sensibilities when conducting consultations. q Effective and substantive consultation requires a commitment of time and resources, both human and financial. q Logistics and communications are critical to the success of a national consultation at the community level. Drawing on local organizations in each community was important to ensure that each venue was appropriate and that logistics were carried out smoothly. q A public dialogue -- well structured, expertly facilitated, and supported with factual and easily understood information -- can make a substantive contribution to policy development.

III.F) Discovering The Society We Want

Rhonda Ferderber, Manager (The Society We Want), Canadian Policy Research Networks Sheila Eskenazi, Community Representative, Ste-Agathe-des-Monts,

Rhonda Ferderber began by describing "The Society We Want" (TSWW), a public dialogue tool and partnership process that helps Canadians work through social policy choices and identify core values. Since April 1996, through the use of a specially designed tool kit, TSWW has provided opportunities for 3000 Canadians in 200 groups to deliberate on five issues: work, health, the social safety net, the role of government, and children. Working through a set of 12 national partners in the voluntary sector, the project reaches the grass-roots through local affiliates and interested citizens. Other organizations that have participated include social planning councils, town councils (including mayors), ethno-specific organizations, and anti-poverty groups.

The unique quality of TSWW is thorough reflection and deliberation. Issues are framed through choices in which three provocative options are considered. Choices are intentionally difficult to help citizens clarify internal priorities and values. After discussion, participants

14 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance send feedback to Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN), the policy research think tank responsible for TSWW. This information subsequently informs CPRN's research, and provides the basis for newsletters and presentations to media, governments, and other stakeholders.

While the project is the first of its kind in Canada, the "choice work" model for engaging citizens in deliberative discussion reflects community models in the United Kingdom (Demos) and the United States (National Issues Forum and Kettering Foundation).

CPRN has identified a number of goals in the use of TSWW, including: q helping to build new kinds of social capital and knowledge of civil society in individual communities; q supporting national partners to reach out to more Canadians; q developing an outreach strategy to communicate with multicultural groups across the country; q creating a mechanism for organizing public dialogue and for feeding outcomes into the political process.

Sheila Eskenazi spoke about her experience in holding a TSWW public dialogue group in her town of Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec. She underlined the fact that deliberative forums are unlike open-line shows where people anonymously vent their feelings. TSWW requires a commitment of time and openness to reflect on deeply held feelings and prejudices in a controlled and respectful manner.

Ms. Eskenazi also outlined the practical steps in ensuring adequate participation in these dialogue groups (usually consisting of between 8 and 10 people). Word-of-mouth publicity from the people who have had a positive experience is the strongest means of participant recruitment. Participants should also be informed about how and where the collected data from the process will be used and how it will affect their own lives. Additionally, some kind of reporting mechanism should be set up to provide feedback on how participants' input may have influenced public policy or debate.

Several "lessons learned" from the first phase of the TSWW project were identified: q TSWW has proven that citizens can and want to be more involved. It has confirmed the need to revisit core social values at a time of social and economic transformation. q The engagement process is one that permits learning, establishes common ground, allows for moral choices, and acknowledges that citizens add value. q TSWW has laid the groundwork for a more inclusive dialogue with Canada’s diverse population. The pilot phase of the project has highlighted barriers to national public dialogue, and further work will focus on communicating with hard-to-reach citizens and on providing information to policy makers and academics about the results of these processes.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 15 Institute On Governance III.G) Blending Voices, Creating Harmony

Myrta Rivera, Executive Director, Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre

In this interactive workshop, Myrta Rivera focused on cultural diversity as it relates to citizen engagement. Discussion centred on the importance of recognizing the skills, knowledge and experience which newcomers bring to Canada, as well as the difficulty in ensuring that their voices are heard in the policy-making process in Canada.

Citizen engagement is viewed as involving people in solving their own problems. It entails recognizing the vast differences in individuals' outlooks and connecting people who might otherwise not interact. While this is inevitably a slow process, the process of seeking common ground allows participants to foster empathy and mutual understanding.

It was stated that the citizen engagement is difficult to carry out in large hierarchical organizations such as government departments. Positions of power tend to be held by individuals with similar salient characteristics (race, gender, age, social class) many of whom may not be attuned to the concerns of recent immigrants or the unemployed. Effective engagement initiatives require connecting with all groups in society, including the most marginalized. Senior managers, accordingly, must be sensitized to reaching out to these groups when designing citizen engagement initiatives.

An additional constraint when engaging citizens relates to the quick time frames often associated with government decision-making. All too often, consultation or engagement efforts begin after a plan has already been shaped. The process subsequently becomes an exercise to inform people about what will happen rather than genuinely seeking the public's ideas in shaping policy.

Finally, there was agreement that engaging Canadians in policy development should start small and at the local level, especially given the voluntary sector's experience in reaching out to their communities. Government would be advised to learn from these local experiences and to emulate their success in the future.

III.H) Views on Tap

Lyle Wray, Executive Director, Citizens League, Minnesota

The focus of this session was on Regional Civic Organizations (RCOs) in the United States, associations that involve citizens in studying public issues and developing policy solutions. Their intention is to nurture an infrastructure of regional problem-solving that brings business, government, and citizens together productively. Many of these organizations are rooted in the early 20th century Progressive-era of American politics when RCOs sprang up to attack corruption at city hall and to help modernize government administration. Given the growth in America of urban sprawl, failing schools, crime, and environmental degradation, RCOs often play an important role in seeking solutions to problems that cannot be solved solely in town halls.

16 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance The Minnesota Citizens League, for example, involves 2500 community members who contribute their time and money, not as agents of interest groups, but as concerned citizens. The League’s main activities include: 1) long-term study committees around defined issues; 2) small group discussions ("Speak-Ups!") facilitated by a moderator on public policy issues; 3) breakfasts and luncheons with civic leaders to sensitize them to particular needs; 4) publication of the Minnesota Journal, which provides succinct coverage of public affairs issues; and, 5) internet dissemination of information.

Mr. Wray highlighted six trends that are forcing Regional Civic Organizations to reinvent themselves: 1) The Rise of Regionalism

There is mounting international evidence that, in terms of economic and social well-being, communities rise or fall as regions. The most pressing challenge is to improve the quality of metropolitan policies -- particularly by overcoming the fragmentation of local governments within a metropolitan area. RCOs must accordingly build a regional consciousness to counter the traditional NIMBY attitude among citizens ("Not In My Back Yard").

2) Decline in Civic Participation

As Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam has argued, there has been a marked decline in civic participation (or "social capital") since the 1950s. Citizens who opt to be more involved tend to align themselves with single issue organizations. RCOs must counter this tendency by becoming "big-picture organizations" at a time when people regularly think about narrow interests and immediate gratification.

3) Growth of Interest-Group Politics In an era when interest-group politics is the norm, RCOs must retain their reputation of objective and dispassionate analysis. These qualities have gained them the attention of media and, most importantly, the trust of policy makers.

4) Changing Corporate and Philanthropic Environment

In the United States, corporations are expanding the scope of their giving activities to communities where the company does business, rather than solely to the company "home town". Additionally, corporate foundations are focusing on struggling members of the community, as well as organizations that provide direct services to these groups. As a result, corporate funding to RCOs has declined. RCOs will likely need to attract business support by appealing to corporations' self-interest, while demonstrating that profit maximization and community-building are compatible.

5) Increasing Diversity of American Society Given the ethnic diversity in America, RCOs can serve as advocates in bringing more and culturally-diverse people around decision-making tables, while at the same time avoiding interest-group parochialism.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 17 Institute On Governance 6) New Technology for Civic Participation and Problem Solving

Communications technologies (targeted faxes, customized mailings, television spots) have become essential tools for policy analysts and lobbyists in shaping public debate. Much less has been done to use technology to improve the quality of public decision making. Communities require creative thinking to take technology to the realm of policy-making.

III.I) Making Cents

Susanna Cluff-Clyburne, Associate Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Bell Canada

Susanna Cluff-Clyburne presented two case studies on how Bell Canada has engaged customers and communities in policy and program design. The first case study centred on Bell's Local Service Improvement Program which was set up to assist rural communities with modernizing their telecommunications infrastructure, particularly as a means to facilitate economic growth, opportunity and development. The first phase of the Program entailed extensive engagement of federal, provincial, and municipal government officials, as well as community opinion leaders (local economic development councils, chambers of commerce, rural customers, and stakeholders). This exercise resulted in:

q a modification to Bell's initial proposals for service improvement; q a number of ongoing communications approaches utilized by Bell to keep factual information flowing to all participants as well as to the broader community (one to one meetings, group presentations, targeted mailings, local media advertising, a website, and a 310-BELL telephone number); q three significant switching equipment upgrades, benefiting 6.8 million citizens.

The second case study focused on the newly established Community Outreach Program, designed to engage Bell's senior management in direct and ongoing dialogue with community leaders, customers, citizens and employees. The key objective is two-way dialogue around community-based solutions to enhance living and working environments. This program was instituted this calendar year, but benefits are already accruing through greater awareness of mutual needs and interests between the community and the company.

Ms. Cluff-Clyburne offered a number of conclusions relating to both initiatives: q Senior management commitment to both these processes was integral to their success. Management recognized that there was a long-term bottom-line advantage to this approach: satisfied customers and employees meant better opportunities for the company; q Bell managers’ knowledge of the level of telecommunications sophistication in communities was raised. This reinforced the need for the company to stay innovative and flexible in community investments; q Bell moved from an organization whose operating motto was "if Bell can't deliver it, God didn't mean for you to have it" to one of continuous learning about what is in the best interest of community and company;

18 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance q Bell employees and senior management are now using words like "this is an important opportunity", "privileged to work with communities", and "reflecting on shared interests", as a result of these and other engagement initiatives; q Innovation and creativity (i.e. more "out-of-the-box" thinking) have increased in responding to community needs.

III.J) Decline of Deference

Neil Nevitte, Professor of Political Science, University of Toronto

Drawing upon data from the World Values Survey, Neil Nevitte addressed the important value shifts that have occurred in Canada relative to the rest of the world. The bulk of the evidence, based on data from 42 different countries encompassing 68% of the world's population, demonstrates that Canadian social, economic and political values are undergoing change in coherent and recognizable patterns. Professor Nevitte highlighted a number of these value shifts, particularly citizens' views towards authority and political participation. First, there is clear evidence that Canadians are becoming less compliant and less deferential to authority. In some respects, citizen participation in traditional processes might lead observers to suppose that Canadians are becoming less engaged (evidenced by decreasing voting participation and the decline of trust in traditional institutions). If one considers “participation” in a more expansive way, however, levels of engagement are actually rising. Canadians are not less interested in politics, they are more interested in their political world. This rising level of interest motivates Canadians to participate in a wider array of political activities.

Second, significant shifts have taken place in a variety of economic orientations. Citizens are less concerned with traditional workplace considerations -- pay, vacation time, etc. -- and are more concerned with their ability to express themselves in their workplace environment. They want to participate more in workplace decision-making and are also seeking more workplace autonomy. A congenial pattern is also found in primary or familial relations. The norms surrounding family life are experiencing a transition. Parent-child relations are becoming less hierarchical, and spousal relations are becoming more egalitarian.

A number of explanations have been offered to account for these changes. The most plausible explanation, according to Professor Nevitte, relates to the value changes associated with the "rhythms of late industrialism". It seems that the transitions from “deep industrialism” to “late industrialism” are accompanied by a series of value shifts that are re-shaping the economy, society and the polity.

The argument that Canadian values have become "Americanized", given our consumption of US commercial and cultural exports, is not supported by the evidence. In facts, Canada leads the United States in 16 of the 23 dimensions of value changes.

Professor Nevitte noted a number of implications of these findings. One of the more far- reaching consequences is that the connection between citizens and the state are shifting. We are not as well connected to our political institutions as we once were, and this implies that

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 19 Institute On Governance Canadians are becoming harder to govern. Canadians are also becoming more “cognitively mobile”, and the knowledge-skill gap between our political leaders and an increasingly well- educated (and growing) middle class is narrowing.

Finally, Canadians increasingly believe that they are knowledgeable about their political world. Evidence shows that, since the early 1980’s, levels of "personal efficacy" have risen sharply. At the same time, other data show that levels of “external efficacy” are falling dramatically. Canadians are increasingly likely to believe that their institutions are not very responsive to their needs. There is, in other words, a growing “efficacy gap”, and this is particularly troubling given shifts in citizens’ orientations to those institutions that provide the glue between citizens and the state.

III.K) Cutting Edge of Engagement

John Bekale, Senior Aboriginal Affairs Advisor, BHP Diamonds Inc. Ted Blondin, Land Claims Manager, Dogrib Treaty 11 Council Bob McLeod, Deputy Minister, Municipal & Community Affairs, Government of the Northwest Territories Lorne Tricoteux, Associate Regional Director General, Indian & Northern Affairs Canada

This session covered the process by which BHP Diamonds Inc. gained approval to open a diamond mine in the Northwest Territories. This process involved close and vigorous interaction between numerous stakeholders, including federal and territorial officials, company management, and the local native community. The focal point of the consultation process was a 60 day deadline for negotiations (imposed by the NWT Minister) in which the parties had to agree to reach three agreements: a Socio-Economic Agreement (BHP and the NWT government), an Independent Benefit Agreements (between BHP aboriginal communities), and an Environmental Agreement (between BHP, the federal government, and aboriginal communities).

The consultation process was complicated by a variety of factors. First, a history of poor relations existed between the Dogrib community and mining enterprises. Additionally, since no diamond mines had been established previously in northern Canada, there were no precedents to follow in the area of environmental assessment or sharing of resources. As a result, detailed regulatory requirements complicated the discussions. Ongoing land claims negotiations represented an additional variable.

Panelists pointed to the elements that were essential in ensuring a successful outcome to the negotiations:

q the negotiations received the full involvement of aboriginal communities;

q the agreement broke new ground by including the concept of "traditional knowledge" of the aboriginal communities. This provided for full and equal consideration of traditional knowledge in environmental assessments and impact studies;

q the 60 day deadline to reach an agreement helped focus participants' energies;

20 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance q BHP Inc. was determined to work closely with the various stakeholders. It did this by developing a communications plan with four elements: 1) setting out the objectives; 2) identifying the stakeholders; 3) understanding their concerns; and 4) building a relationship;

q all parties entered the negotiations with a strong desire to succeed.

The outcomes of BHP's development of the diamond mine have thus far been very positive. The number of Dogrib youth attending university has grown from 3 in 1995 to 86 in 1998. Also, company employment and spending targets for aboriginal and northern participation have been greatly exceeded.

III.L) From Conflict to Consensus

David Cameron, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto

David Cameron discussed the benefits that citizen engagement initiatives might bring to helping resolve conflicts of identity in divided societies. Given deep-seated disputes over recognition, respect and representation between cultural or linguistic groups, citizen deliberation on key issues can help resolve conflict outside of the emotional and often zero- sum context of political institutions.

Canada can learn from the experience of other countries that have developed unofficial processes of interactive conflict resolution. These processes have helped bring the contending parties together to increase mutual understanding, underline common and competing interests, assess the costs of continuing the conflict, build mutual trust, and explore the possibilities for agreement. Examples include deliberations among un-elected Tajikistan officials following civil war in the early 1990s, as well as Israeli-Palestinian dialogue in Oslo during 1993.

According to Dr. Cameron, citizen engagement in a process of conflict resolution is especially important when: q the conflict is protracted, and a long-standing stalemate has hardened positions at the official table; q communication is difficult or distorted across political boundaries; q the costs of the stalemate are growing and apparent to the parties; q frustration with official processes is high; and q the parties feel that a problem is too dangerous to ignore, but think that formal approaches may not succeed.

Two processes of citizen engagement were identified as crucial for success in mediating conflict. The first process involves influential citizens and community leaders who have strong roots in the community and access to (though not direct participation in) political institutions. Through workshops and dialogue, they can analyze the sources of conflict and the obstacles to resolution. Most importantly, these individuals can help devise new ideas and proposals that may not have been considered in the existing political agenda.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 21 Institute On Governance The second process involves ordinary citizens, both individually and in their community associations. Discussion forums through networks in civil society (as well as techniques such as deliberative polling) enable citizens to take “ownership” of issues, and to increase awareness of the compromises and tradeoffs that must be made. Experience has indicated that failure to engage citizens at early stages of the decision-making process can be fatal if their formal approval of agreements is eventually required. Examples include the Charlottetown Accord as well as recent referendums on the expansion of the European Union in Norway, France, Denmark, and Sweden.

In the course of engaging both “influential” and “ordinary” citizens, successful conflict resolution requires high-quality information, the presence of nonpartisan facilitators, an open agenda, and deliberative processes that are inclusive, fair and respectful. Open time frames must also be permitted, given the many barriers that need to be overcome in resolving deeply rooted conflicts. These processes also require linkages that allow their results to be communicated to the political leadership and the wider society.

Dr. Cameron suggested that citizen engagement would be useful in addressing two contentious issues related to the unity debate in Canada: the post-referendum escalation of linguistic tensions in Montreal, and the deep differences about the appropriate rules that should govern any future referendum in Quebec. A less divisive but germane policy issue might also be the use of the federal government’s fiscal surplus.

III.M) Virtual Citizenship?

Alex Usher, Alex Usher Consulting Reg Alcock, Member of Parliament ( South)

This session focused on the opportunities and constraints of using new technologies -- particularly internet-based -- to engaging citizens in policy debate. Emphasis was placed on technologies that permit dialogue from different locations, either synchronously (e.g. an appointed hour) or asynchronously (e.g. an ongoing chat group).

Both presenters distinguished between email and web-based communication. Email tends to emulate private conversation, amounting to a "para-aural" experience. By contrast, web- based communication -- as in a public discussion thread -- is more similar to talk radio since it is "broadcast" to the world. This has a considerable dampening effect on people's willingness to participate in this type of forum. Mr. Usher based his insights on his experience as a moderator in the Sympatico/CBC 1997 election web-sites. Only 1 out of approximately 20 to 30 "visitors" to each site actually participated in on-line discussions. Moderators who posed "neutral" questions, moreover, tended to elicit little response. Active debate and larger discussion volumes only occurred when the moderators were deliberately provocative.

The web also tends to segment users into small communities with well-defined interests. This has important implications for policy discussion, given that visitors to a given site tend to be quite homogeneous. Political web-sites, by and large, speak to the converted. They are not "democratic" in the sense that they encourage debate among people with differing points of

22 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance view. While internet communications facilitate distribution of material, they do not necessarily guarantee representativeness of input.

There was general consensus on a number of points: q Web consultations work best if the group being consulted is relatively informed and small (and especially if the discussion takes place in at least a semi-private web-site). In other words, the web may be an excellent tool for engaging policy communities, but not the general public at large. q Internet-based technology is beneficial in its ability to inform and educate Canadians, especially with its capability of cross-relating information through hypertext links. It is also useful in its ability to support small and defined policy networks/study groups with the aid of a moderator. q Internet technology has not matured sufficiently, however, to support broad-based citizen dialogue on complex policy issues. The techniques for effective dialogue as well as the sociology of the medium require more work. The following areas require particular attention: - making the process inclusive or at least representative of a diversity of views; - improving access (cost, remoteness, disability access, etc.); - engaging people from passive to active participation; - managing scale (from tens to thousands of participants).

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 23 Institute On Governance

IV) SUMMARY OF CONFERENCE FINDINGS

While they do not represent the views of all conference presenters or participants, a number of common themes emerged during the plenary discussions and workshops :

1) Citizen engagement is not synonymous with consultation

It was stated during many discussions that the distinction between citizen engagement and consultation needs to be made more forcefully. Citizen engagement may be thought of as one form of consultation, but it is unwise to use these terms interchangeably. According to Jocelyne Bourgon, citizen engagement complements and builds on the federal government's existing consultation practices rather than replacing them.

Greater clarity in distinguishing between citizen engagement and consultation is important for at least two reasons. First, it helps to emphasize that different forms of consultation will be required in different instances. A "one-size-fits-all" approach to consultation is not warranted in the development of policy, legislation, or regulations. Second, a better distinction between the two will help manage expectations on the part of public servants and citizens, and should make both groups more sensitive to when citizen engagement initiatives should or should not be used.

2) Citizen engagement can be both a methodology and a mindset

There were primarily two ways in which participants viewed citizen engagement. The first treats citizen engagement as a methodology. While a number of speakers agreed that engagement processes remain at a theoretical rather than a practical level, it was recognized that some basic principles should drive this process. These include shared agenda-setting for all participants, a relaxed time-frame for deliberation, an emphasis on value-sharing rather than debate, and consultative practices based on inclusiveness, courtesy and respect.

The second manner of viewing citizen engagement is as a mindset for public policy makers. This entails working harder to ensure that citizens' voices are brought to decision-making tables. As Andy Scott declared, it means improving how our public institutions work without necessarily replacing them. This means personally investing time and commitment on the part of line managers, senior executives, and elected ministers to the cause of involving citizens.

3) There is a need to identify institutional constraints to effective citizen engagement

A number of constraints were identified that impede effective citizen engagement in the public service. Several participants expressed concern that greater public service interaction with citizens and stakeholder groups may be usurping the traditional responsibilities of MPs and cabinet ministers. Given public servants' general inexperience in this role, greater access to training (in the areas of consultation and facilitation) may be required. Tim Plumptre identified a number of other barriers within individual departments, including resource shortages, absence of internal forums to determine consultation priorities, lack of senior executive leadership, and unclear or outdated internal policies.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 25 Institute On Governance Other participants alluded to the limited attention paid to citizen engagement by politicians in Canada.

4) Innovations in citizen engagement are not occuring solely at the federal level

Private sector experience (BHP Diamond Mines, Bell Canada), municipal experience (Toronto), and voluntary sector experience (Canadian Policy Research Networks, Canadian Council for International Cooperation) demonstrate that greater involvement of citizens is not the preoccupation of any one sector in Canadian society.

The experience of the voluntary sector is particularly important, as many of these organizations have developed methodologies that have successfully involved citizens in resolving tough public policy issues (CPRN's "The Society We Want", the Minnesota Citizens League's study committees). Voluntary associations can also contribute to citizen engagement in a variety of ways: by representing the views of their "constituency" to government, and by providing access to their networks of citizens. Given the public's general high regard for the voluntary sector (relative to elected officials), non-governmental organizations can help inform participants and faciliate dialogue between government and citizens.

5) There is a need to revisit the uses of information technologies in engaging citizens

It has become apparent that internet-based efforts to engage citizens are not revolutionizing politics as originally believed. In fact, web technology is not altering democratic dialogue as much as it is extending it. In the case of the voluntary sector, the internet is a useful mechanism to "broadcast" ideas and mobilize commitment ("Citizens for Local Democracy" in Toronto, the international campaign to ban landmines). In the case of government, experience is showing that internet consultation works best when the desired audience is informed and small, and is less successful when involving a larger constituency. It is also clear that "virtual" communication is not replacing citizens' desire for face-to-face interaction with their institutions.

There was consensus that internet technologies have not progressed adequately to support broad based citizen dialogue and convergence on complex policy issues. Increased attention must be placed on internet consultation techniques and on the sociology of the medium.

6) We must define the obligations and abilities of the "engaged"

Citizen engagement is a process of active learning, and participants must come to the process willing to learn. Issue books, exposure to expert panels, and participatory research are means by which citizens may acquire some depth on issues of public policy.

More broadly, Benjamin Barber addressed the need to focus on the quality of citizens rather than solely on the qualities of leaders. The active involvement of citizens within their free associations (e.g. neighbourhoods, religious groups, sports leagues) will help form the core of a vibrant democracy. With the civic skills that they acquire in these contexts, people will become capable of citizenship at higher levels (provincial, national, global).

26 A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change Institute On Governance 7) Demands for citizen engagement herald a new type of leadership

Recent surveys of citizens demonstrate that there are profound value changes afoot in Canada and within other western democracies. The World Values Survey, as described by Neil Nevitte, shows that Canadians are not as apathetic or as deferential as once presumed. They are more likely to display low tolerance for secrecy and evasiveness on the part of their institutions, and want to deliberate meaningfully on issues affecting their lives.

The increasing efficacy of citizens has narrowed the information and influence gap between the public and their political leaders. In this new context, it is becoming much more difficult to govern in traditional "top-down" ways. Effective leaders today are enablers, and they will increasingly be called upon to convene discussion and to allow communities outside of government to seek solutions themselves. Citizen engagement will undoubtedly become an important tool to accomplish this end.

A Voice for All: Engaging Canadians for Change 27 Institute On Governance