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Engineering Better Public Policy !!

Carolyn Bennett, M.D.,M.P.

May 8, 2009

“Politics in Canada has always been the art of making the necessary possible.

Deciding what ‘s necessary is POLITICAL

Peter C. Newman

Accidental Tourist in Politics

• Fight for Women’s College Hospital• Frustration with public policy• Frustration with medical leadership• M.P./M.D. parallel• Coach through system• Doctor on Call

Confessions • Patient as Partner

– Ask what’s wrong and LISTEN– Women’s College Hospital, Toronto

• Non Quo Sed Quo Modo ….– “Not what we do, but how”

• Feminist Theory…..– inclusive decision-making = better results

• Complexity Theory and Politics– “For every complex human problem, there is a neat

simple solution, it’s just that it’s WRONG !” H.L.Mencken

www.carolynbennett.ca 6

Once a family doctor, always…..

• Patient as Partner• Ask people what’s wrong and listen, together

develop a plan• Democracy between elections…..

– same thing

“Good public policy is developed when the policy-makers can keep in their mind’s eye the people affected.”

Jane Jacobs

Attitude

2+2=5 Knowledgeable Stakeholders

+ Committed(listening)Politicians

=

Better Public Policy


Objective: Good governmentUrsula Franklin

• Fair• Transparent• Takes people seriously

CYNICISM

“Underestimating our power. Well- meaning fatalism. What can we do?”

Michael Ignatieff

1. Stop talking like victims 2. Stop assuming we all agree 3. Stop underestimating our strength.”

Michael Ignatieff

“Three mistakes:

“Feel our strength. We can’t go back to some nostalgic paradise in the past.”

Michael Ignatieff

“Power is not real. It is an illusion maintained by the belief of the powerless that others hold it.”

Elizabeth May

Leader, Green Party

Making a Difference

• NGO’s• Professional Organizations• Academics/Research• Media• Electoral Politics

Our System

Government

• Prime Minister• Cabinet• Pubic service

Parliament

• Members of Parliament• Senators


Stephen Coleman

“ Parliament’s role is emerging as that of a mediator between the voice of the public and government.”

Stephen ColemanProfessor of e-democracy

Oxford University

“People don’t want to govern they want to be heard.”

“Civic efficacy”

“Two-way accountability”

Context

• Silos of Government• Jurisdictional gridlock• Governments prefer solutions• Coalition of unusual suspects - compelling• Public policy usually follows public opinion• Climate of ‘investment’

Sir Michael Marmot

• Evidence is not enough. There has to be the desire, the political will for change. Given that will - a big given but I am an optimist - the evidence of what works will be a great help.

Research

• Evidence-informed practice• Practice-informed evidence

• Courage to fund what works• Courage to stop funding what doesn`t

• Complex adaptive systems…


‘Public’ policy

Putting the ‘poli’ into policy

– Research– Policy – Practice

Research

Practice Policy

Research

Practice Policy

KT

Research

Practice Policy

KT

Political will

Research

Practice Policy

KT

Political will

Appliedresearch

Research

Practice Policy

ENGAGED CITIZENS

KT

Political will

Appliedresearch

Sir Michael Marmot

“Evidence is not enough. There has to be the desire, the political will for change. Given that will - a big given but I am an optimist - the evidence of what works will be a great help.”

No time for pessimists

Public policy usually follows public opinion….

BECAUSE…….

Doing the right thing is very difficult if the public aren’t onside…

Political Will to do the right thing

• Dramatically improves with an educated public…… civic literacy

• Citizens pulling healthy public policy…. civic efficacy


Information Communication

• imperative......

Send AND

Receive


OECD Citizen as Partner 2001

• Information• Consultation• Participation


Legitimacy

• Timing

• ‘Assured Listening’ – EKOS

• Tracking Successes / Feedback processes


Civic Literacy

• Government vs Parliament• Who’s asking?

• ??? Different Questions• Parliament – “What” ?• Government – “ How” ?


Strengthening Democracy

1. MPs in the riding2. MPs with their non- geographic

constituencies, opposition critics3. MPs as Parliamentary committee

members4. Government consultations5. Political Parties


Empowering Citizens – Why?

• Better public policy – unusual coalitions presenting real solutions

• Better legislation, better implementation• Better scrutiny – what questions to ask ?• Better relationships between citizens and their

representatives• Ultimate goal: a more robust democracy !!

great people will run, citizens will vote

Rx: Civic ParticipationIt’s good for your health

Physical and mental energy comes from

feeling in control of your life, having real choices, and being involved with others

to find ways of organizing change for the better

Barbara Rogers

BONUS !!!!!!!!

Quiz• Who is your MP• Who is your MPP• Have you ever written/called/emailed an

elected representative• Did you vote in the last election• Do you belong to a political party• Have you ever helped in an election

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