The Role of Elected Officials in Public Involvement

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The Role of Elected Officialsin Public
Involvement

• Carolyn Bennett, M.D., M.P.
• October 16, 2008
• Municipal Association of Victoria

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Information Communication

• imperative......
• Send
• AND
• Receive

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Once a family doctor, always..

• Patient as Partner
• Ask people whats wrong and listen, together
  develop a plan
• Democracy between elections..
• same thing

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Attitude

• The most important tool
• Truly believe that you get better public policy
  and more relevant and responsive programs

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Objective Good governmentUrsula Franklin

• Fair
• Transparent
• Takes people seriously

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CYNICISM
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Process for Democratic Reform

• Electoral Reform
• Parliamentary Reform
• Party Reform
• Democracy between elections citizen
  engagement

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Democracy

• One of the cornerstones of democracy has been to
  provide public spaces in which citizens can
  discuss ideas
• The web provides a new and important space
• This can change the notion of representative
  democracy

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OECD Citizen as Partner 2001

• Information
• Consultation
• Participation

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Legitimacy

• Timing
• Assured Listening EKOS
• Tracking Successes / Feedback processes

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Civic Literacy

• Government vs Parliament
• Whos asking?
• ??? Different Questions
• Parliament What ?
• Government How ?

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

Peter Newman
Therefore deciding whats necessary is
political
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Stephen ColemanProfessor of e-democracy Leeds
University

• People dont want to govern they want to be
  heard.
• Civic efficacy
• Two-way accountability

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Stephen Coleman

• Parliaments role is emerging as that of a
  mediator between the voice of the public and
  government.

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e democracy

• Not the intent to circumvent, but to strengthen
  the role of representatives.
• Douglas Alexander MP,
• E-commerce Minister, UK
• Wilton Park, 2001

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Empowering MPsStrengthening Democracy

• MPs in the riding
• MPs in their non- geographic constituencies,
  opposition critics
• MPs as Parliamentary committee members
• MPs in collaboration with government
• MPs as Political Party members
• MPs supporting MPs internationally

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1. MPs in the RidingSt. Pauls Model

• Newsletters
• Neighbourhood check-ups - 17 natural
• Town Halls, Roundtables, Parliamentary Clinics
• Tabulation
• Schools
• Grade 5 Canadian Government
• Grade 10 Civics (compulsory)
• Website interactive
• MSN chat weekly

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2. MPs in their non geographic constituencies

• Health reform
• Womens issues
• Disability issues
• Middle east
• Gay rights

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Critic Activities

• Seniors e-summit June 12th 2008
• Use technology to access non-geographic
  constituents
• Ex. Seniors
• Able to have grass roots discussion with
  Canadians across the country

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Online Summits for Citizen Engagement
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TakingITGlobal uses technology to engage citizens
in pressing social issues.So far in 2008, over
3 million people from 200 countries have been
involved in our online learning community,
www.takingitglobal.orgWe call this Social
Networking for Social Good!
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Social Networking for Social Good
Our Vision Young people everywhere are inspired,
informed and actively involved in shaping our
world.
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• Our Achievements
• Over 3.5 million people used the site in 2007
• Available in 12 languages
• Over 250,000 downloads of Action Guides
• Over 35,000 Actions Taken through the site in 6
  months
• Youth engaged from every country on the planet
• 700 schools in over 50 countries using TIGed
• Over 300 volunteers and 60 staff in 15 countries

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3. MPs as Parliamentary Committee Members
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Information Based Site
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Consultations
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Participant Evaluation Issue Poll
Question Based on this experience, I would
participate in an issue poll again.
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Key Factors for Success

• Ongoing and active political support
• Tie the on-line component to the traditional
  off-line study
• Bringing all relevant partners together at the
  outset
• Adequate time for planning and development
• Appropriate first steps (Roundtable, Information
  based site, research)
• Pick proper tools
• Communications
• Analysis

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4. MPs in collaboration with Government
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5. MPs as Party Members

• Policy Process ?
• Separate site for riding association?

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Leadership race

• Wikipedia/ Google documents
• 5 policy documents
• On-line discussion for a week
• An hour on line with me to persuade me to change
  them

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6. MPs supporting each other internationally

• Best practices in legislation
• Personal support
• ComplementaryIPU, CPA etc.

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Empowering MPsEmpowering 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

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Public policy

• Putting the poli into policy
• Research
• Policy
• Practice

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research
practice
policy
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research
KT
practice
policy
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research
KT
practice
policy
Political willing
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research
KT
Applied research
practice
policy
Political willing
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Species at Risk

• It is not the strongest of the species
  that survives, not the most intelligent, but the
  one most responsive to change.
  Charles Darwin

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Its good for your health !

• Physical and mental energy come from feeling
  in control of your life, having real choices, and
  being involved with other to find ways of
  organizing change for the better.
• Barbara Rogers