Engaging Citizens: Resources and Tools Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

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Engaging Citizens Resources and Tools
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
November 26, 2003 Carolyn Bennett, MD MP
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Objective Good governmentUrsula Franklin

• Fair
• Transparent
• Takes people seriously

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Process for Democratic Reform

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

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Parliamentary Reform

• The legislative branch is caught in a pincer
  movement between an enhanced judicial branch and
  an enhanced executive branch.
• Irwin Cotler, MP

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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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Dialogue St. Pauls - 2000

• Citizen Engagement and the Elected Representative
• Robert Putnam
• Social capital
• Declining memberships, voter turnout
• bowling alone
• Internet - complementary

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Stephen ColemanProfessor of e-democracy Oxford
UniversityPeople dont want to govern they
want to be heard. Civic efficacyTwo-way
accountability
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e - Democracy

• This is NOT about e-government
• This is NOT about direct democracy
• This is NOT about internet chat
• This is NOT about on-line postings
• This is NOT about polls/surveys
• Stephen Coleman

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www.d-code.com

• To engage young Canadians politicians need to
  overcome two major challenges
• A) Awareness
• B) Involvement

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Key Success Factors

• RELEVANT
• AUTHENTIC
• INFORMATIVE
• INTERACTIVE
• COMMITTED

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Empowering MPsStrengthening Democracy

• MPs in the riding
• MPs in their non- geographic constituencies
• 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 phone calls and faxes and emails to
  the PMO
• Schools
• Grade 5 Canadian Government
• Grade 10 Civics (compulsory)
• Website interactive

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Web Stats
www.carolynbennett.com
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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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3. MPs as Parliamentary Committee Members
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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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MPs supporting each other internationally

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

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• Pre-Budget Consultations
• allows government to do tough things
• in tough times
• e democracy -Crossing Boundaries
• Staying responsive and relevant to citizens.
  2001
• Dont want to hold the public service back, but
  rather enhance the role of Parliament and MPs to
  use the tools and engage in e-consultation." 2002
• Hon. Paul Martin

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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 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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Stephen Coleman

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

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Next Steps ???

• Information for all
• Consultation as an option for some
• Pilot on Deliberative Models
• Resources
• Participation in Guidelines for Government
  Parliament
• QUESTIONS ???
• Capacity within
• Risk of outsourcing
• Ability to monitor/partner with civil society

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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