Publication # 2135/E
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, 2002
Cat. No. A22-237/2001E-IN
ISBN No. 0-662-32418-8


For further information on the Rural Dialogue, please call
1-888-781-2222 (toll free number).

This report contains the material collected from the Saskatchewan Rural Dialogue session held at the Saskatoon Centennial Auditorium in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on March 17, 2001. The report was developed from many pages of chart paper used to record thoughts and solutions to issues identified by the participants. Many of the discussions took place in brainstorming sessions at which no limits were placed on the participants. Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Government of Canada. In order to present a true report of the free-ranging discussions, recommendations made by participants that fall outside federal jurisdiction are also included. Apart from small editorial modifications, the report is presented in the words of participants.

The Saskatchewan Rural Dialogue was an Open Space meeting — a meeting that allows rural participants to influence the policy making process through promoting creative thinking and encouraging participation. Approximately 50 people from across Saskatchewan participated in the discussions. This type of approach to meetings is useful because the rural participants, through an interactive process in which they brainstorm and express their concerns and seek answers, find local solutions to local challenges.

"We covered a large array of topics and everyone got the chance to express an opinion on the topic of choice." – Saskatchewan Dialogue participant

The Open Space meeting was also a method of addressing organizers' concerns regarding choosing the best process that could accommodate a wide variety of perspectives. The Open Space meetings allowed all who participated to listen to diverse opinions on and expressions of municipal and provincial problems that affect rural communities in Saskatchewan.

Dialogues like the one in Saskatoon (and the National Rural Conference held in Magog in April 2000) have been used by the Secretary of State (Rural Development)(Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario) to influence policies and programs affecting rural and remote Canadians.

One of the distinctive advantages of holding an Open Space meeting, is the fact that the participants are allowed to construct the agenda themselves, depending on what THEY want to talk about. A facilitator is used only to help the participants voice their concerns.

Bob Chartier was the Saskatchewan Rural Dialogue session facilitator. He is employed by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Constructing the agenda

• The participants were asked to introduce themselves, and tell the group what they came there to talk about. They were asked to summarize this information on a sheet of paper.
• The participants' notes were then (randomly) posted on the wall in three columns — A, B, and C. Each note was given a number from one to twelve, as in the Farmer's Market table below.

• By the end of this process, there were approximately 12 numbered notes randomly distributed in each of the columns.

Concurrent sessions

• Once the items on the agenda had been established, the columns (see the Farmer's Market above) became time slots (11:00–11:45, 1:00–1:45, 1:45–2:30), and the 12 rows denoted issues discussed in that time slot.
• With 12 separate sessions per time slot, the participants could choose to attend the discussion on the topic that interested them the most. (Since the concurrent sessions took place in the same room, numbered helium balloons were used to direct participants to the session where their topic was discussed.)
• In every session, the participants were asked to identify at least two things that they are doing "right" with regard to the issue, and two ways in which they could improve what they are doing (in most cases they found more than two ways for improvement).

In-depth discussions

• By the afternoon break it was clear that more time was left than the organizers anticipated. As a result, they decided to continue the discussions, this time separating the participants into two groups.
• Once in their groups, the participants were asked to investigate in-depth four key issues that had been identified in the first three time slots.
• The details of the in-depth discussions are provided on pages 11 to 15.

If you are interested in holding an Open Space meeting in your community, see Annex 1 (a "how-to" section copied directly from the manual called Tools For Leadership and Learning).

In the initial stages of the Open Space meeting, the participants were asked to identify issues that are important to their community. Although some of these issues were not discussed later in small groups, they are representative of the community concerns and as such included in this report. Please note that the wording of these issues is participants' own.

Issues discussed

• develop our young people to meet the human resource needs
• acknowledge compromises
• develop positive attitude, promote the positive, bend the rules
• address burnout of volunteers
• historical issues: drop them or resolve them
• celebrate our successes
• solve rural issues at rural level
• identify the issues
• make a personal commitment to get youth involved
• seize opportunities
• rebuild small town economy
• break down the barriers between First Nations and other communities
• develop infrastructure based on need
• culture vs. agriculture
• our "oldness" - need for renewal
• stigma attached to youth staying in rural Saskatchewan
• presence of the government representatives at the table listening
• paradigm shift to positive co-operative dialogue for Saskatchewan betterment
• aboriginal land purchase and its effect on tax base
• dynamics of rural Saskatchewan: What is rural Saskatchewan going to look like in 10 years? Find a balance among large farms, small farms, specialty farms and intensified operations.
• "Corporation, Government, Media, Workers/Farmers, UNITE (Reverse the order)" — A female participant drew a triangle separated horizontally into five sections. At the top tip of the triangle was the word "corporations," followed by "government," "media", "workers/farmers," and "UNITE!" at the bottom. She then wrote "Reverse the Order".
• shut down the coffee shops ("Shut down the coffee shops" was coined to signify the tendency of "coffee shop discussions" to be negative and pessimistic.)

Issues not discussed, but presented as important to participants

• not talk about problems but opportunities
• discuss the issue of personal contact vs. high-tech communication
• less government intervention
• work on urban/rural farm community understanding
• engage in "plain talk"
• succession planning
• address the culture problem!
• address free trade barriers in Canada
• government's responsibility in transition of power (e.g., equity)
• "decommission the commission": The studies, the conferences and the inquiries
• how to build leadership and membership?
• government restrictions (e.g., age)

Using the initially developed issue agenda, the participants were asked to focus their small group discussions on: "two things we are doing right on this issue" and "two ways in which we could improve on this issue". In most cases, the participants suggested more than two ways of addressing an issue. In every discussion group, a participant volunteered to record the outcomes of the discussions.

Aboriginal Land Purchase and Tax Base

• there are two programs in place: the Treaty Land Entitlement and Specific Land Claims that send money to the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities to place in a fund from which tax money is paid to municipalities to make up for the lost tax base when land claims are successful

• see to it that the fund is invested with care so it does not run dry
• need to correct the perception that the municipalities are losing taxes because of Aboriginal land claims. This could be addressed by an informational program in schools
• encourage people to discuss the issue face-to-face with the Aboriginal community
• "make friends" with a member of the "other" culture
• write to newspapers (for example, The Rural Times, newsletters)
• create T.V. (and other media) advertisements paid for by the federal government
• use the Western Producer (a newspaper) to educate all citizens about Aboriginal peoples' issues, especially the Land Entitlement and Land Claim issues
• educate Aboriginal people so they too understand these issues
• use plain language

Celebrate Successes to Create More Positive Stories

• The Department of Western Economic Diversification (The Department is seen as helping to create a positive environment for business development, thereby contributing to positive stories.)

• support successful businesses
• work with community/urban newspapers
• celebrate and recognize our advancement (not necessarily momentary) as well as our "rural" values
• motivational speeches (speakers' bureau)
• celebrate successes, perhaps through the use tools such as calendars and Web sites to promote awareness

Identify the Issues

• some government studies have helped
• initiatives such as this (the Rural Dialogue) are good

• each area (sector or region) needs to identify its own problems before we can come up with solutions
• focus on the plan of attack after identifying the problem

Government Responsibility — Transaction of Power

• talking about it
• leasing rail lines to farmers so they can market their own grain

• resolve tax issues (e.g., school)
• create more competition (e.g., trains and rail lines be separated as entities) to reduce transportation costs to farmers
• give farmers more power and control over rail lines and transportation
• look at the whole, long-term picture for best long-term solution, and ask for an opinion of those most affected by the change

Seize the Opportunities

• dialogue and exchange of ideas narrow the gap between dialogue, policy and action
• transfer control and "ownership" of programs to local authorities: Community Futures, special crop sites, community animation

• push for inter-community cooperation. We can't solve problems on our own.
• need "sign of approval" support from government and reduction of barriers to our innovation

Build Small Town Economy

• establishing co-operatives
• identifying needs
• helping communities to work together to encourage competitors — the more services the better
• providing the needed services
• supporting home-based businesses
• shopping locally

• promote the rural or northern community lifestyle
• value employees
• stop the turf protection
• change the "mind set" of town councils taxing businesses (different rules for different folks)
• town by-laws zoning
• recognize what a new business means economically, a new business as a new home

Our "Oldness" — Need for Renewal

• we are supporting youth initiatives
• youth are included in community projects (e.g., sports, community improvement projects)

• we are slow to relinquish control
• difficult to accept new idea from youth
• more recognition for good deeds and ideas

Develop Our Young People to Meet the Human Resources Needs

• pretty good job of training our youth
• the Northern Teacher Education Program (NORTEP) which prepares northerners to teach in elementary and secondary classrooms. NORTEP combines university classes with extensive northern classroom teaching experience and is very successful
• providing training for the northerners in the mining industry

• have university students remain in Saskatchewan in return for the taxpayers' investment in their education
• have the government release all educational type programs to the community so that programs such as a career circuit are in the schools
• launch community programs to address the needs of high risk youth
• promote after school programs
• establish hammer and nail programs

Break Down Barriers

• business successes
• sincere interest in progress
• educational offerings and courses (but segregated schools, and segregated populations and cultures)

• racial stereotypes still predominate and get in the way of solutions: promote successes
• recognize minority demographics and do business with them
• improve access to infrastructure

Inter-Provincial Trade Barriers

• dialogue on the issue
• federal and provincial committees to deal with the issue
• a study has identified the problems

• make the public aware to apply pressure for change
• implement the next steps after the above-mentioned study
• need a result-oriented dialogue

Attitude Change: Both local citizens and governments need to believe we can
(Note: Believe that rural Saskatchewan can be successful.)

• Elk velvet plant in Wilkie proved to be successful and won the confidence of the people to invest in the development projects
• many people and communities are working with the community of Wilkie and Unity, Saskatchewan
• understanding and promoting how particular communities have created their success

• need to stimulate a new attitude and approach to education
• stop dealing with economic issues with a short-term focus
• need to improve the promotion of rural opportunities
• start getting these success stories out and use them to help other communities (informal education)

Shut Down Coffee Shops
(Note: "Shut down the coffee shops" was coined to signify the tendency of "coffee shop discussions" to be negative and pessimistic.)

• Keep coffee shops

• put a positive spin on the conversations; if not, go back to talking about the weather
• create a rural Development Agent (or Economic Development Officer) position in every small town whose mandate includes coffee shop dialogue
• publish coffee shop bulletins showing opportunities that exist
• re-educate bureaucrats (especially the Rural Secretariat) with mandatory six-month assignments in rural Canada, to lead by the example of Darell Pack and Secretary of State Andy Mitchell

Where are the Communities Going to be in 10 Years?

• ensuring diversity of the system
• creating an awareness that the future is an issue

• encourage ways to bring people back
• create an environment in which the "cottage industries" can thrive

Positive Attitudes: Promote the Positive (maybe even by bending the rules)

• starting dialogue working sessions
• promoting the positive aspects and finding ways to make things work

• establish a success column: "What's New in Saskatchewan?"
• establish a provincial column
• establish responsibility of partners (Chambers of Commerce, Saskatchewan Economic and Cooperative Development (SECD), businesses)
• bring two youth to next meeting (high school, Saskatchewan regional colleges (SRCs) perhaps)
• more dialogue like today — ensure follow-up

Paradigm Shift to Positive Co-operative Dialogue for the Betterment of Saskatchewan

• attempts to bring strangers together to discuss issues
• bringing in large projects and new technologies to the province
• establishing high-speed Internet throughout Saskatchewan

• start talking, listening and promoting all of the good things we are doing
• engage the media in the promotion process
• make the First Nations a positive partner in the province
• promote spin-off opportunities of large projects
• continue to develop access to the Internet
• provide educational support in return for working in Saskatchewan for a fixed period of time
• improve the power of "we"
• improve dialogue and access to communication and opportunities

Vision: What Will Rural Saskatchewan Look Like in the Future?

• realizing that we have a problem
• some Regional Economic Development Authority community groups have done a good job of envisioning solutions and working toward the vision

• we have started to talk, but do not (yet) have a good mutual understanding of the issue
• haven't had the talk at the community level (e.g., What do we want? How do we get there?)
• expansion of the livestock industry has to include manure management issues
• need to plan agriculture, health and education in a coordinated fashion (What is the role of new Rural Secretariat in Saskatchewan?)
• need new agriculture and industry strategy and vision

Problem: Cheap Food Policy — For whose benefit?

• getting together to discuss issue

• a new farm income support plan that benefits the farmers characterized as a long-term, basic resource farm support plan - net the benefit of farmers
• unite people and plan activities for the benefit of people (not profits and corporations)
• promote localization (e.g., small local co-ops)
• stop planned obsolescence

Solve Rural Issues at Rural Level and in Rural Areas

• building facilities
• making alternative use of facilities we now have

• self-marketing of communities' services
• stop the excuses for not having more rural meetings and start doing them
• direct mail-out to groups (governments/Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities): making a list of services available

Breaking Down the Barriers between First Nations and Other Communities

• initiating community development and partnership model
• desire is there

• supporting partnerships
• other communities reaching out to the First Nations
• cultural awareness and understanding of how to communicate
• focus on youth development for labour force

Historical Issues: Drop Them or Resolve Them

• Land Claim settlements
• dialogue with Western Canada

• deal with Land Claim settlements and move on
• resolve issues that have been here since Louis Reil's time
• evaluate programs and simplify government

Culture vs. Agriculture

(Is Saskatchewan still destined to being primarily agricultural or does our future contain non-agricultural industries? Do we want to go back to the old, hard farm life?)

• open door policy for business, government policy at all levels
• access to credit and capital

• organize meetings in rural communities to promote successes and investigate new ventures
• Community Futures Development Corporations lending money to new people with new ideas

Following the discussions of the issues on the agenda (at the concurrent sessions), the participants were asked to identify common threads and concerns that reappeared in the discussions. The four major threads that the participants identified were:

A)  Community Development (Made in Saskatchewan values and principles that would improve the role of governments in community development)
B)  Relationship between Aboriginal Communities and Communities in Rural Saskatchewan
C)  A Sense of Ownership of Rural Saskatchewan (moving from "them" to "we")
D)  Ways to Continue the Dialogue for Action

During the in-depth discussions, the participants were asked to respond to these four threads by providing their ideas of ways to improve the role of governments in community development.

What are the ways to improve communication with regard to the role of governments in community development?

• clear and concise listing of worthwhile government programs available for community development
• government involvement (as a resource) in the initial planning process for community development
• useful spectrum of communication tools: Web sites, brochures, 1-800 numbers, e-mail addresses, television, newspapers and radio
• simplify language and keep it simple
• one-on-one support
• lead with rural impact, NOT "The federal government did ..."

What are the ways to improve the role of government in community development?

• ask for community input in policy development
• develop community leadership to represent "people to government" and "government to people"
• support business plan development providing financing and expertise for local community
• define roles among levels of government; remove redundancy and overlap; tendency to blame is an excuse to do nothing
• understand vision and culture of community (i.e., their way of thinking)
• catalogue a world market to assist in identifying opportunities
• empower each level of government to act on defined roles
• share success stories
• provide community development training close to home
• return the $16 billion they took from us and spent on programs that did not succeed. Instead of studies/Agricultural Income Disaster Assistance (AIDA) program, simply return the money.

What are the ways to continue the dialogue for action with regard to the role of governments in community development?

• annual regional meeting
• bring dialogue to community level
• community development practitioners' meetings
• create a database list of participants on the Internet, promote the Web site, as well as have all levels of government monitor it and provide updates for the site
• government action (provincial and federal) to stimulate discussion
• work co-operatively with media to get the story out
• government to use the media to promote positive accomplishments and create understanding
• continue national rural conferences
• ongoing support for and expansion of The Rural Times newsletter
• government is to serve, not to be served

What are the ways in which Made in Saskatchewan values and principles would improve the role of governments in community development?

• be flexible enough for all communities to work together (federal/provincial; Aboriginal/non-aboriginal)
• spirit of cooperation must be a part of the approach and process
• respect existing community infrastructure and initiatives (e.g., volunteers, community groups)
• share and encourage community initiatives for the benefit of all
• promote quality of life in communities vs. "big" enterprises
• come home to Saskatchewan, people are our greatest asset

What are the ways to improve communication between the Aboriginal communities and other communities in rural Saskatchewan?

• promote cultural understanding and awareness
• attend and participate in each other's recreational events
• have more respect for each other
• increase involvement in groups and boards (education, health, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association)
• practice fairness (employment) and hospitality (extend invitations)
• organize open dialogue sessions
• share community resources and negotiate cost-sharing
• feature articles and programs through the media, including local newspapers, tv, radio
• identify common goals and work in cooperation
• identify issues to better understand each other
• invite each other to spend time in each others' communities
• share speakers
• develop conflict resolution training programs between Aboriginal and rural communities

What are the ways to improve the relationship between Aboriginal communities and other communities in rural Saskatchewan?

• get to know three families in each others' communities
• talk about the issues that can benefit partnerships
• take the initiative and make contacts that are "fun"
• begin with common youth projects
• hold meetings in each others' communities

What are the Made in Saskatchewan values and principles that would improve the relationship between Aboriginal communities and other communities in rural Saskatchewan?

• trust each other, have mutual respect
• we want our children to be better off than we are
• get to know our neighbourhood, understand values
• level playing field and opportunities, involve both groups in real projects (practical vs. theoretical)
• co-operation is key – share your decisions
• come to terms with the past and accept responsibility (example: treaties)
• respect the land
• meet people's basic needs
• respect people and each other

What are the ways to continue the dialogue for action between Aboriginal communities and other communities in rural Saskatchewan?

• build trust and break down barriers, stereotypes
• know where each other is coming from
• support cultural exchanges
• get to know people as individuals
• start with common interests or projects (e.g., sports or cultural events)
• one party invites the other to a community event
• promote reciprocity and trust
• work on common projects
• definite actions and results
• organize pot luck suppers
• initiate exchange programs
• participate at events
• build pride and confidence in history
• communicate and explain to each other issues of concern

What are the ways to improve communication — move from "them" to "we"?

• take responsibility for our destiny, success and growth
• communicate "we" not "them"
• share power — do not work alone
• follow protocol, communicate at the same level
• engage the media — advertise
• create more forums like this
• get the youth involved — get youth and elders involved together; learn from our elders so we can take over

What are the ways to move from "them" to "we"?

• we are moving on
• focus on commonalities and start joint projects
• ensure open honest dialogue, make compromises
• change vocabulary — focus on "we/us" not "them/they" or "you/your"
• encourage all to participate in the democratic process
• partner with "them"
• increase the visibility of "we"
• accept ownership and responsibility
• promote self-evaluation
• ensure some flexibility to adjust programs to individual needs (sharing control and power)

What are Made in Saskatchewan values and principles that would help us move from "them" to "we"?

• cooperation
• sense of community
• strong work ethic, honesty, integrity
• strong belief in self to implement change
• sense of grassroots, inclusive of big picture
• community is larger than small town
• inclusiveness in community organizations
• volunteers
• bonding with the environment and connection with the land and fellow human beings
• entrepreneurship
• problem solving

What are the ways to continue the dialogue for action?

• hold regular meetings around the province
• invite additional groups
• make this a continuous process (some people hate meetings and will never come out)
• network (e.g., e-mail participant names)
• report results back from facilitators to participants
• implement what we learned today and take this back to our communities
• "just do it" — take action
• have a blueprint of steps needed to achieve our goals
• show that the process is making progress
• frame results as a "rural" success, not a "federal" success

What is it?
An approach to large meetings that promote creative thinking and gets everyone participating.

Why should I use it?

• To get new and fresh ideas on an old program.
• To hear what your partners and clients have to say and immediately commit to them that you are going to consider their suggestions or act on them right away.

How can this tool help?
This tool can help you and your teams get away from old thinking and old ideas. Approach it with an open and receptive mind.

How does it work?

Planning
Set up a planning committee and be as inclusive as possible in inviting people who might contribute to developing new ideas. Tell people why you are consulting them and the broad subject area to be covered, and provide background material in advance. Use a facilitator.

Doing
Get the whole group to brainstorm on subjects related to your team's work, identifying issues and problems that they feel need to be addressed. The number of issues identified will determine the number of dialogue groups to choose from in the "marketplace". Then, post a list of issues from each dialogue group's time slot. Let participants choose which dialogue group they want to attend. After the participants break up into dialogue groups, each group decides which of the issues identified for that time slot it will address, and comes up with five solutions to the issue they have selected. Have one member of each group capture these ideas electronically. After the dialogues, invite everyone back to the main room for the closing plenary.

Following up
Capture recommendations electronically as the day progresses so that you can give people a complete draft document at the end of the session. This is the opportunity for the leadership to commit to action based on the suggestions received. If they cannot do this, there must be a commitment to review the recommendations and get back to participants with an action plan.

What resources do I need?
A planning committee, a facilitator, a large room for the plenary, additional meeting rooms, flip charts, portable computers and note-takers. You will need about one day for the process, although the time needed depends on the complexity of the issues.

What is the leadership edge?
Because there are no leaders in the room, you tap the leadership potential of everyone present while you build a collective, consensus-based agenda.

* Source: "Tools from Leadership and Learning" manual.

Developing a new attitude. Making the most of opportunities. Finding ways to keep youth from moving away. Bridging the gap between Aboriginals and non-aboriginals.

These were the main themes that emerged at a recent meeting of 40 rural residents from across Saskatchewan who got together in Saskatoon to exchange information and ideas about rural sustainability.

The event, called Rural Dialogue, was sponsored by the federal government's Rural Secretariat to gather information at the grassroots level that will influence government decisions on rural development.

People came from all over the province – from La Ronge to Ponteix – and spent the day discussing topics which they themselves raised.

"There are lots of opportunities in rural Saskatchewan, but we won't make them grow if we have a negative attitude," said Marc Topola, general manager of Prairie Rubber Corporation, a tire recycling plant in Assiniboia. "We have to be aggressive about going after these opportunities."

Wayne Zimmer, an economic development consultant, said that although agriculture is an important part of the provincial culture and economy, rural Saskatchewan has to be positive and go beyond primary production in order to grow.

"We have originality, innovation – all of that," he said. "And now we need to bring these to fruition."

Another participant, Louis Hradecki of Albertville, who is the vice chairman of the Saskatchewan Council for Community Development, also stressed the need for rural communities to take the initiative in moving ahead.

"We need to see the positive aspects of what we have and move forward," he said. "We can take aspects of government policies that apply to us and work with them, but we can't rely on government to do it all."

A participant who wanted to remain anonymous said rural survival depends a great deal on reversing the stigma attached to young people who choose to stay in their communities as opposed to leaving for greener pastures. Quite often, she said, the ones that stay behind are considered by their peers to be failures.

"It all boils down to values," she said. "Is success measured by a better quality of life or by the amount of money you make?"

One of the discussion groups focussed on the need to break down barriers between First Nations and non-aboriginal communities. Group members offered suggestions that included creating cultural awareness within rural communities, helping develop Aboriginal youth for the rural labour force, and making efforts to promote business between the cultures.

Another group talked about rural Saskatchewan 20 years from now, and suggested that this needs to be a topic of discussion across the province. People need to talk in order to come up with a common vision, said group members, and they need to embrace the future by realizing things are changing.

Other topics that were discussed included training young people, promoting new businesses, celebrating successes, promoting success stories, and building small-town economies.

People who attended the event took the first steps in creating a network to facilitate new ideas for growth in their communities.

"We all networked together to see what worked for other communities," said Connie Martin, a participant from Shellbrook. "We took back positive experiences that might work in our communities."

Rural Dialogues have been ongoing since 1998, and have taken place in many locations across Canada.

Saskatchewan Rural Dialogue in the News
A good-news story was created out of the Rural Dialogue event in Saskatchewan, held March 17 in Saskatoon, and was forwarded to rural newspapers in the province. Kipling Citizen - April 13, 2001; Rosthern Sask. Valley News - April 11, 2001; Wadena News - April 11, 2001. We are planning to generate coverage of more successful rural projects and programs in the future.

Further contact information:

Darell M. Pack
Rural Secretariat
204-984-6510

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