Glossary
Here are Health Canada's definitions to several public involvement terms and activities.
Advisory Committee, Board or Council
A group of representatives from a particular community or with differing interests, who are selected by government bodies to advise, comment, review or make recommendations for action on any given issue. Terms of reference outline the responsibilities of Advisory Committees. (Level 3 or 4 activity)
Bilateral Meetings
These are formal meetings usually between government and a stakeholder organization often used to identify, define or clarify issues and increase knowledge base on the issues. This category is part of a public involvement plan or strategy and excludes intermittent business meetings with stakeholders. (Level 2 or 3 activity )
Citizen Jury
A citizens' jury, also known as a planning cell, brings together a group to represent the profile of a local community or the population as a whole. Participants are asked to consider an issue usually involving a matter of policy or planning. Although participants are called "jurors," they also serve as lawyer and judge during the process. Information is presented and deliberated in a quasi-courtroom setting, and jurors are asked to reach consensus on the issue as representatives of a collective public voice. (Level 5 activity)
Consensus Conference
A consensus conference, or a citizens' conference, is where an unaffiliated group of individual citizens becomes informed about an issue and formulates a set of recommendations for policymakers and the public. Similar to a "citizens' jury" approach, the main aim of the project is to influence the policy-making process by opening up a dialogue between the public, experts and government. (Level 5 activity)
Consultation
An overarching term that refers to the techniques involving a two-way flow of information that offer options for consideration and encourage feedback. (Levels 2 to 4 activities)
Consultation Workbook (See also Submissions)
A workbook is a publication, produced in print, electronic form, or both, that provides contextual information and invites users to suggest solutions to a set of problems or challenges. Workbooks can also be used to impart skills related to public involvement (or any other body of knowledge). Depending on the issues to be addressed and the scope and depth of input required, a workbook can be distributed as a stand-alone public involvement tool, or as one part of a larger consultative or deliberative exercise. (Level 2 activity)
Consumer Groups
These are groups that represent users or purchasers of the products or services of Health Canada. They are considered a segment of the public.
Dialogue
This is a structured, usually moderated, process to discuss and deliberate on issues allowing participants with differing values and priorities to build a common understanding of the problems and opportunities. This allows interactions and influence amongst participants such as E-dialogues, Appreciative Inquiry, and Deliberative Dialogue. (Level 4 activity)
Deliberative Polling
Deliberative polling combines small-group discussions involving large numbers of participants with random sampling of public opinion. Its overall purpose is to establish a base of informed public opinion on a specific issue. Citizens are invited to take part at random, so that a large enough participant group will provide a relatively accurate, scientific representation of public opinion. (Level 5 activity)
Focus Groups
This is a structured process where specifically selected individuals are brought together to provide reactions to a specific topic, policy, project or issue. (Level 2 activity )
Health Professional Associations
These associationsinclude, but are not restricted to, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, hospital administrators, natural health practitioners and alternative medicine practitioners. They are considered a segment of the public.
Level of Involvement
The level of participation by the public, or the extent to which the public is actively involved in understanding, assessing or resolving issues of public concern. Health Canada defines five levels of involvement from one to five.
Mail Outs for Feedback
Letters or information kits mailed to stakeholders and interested parties to provide knowledge on a subject and seek input and comments. This also includes e-mail notification. (Level 2 activity)
Online: also called e-Consultation, e- Participation, Web Consultation
Online consultations refer to a variety of techniques that require the participant to have access to and the ability to use a computer and work online. Specific techniques include online input on a topic, online consultation workbooks, online discussion groups and chat rooms.
Patient Groups
These groups represent individuals who require or who are under medical care.They are considered a segment of the public.
Public
Broad definition that covers all the individuals or groups who may be interested in or affected by Health Canada. The definition does not require the certainty that any individual or group has such an interest; just that they may have. The public includes consumers, patients, professionals, academia, industry and the groups that represent them.
Public Awareness
This refers to information sessions, web postings for information, social marketing, advertising and promotion of information, attitudes, values and behaviours to create a climate conducive to social and behavioural change. (Level 1 activity )
Public Involvement
A variety of interactions between the public and Health Canada that range from surveys, focus groups, feedback on discussion documents, public consultation, dialogue, workshops, advisory boards to partnerships.
Public Forum
A public forum is a meeting where the public is invited to contribute input to a working group or advisory panel. A public forum broadens the discussion relating to a specific activity or project to include input from a wider audience and provides additional information and a broader perspective to panel or committee members. The input is an important element of the information considered in order to make a decision on an issue. (Level 4 activity)
Public Meetings
These are meetings open to stakeholders and the public where the government makes a formal presentation on a policy, project or issue and the public is given the opportunity to react with questions and comments. (Level 2 or 3 activity)
Publication in Canada Gazette Part I
This refers to posting of all public notices, official appointments and proposed regulations from the Government, as well as miscellaneous public notices from the private sector that are required to be published by a federal statute or regulation. (Level 2 activity)
Public Policy Dialogue
The basic format consists of an advisory committee, working group or task team that focus on broad issues with a group consensus process that often results in recommendations to the decision maker. This type of activity is useful for problem solving, policy development, planning and development of legislation, regulations, and value and interest clarification.
Round Table
Round tables are meetings at which a group of people gather to discuss specific issues in which they have a common interest or expertise. The concept of "round" table comes from the fact that no one is the "head" of the table -- everyone is equally empowered to contribute to the decision. (Level 4 activity)
Royal Commissions
Royal commissions, or commissions of inquiry, are appointed by Cabinet under the terms of the Inquiries Act in order to carry out full and impartial investigations of specific national problems. The terms of reference for the commission and the powers and the names of the commissioners are officially stated by an Order-in-Council. When the investigation is complete, the findings of the commission are reported to Cabinet and the Prime Minister for appropriate action.
Commissions are often referred to by the name of the chairperson or commissioner. For example, the Royal Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada is commonly known as the Romanow Commission (chaired by Roy Romanow from 2001-2002). (Level 2 activity)
Stakeholders
A stakeholder is an individual, group, or organization having a 'stake' in an issue and its outcome. Stakeholders, interested parties and affected parties are considered to be segments of the public.
Study Circles
A study circle consists of a series of informal, face-to-face discussions that take place over a period of time. The process emphasizes cooperative and integrated learning, democratic participation and mutual respect. It is usually used to share ideas and opinions on social, political and community issues. The format is flexible enough to meet a variety of participant and organizational needs in many different settings. (Level 5 activity)
Submissions
This is an invitation to the public to respond to a project or policy proposal document or idea in some detail. The invitation may be mailed or emailed out to specific targeted groups or individuals, and can also be posted to a Web site (e-consultation). Submissions allow interested parties to make detailed responses to proposals. Submissions may be in the form of a letter, a short document or a substantial paper.
Surveys
A survey, also called questionnaires, is a method of primary data collection based on communication with a representative sample of individuals. Surveys are usually descriptive in nature, yet can also be used to provide casual explanations or explore ideas. A survey can be conducted using different information-gathering techniques such as mail-out questionnaires, in-person interviews and telephone surveys. There is also an increasing use of technology-driven fax, email and Internet-based surveys. (Level 2 activity)
Technical Consultation
Selected participants with scientific and technical expertise are invited to provide input and feedback on the development of government policies, guidelines, research, programs, etc.
Townhall
A town hall or public meeting is a forum where the consulting team makes a formal presentation to the public and the public is given the opportunity to respond with questions, reactions and comments. (Level 2 activity)
Web Postings
This refers to posting of an invitation to provide input on a question, issue or document on the world-wide web including a call for briefs or proposals. (Level 2 activity)
Workshop
Workshops are meetings where participants are involved in-group discussions and are normally organized around one or more theme areas. Workshops allow participants with differing values and priorities to build a common understanding of the problems and opportunities confronting them. The intent of most workshops is to either identify problems and expectations, or to recommend solutions. (Level 3 or 4 activity)
Working Groups (includes working committees)
This is a group of representatives from a particular community or with differing interests who are selected by government bodies to work together on a specific activity or project, towards a specific outcome. Works at strategic or at operational levels. (Level 3 or 4 activity)
Voluntary Sector
This sector consists of organizations that exist to serve a public benefit, are self-governing, do not distribute any profits to members and depend to a meaningful degree on volunteers. Organizations range from small community-based groups to large, national umbrella organizations including neighbourhood associations, service clubs, advocacy coalitions, food banks, shelters, transition houses, symphonies and local sports clubs.
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