The Health Canada Policy Toolkit for Public Involvement in Decision Making

Level 5 Technique:
Consensus Conference

What Is It?

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, this technique assumes that the general public can make sense of complicated issues when given the time and resources to do so. The main aim of the project is to influence the policy-making process by opening up a dialogue between the public, experts and government.

How It Works?

Ten to 20 participants are chosen to sit on a citizens' panel to consider and discuss an issue of local or national importance. These issues usually involve a matter of policy planning. Similar to the citizens' jury, information is presented, deliberated, and experts or witnesses are cross-examined. The consensus conference may occur over three separate weekends, allowing the participants to increase their knowledge and awareness of the subject before questioning experts.

The organization of the consensus conference must be prepared properly to ensure that conditions for an open, balanced and constructive debate are met. The process will lose all credibility if it is viewed as biased or partial in any way. For this reason, the process should be carried out by an independent facilitator.

The initial task is to recruit an advisory committee of eight to 10 members. This committee will oversee the entire process, ensuring its independence and integrity.

Key tasks of this committee are to:

• define the broad scope of the debate
• select the method for recruiting the citizens' panel
• draw up a list of experts and witnesses on the issue for the panel to call upon.

The citizens' panel, selected by the advisory committee, begins by spending two preparatory weekends going over a comprehensive and unbiased information package which outlines the essential aspects of the subject.

These weekends allow the panel to:

• get to know one another
• learn to work together
• get an overview of the various technical and ethical issues concerned
• identify key questions to be addressed
• select experts/witnesses from a list drawn up by the advisory committee to form the "expert panel."

The process concludes with a three-day public forum, which brings the citizens' panel face-to-face with experts. If marketed well, the forum can also draw the media and interested members of the public. This forum gives the citizens' panel a chance to listen to, interview and cross-examine the experts. On the first day of the conference, each expert speaks for one half hour, and then addresses any questions from the citizens' panel. The citizens' panel then retires to discuss among themselves what has been heard. On the second day, the group cross-examines the expert panel in order to fill any gaps and to probe further on the issue. The following day, a report on the group's findings is prepared and presented.

The citizens' panel works cooperatively through the use of open discussions. However, their "verdict" on the key questions of the issue does not need to be completely unanimous. The final report should reflect the citizens' panel's expectations, concerns and recommendations.

When Is It Most Useful?

Consensus conferences are used to:

• bring everyday citizens together with experts to learn, discuss and debate about a subject and formulate a set of recommendations for policymakers
• encourage a group of citizens to address scientific or technical issues in an informed way
• give participants a sense that they have a voice in democracy.

Logistics and Limits

This is a two-step process requiring at least three to four months for the total process.

Cost Implications

Costs include the work of an advisory committee, preparation for approximately three face-to-face meetings of the citizens' panel, one meeting of the experts, and advertising to the public. Costs will also be incurred for an independent coordinator and a public meeting space.

Expectations for Feedback or Follow-Up

Policymakers need to report publicly how the results of a consensus conference were used.

Timelines

At least three to four months are required for the total process. The meetings of the citizens' panel take place over three weekends.

Potential Pitfalls

Since this process can be initiated and driven by citizens, rather than government, there is the challenge of assuring that policy recommendations flowing from the process are timely and used by policymakers.