The Health Canada Policy Toolkit for Public Involvement in Decision Making

Information Toolkit
Guidelines

Operating Rules

This section provides operating rules as counsel to employees who may need to undertake public involvement activities.

• Well-defined purpose and objectives - The "host" and the participants must have a common understanding of why the initiative has been started and what are the process, purpose, scope, objectives and issue(s) to be addressed.
• Selection of Issues for Citizen Engagement - Strategic discussions are required to determine which issues should be selected for citizen engagement. In general, important issues that are value-based and have significant implications for both the health of Canadians and Canada's health system are candidates. The department has identified the health protection area which entails difficult risk management issues as a priority area for citizen engagement. Other priority areas that have been or may be considered for citizen engagement initiatives include home care, medicare, pharmacare, children's issues, HIV/AIDS, the voluntary sector, population health and Aboriginal health issues. The department and the public both have a limited capacity to undertake these resource-intensive initiatives.
• Integration of results in the development of policies and plans - The public involvement initiative must be, and must be seen to be, an integral part of the policy and planning process. The input must have a real impact. Citizen engagement means that public involvement occurs "early" in the process to allow participants an opportunity to help define the scope of the issue and influence the design of options for its resolution.
• Clear context within which the decisions will be made - Participants must be provided with a clear understanding of where their input is "situated" relative to the policy development process and the public involvement continuum. Links to related issues and other key initiatives should be highlighted. Participants must have a clear understanding as to who will be making any final decision.
• Sharing of information and commitment to early dissemination of relevant materials - Public involvement requires a commitment on the part of all parties to share relevant, timely and easily understood information.
• Outcomes are not predetermined - The purpose and role of public involvement in the formulation of policy and decisions should be defined and communicated to all participants at the outset of the process and be reaffirmed as required. In regards to citizen engagement, outcomes are not predetermined and participants must understand that their role is to help assess and resolve an issue.
• Opportunity to participate - All parties who can contribute to, or who are affected by, the outcome of an issue should be given the opportunity to participate. Wherever possible, public involvement uses a variety of input mechanisms that provide participants with opportunities for meaningful and constructive participation.
• Accountability for the process - Public involvement processes, by bringing together various perspectives, should enrich government decision making. While the impetus to involve may come from either inside or outside government, Health Canada is accountable for the process and final decisions. The department, including its regions, branches and directorates, will develop plans for public involvement initiatives in collaboration with each other to ensure that roles, responsibilities and accountabilities are clear and coordinated. Flexibility may be required to accommodate participants' unexpected needs, such as additional participants or meetings.
• Reasonable, realistic time frames for public involvement - Public involvement is conducted within "reasonable" time frames, which strike a balance between the need to get something accomplished expeditiously and the need for participants to be involved in a meaningful way.
• Appropriate resource commitments - Public involvement must have the human and financial resources that correspond to the nature and scope of the public involvement method selected. Participants who do not have the expertise or resources required to participate may need to be provided with information and/or financial assistance in order to facilitate their participation.
• Follow-through and reporting - When using techniques such as consultation and particularly citizen engagement, participants are entitled to know what use has been made of the views and information they provided. Participants must be made aware of how their ideas and involvement have ultimately influenced government proposals or decisions.
• Commitment to continuous improvement - In order to enhance the department's judgement and effectiveness in using public involvement and citizen engagement techniques, Health Canada will develop measures and approaches at various levels to assess progress, communicate results, including successes, and build on our collective experience.