The Health Canada Policy Toolkit for Public Involvement in Decision
Making
Introduction
Foreword
The need to ensure meaningful public involvement in policy development
and service delivery is recognized by Health Canada as one of the
key challenges of governance today and in the years ahead. Canadians
are better educated and informed than ever before and they expect
to have more say in public policy decision making. This is particularly
so in relation to health. There is widespread public demand for
greater public involvement and access to information, and a sense
that the resolution of most major national problems would be aided
by engaging citizens.
In response to changing public expectations, we need to improve
our ability to consult, engage, listen, persuade and reframe issues
so that the results of our work better meet citizens' expectations
and needs. This will require strengthened capacity to inform, educate
and involve the public and to get feedback on how we are doing.
Clearly, citizen engagement as a public involvement technique goes
beyond communication and consultation. It involves citizens, and
not just the public as represented by a multiplicity of stakeholders,
associations, lobbyists and interest groups, in policy formulation,
priority setting and program delivery. As Health Canada builds
on the wealth of expertise in the department and adapts processes
to better include citizens in decision making, we will be working
to meet the needs of Canadians and to realize a key priority of
government. However, citizen engagement is not a panacea or even
a science for that matter. As with all public involvement techniques,
there is a need to have a clear purpose and objectives and understand
when, where and how to best use citizen engagement.
This document has been developed at Management Council's request
to respond to the expectations of Canadians and the related needs
of Health Canada employees around public involvement, including
citizen engagement. It aims to build on the department's capacity
to acquire and act upon good ideas, whatever their origins, in
the following ways:
- enhance the department's culture and capacity for public involvement
in developing policy, delivering programs and improving Canada's
health system
- provide a policy framework and practical guidance for public
involvement, which clarifies departmental expectations and roles
and cuts through the jargon around public involvement concepts
- facilitate more strategic and coordinated public involvement
activities with improved results for all
- reflect the department's commitment to improving the way information
is shared internally and externally so that our work environment
is always conducive to creativity, empowerment and continuous
learning.
We pay tribute to Ian Potter and Don Ferguson, our Citizen Engagement
Champions, for their leadership and dedication in bringing this
document to life. We also thank the members of the Working Group
and Sub-Committees on Public Involvement led by the Corporate Consultation
Secretariat under the guidance of Carla Gilders and other key staff,
many of whom are named in the document. We congratulate all of
you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience that is
reflected in this very useful resource.
The Departmental Executive Committee has approved this document.
We encourage you to use it and, with further experience, improve
it for the benefit of the health of all Canadians.
Deputy Minister |
Associate Deputy Minister |
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