Making Change Happen: Building a Policy Agenda

Naomi Alboim2010 ALLIES Learning Exchange

May 7, 2010Halifax

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Session Overview

• Introduction• What is Public Policy? • The Policy Development Cycle• Who’s Responsible for What?• Federal/Provincial Government Structures

and Decision Making• Public Policy Instruments and Processes• Over to you…

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Introduction

• Objective:– to enhance participants’ understanding

about how governments make public policy decisions so that you can participate more effectively in the public policy process;

• Continuum of involvement in policy process from being informed, being consulted, initiating, collaborating, to participating in decision making

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Assumptions• Public Policy matters• Legitimate but not exclusive Government role• Civil Society involvement improves policy• Better understanding of how governments make

policy= more influence• Better policy proposals = better advocacy• Cross sectoral collaboration recognizes

interconnectivity of policy issues and strengthens impact

• Increased NGO policy capacity strengthens democracy

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What is Public Policy?

• A public policy is a deliberate decision made by government(s) that addresses identified objectives and concerns for the public good.– End may be clear but means to get there may be hotly contested

– Range of possible actions need to be identified and analyzed against number of factors before considered choice is made about the most appropriate and workable means to a desired end

– Always trade-offs, compromise , different “publics” effected

– Increasingly complex, interconnected, horizontal

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…What is Public Policy?

• Public policies best expressed as vision and goals, associated strategic objectives, workplan, activities, resources and leadership to achieve that choice

• Public policy sets out the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of something that is to be done and may be expressed through a variety of policy instruments (eg laws, regulations, programs, procedures, expenditures, etc)

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The Policy Development Cycle

identifying the issue research and consultation developing policy options and

recommendations influencing government decisions implementation, monitoring and

evaluation

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Policy Development Cycle

Identify Issue(s)

Influence the Decision

Conduct Research & Consultation

Develop Options &

Recommendation

Implement (or Influence

Implementation)

Monitor and Evaluate

PUBLIC POLICY DEVELOPMENT:

KEY ELEMENTS

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Policy Development Cycle

• Organic vs linear/cyclical• Iterative, parallel vs sequential processes• Can be quick but generally not• Role for community at every stage• Earlier the better for full impact

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Issue Identification, Recognition and Agenda Setting

• Most important to get the issue right• Must be recognized by the government as an issue

that needs to be addressed in the broad public interest: both demand and support present

• Issues can be identified internally and externally: you have competition!

• Remember your added value: emerging trends from the ground, direct experience

• Must fit the government agenda• Issue refinement may be ongoing

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Timing and Context are Everything

• International and domestic context• Constitution and jurisdiction• State of the economy• Fiscal Situation• Competing demands• Political culture• Public opinion• Stage of mandate• Players

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Research and Consultation• Have the facts• Primary and/or secondary research• Play to your strengths• Use your networks and beyond: Who’s effected?

Who can help?• Keep it simple• Collect evidence re the problem: stories and data• Collect ideas re possible solutions:What’s worked

where, how, why

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Option Development, Analysis and Recommendation

• Always more than one option to achieve objective

• Don’t narrow too soon• Analyze from variety of perspectives: eg.

maximum impact, least harm, speed, cost, resources, doability, support, sustainability, legality, ‘saleability”, etc

• Be prepared for incrementalism, compromise

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Influencing Decisions

• Building and maintaining relationships• Know what you want• Demonstrate demand and broad support• Tell your story well: use the evidence• Go to the right people• Use variety of tactics

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Implementation

• Implementation is key to good policy• Often range of implementation options can be

influenced• Delivery experience, knowledge of

communities: your added value• Pros and cons of community delivery• Program design, resources, accountability

framework, values and mandate compatibility

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Monitoring and Evaluation

• Measurable inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes identified at outset

• Community role in identifying performance measures, formal and informal monitoring and evaluation, identifying unintended impacts

• Reporting burden vs gathering the evidence• Feedback/input loop

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Who or what kicks off the action in Ottawa/Provincial capitals?

Policy initiatives are triggered by a variety of forces such as:

• Party commitments • Caucus and constituent concerns • Opposition pressure• Priorities of other levels of government• Lobbying by interested organizations (individual/coalition)• Media coverage of domestic and international events• Public opinion (polling)• Success stories (other jurisdictions, other sectors, communities)• Policy analysis (internal/external: civil servants, think tanks,

academics, task forces)• Individual ‘champions'

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Who should we influence?Who’s responsible for what?

• What level of government?• Who in government?• Who are the influencers?

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Constitutional Division of Powers: Who’s Responsible for What?

• Jurisdiction quintessential Canadian issue• Division of powers murkier given federal spending

power• Complexity of issues/ changing roles• Interest of all levels of government but different

powers, resources and levers to effect change• Subsidiarity vs national programs• Asymmetrical federalism• Role of Municipalities as “Creatures of the Province”

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Labour Market Integration of Skilled Immigrants: Whose responsibility?

• Federal departments:– CIC– HRSDC– Service Canada– Industry Canada– Regional Development Agencies

• Provincial ministries:– Immigration– Training– PSE– Labour– Economic development

• Cities• Existing agreements don’t necessarily work: LMDA, LMA, Immigration

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Government Hierarchy

Prime Minister/Premier

Ministers

Secretaries of State/Parliamentary

Assistants

PoliticalParty

Clerk of PrivyCouncil/Secretary

of Cabinet

Privy Council/Cabinet Office

DeputyMinisters

Departments/Ministries

Public Service

Principal Secretary

Ministers' StaffPrime Minister's/Premier's Office

Political Staff

Governmentcaucus

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Who influences decision-making?

POLICY MP/MPPs/Sena-tors

Parliamentary/Legislative

Committees Parliamentary Secretaries

Caucus Committees

First Minister & Cabinet

Political Assistants

Munic/Provs/

Territories

Coalitions, Advocacy Groups, NGOs

Public Opinion Firms /Think Tanks

Media Mid-level Officials (i.e. directors, policy

analysts, researchers)

Senior Officials (i.e.

Clerk/Secretary, Deputy Ministers,

ADMs)

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The Main Events – What are the key decision-making points in government?

• Party Platform• Speech from the Throne• Budget • Cabinet Decisions and Minutes• Treasury Board/Management Board Submissions

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Public Policy Instruments and Processes

• Federal and provincial governments have variety of levers available to effect change– legislation (Parliament)– regulation (Cabinet)– tax and fiscal policy (Finance)– spending: transfers to individuals,organizations,

institutions,governments (Departments, Finance, Treasury Board)– capital expenditures– programs and services: deliver, contract, privatize (Departments, TB)– public education and information (Departments)– research and knowledge transfer (Departments)– coordination and leadership capital

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…Public Policy Instruments and Processes

• Not all instruments necessary or equally effective for different issues

• Pros and cons of different instruments from different perspectives

• Jurisdictional and political constraints

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Why does the community voice matter?

• Early warning system and first to respond in a crisis

• Creative solutions to intractable problems• Better results; realize that one size fits all

policy prescriptions don’t usually work• Key partners in delivering on governments’

agendas; both on policy, and program and service delivery

• ESSENTIAL to the democratic process

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Now over to you…• What are some policy issues you think need to be addressed to expedite

labour market integration for skilled immigrants?

– What’s the problem to be addressed?– What do we know and need to know about the problem?– Who needs to be consulted? Involved?– What are some options/instruments to deal with the issue:

• Is legislative or regulatory change needed?• Program criteria changes?• Funding enhancements?• New program(s)?• New processes?

– What are the pros and cons of each?– What’s your recommendation?– How can it be implemented?– Which department in which level of government is responsible?– Who in and out of government are the key players to influence?– How do we get our message across?– What would be an indicator of success?