Social Policy and the NCE’s: What Can We Achieve?

Robert E. Mann, PhD

Societal Issues Theme Coordinator, AUTO21

Senior Scientist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health

Field Supervisor, MScCH (Addiction and Mental Health) and Associate Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Ottawa – December 6, 2011

Presentation Outline How the NCE

structure facilitates policy relevance;

Social policy impact – some evidence;

Lessons learned for achieving policy impact

How the NCE structure facilitates policy relevance Focus – NCE’s provide a high-level, sector-specific

focus

Time – NCE’s provide an extended opportunity to engage with social issues

Inclusiveness – NCE’s facilitate or require the engagement of all stakeholders, including researchers, industry, community members and policy makers

Results – NCE’s are focused on the contribution of knowledge to ‘practical impact’

How the NCE structure facilitates policy relevance

                 

Social policy impact – some evidenceDrunk driving is a leading cause of

preventable deaths and serious injuries in Canada

Addressing drunk driving has been identified as a social and health priority in Canada

How did AUTO21 influence the drunk driving policy process?

AUTO21 investigators provided evidence about policies that were, and were not, effective

AUTO21 investigators worked with community and government partners to identify policy opportunities

AUTO21 provided an ongoing forum for researchers, community stakeholders and policy makers to work together

Social policy impact – some evidence We completed an assessment of the cumulative

impact of drunk driving policies and programs in the Province of Ontario since 1970

The estimates of impact were based on scientific evidence – evaluations of impact of these programs in Ontario and elsewhere

Social policy impact – some evidence Between 1970 and 2006, drinking driving initiatives

prevented about 5,000 deaths, 178,000 injuries, and 132,000 property damage only collisions in Ontario alone

The health and social costs prevented by this impact ranged between $8.5 and $78 billion – depending primarily on the value of preventing a death

Lessons learned for achieving policy impact

“Policy is like sausage – you might like the outcome but you don’t want to see what goes into it” - attributed to Bismarck

There is no easy or simple road to influencing public policy

What follows are some suggestions that might help you if you really want to see “what goes into it”….

Lessons learned for achieving policy impact

Be prepared

Take a long term perspective

Be patient

Strike while the iron is hot

Lessons learned for achieving policy impact

Be international

Be local

Be warned

There may be more than one way to achieve your goal

Thank you!

Lessons learned for achieving policy impact

Lessons learned for achieving policy impact

Societal Issues and the Future Automobile

Dr. Robert Mann – Centre for Addiction & Mental Health

Social science and humanities researchers working at the forefront of the big questions in Canada’s biggest industry and making Canada

a better & safer society

Influence public policy and regulations related to vehicle operation and to the auto industry in Canada;

Address major vehicle-related social problems in Canada;

Improve the quality of life of Canadians who work in the auto sector through improvements in the education and regulatory regime of the labour market.

Theme B: Research Goals

Problem: Auto TheftVehicle theft accounts for 13% of all property crimes reported to police in

Canada.

In 2007 there were 443 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 population. This crime has serious direct & indirect consequences to victims & others.

Canadian cities have some of the highest auto theft rates in North America, and Winnipeg has the

highest per capita auto theft rate in Canada.

Theme B: Example of Success

Dr. Rick Linden and two members of Winnipeg Police

Services Stolen Auto Unit who are collaborating to reduce

vehicle thefts in the city as part of AUTO21’s Automobile-Linked

Crime in Canada.

This project is credited with a 60%+ reduction in auto theft in that city, and the research work

has been internationally recognized.

Problem: Drug-using Drivers

Driving after using cannabis and other Illicit drugs has long been suspected of being an important road safety issue.

However, little Canadian evidence on the topic was available, and there were no effective enforcement tools to address

the problem.

Theme B: Example of Success

Dr. Mark Asbridge, of Dalhousie and his colleagues have provided key Canadian research on the driving after drug use, including its high prevalence among

high school student drivers along with evidence that driving after cannabis

can be as dangerous as drunk driving.

This work was central to the passage by the federal government of Bill C-2 in

2008.

This important legislation improved the ability of police to detect drug-using

drivers and remove them from the road.

Problem: Distracted Drivers

The growing complexity of the driving environment, and the increasing numbers of cell phones, MP3 players, video players and other electronic devices in cars have raised

concerns that driver distraction may be an

important road safety problem.

Theme B: Example of Success

Dr. Jeff Caird of the Univ. of Calgary and Dr. Lana Trick of the Univ. of Guelph conducted

research with driving simulators that provided proof that driving skills are significantly reduced when using cell phones and other electronic devices.

This research work has had a major impact on the decisions of the governments of Quebec, Ontario, Nova Scotia and other

provinces to regulate the use of cell phones and other devices while driving.

Problem: Drunk Drivers

Drunk driving is the leading criminal cause of

death in Canada.

Drunk driving costs the economy billions of

dollars each year in social, health care, and legal

costs as well as untold harm to families and

individuals.

Theme B: Example of Success

AUTO21 research by Robert Solomon and Erika Chamberlain,

Professors of Law at the University of Western Ontario, provided clear evidence that a .05% legal BAC for driving, which is common in other

developed countries, would prevent between 185 and 555 deaths on

Canadian roads per year.

Theme B: Example of Success

Professor Solomon worked with the Canadian Council of Motor Transport

Administrators to draft recommendations for new regulations for drivers in the .05-.08 BAC

range, and with Federal and Provincial governments to draft corresponding

legislation.

Prince Edward Island and Ontario have followed CCMTA recommendations with laws recently introduced, and other provinces are

working to introduce similar laws.

AUTO21 Administrative Centre

University of WindsorCentre for Automotive Research

and Education (est. 1999)

754 California Ave.

Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4

(519) 253-3000 ext. 4130

www.auto21.ca

Canada’s Automotive University

Developing the best people, the best technology and answering the biggest questions for the

future of the automotive industry

www.auto21.ca

www.nce.gc.ca