National Initiatives

National Settlement Conference 2
(Calgary - October 2-5, 2003)

Settlement Accord

Appendices:
Code of Good Practice on Policy Dialogue

A Code of Good Practice on Policy Dialogue was developed in 2002. It uses the following definitions:

• Public Policy: a set of inter-related decisions, taken by public authorities, concerning the selection of goals and the means of achieving them.
• Public Policy Dialogue: interaction between governments and non-governmental organizations (in this Code, the voluntary sector) at the various stages of the policy development process to encourage the exchange of knowledge and experience in order to have the best possible public policies.
• Public Policy Development: the complex and comprehensive process by which policy issues are identified, the public policy agenda is shaped, issues are researched, analyzed and assessed, policies are drafted and approved and, once implemented, their impact is assessed.

The “good practices” are grouped according to a number of principles:

The Voluntary Sector’s Value

A healthy and active voluntary sector plays an important role in helping the federal government identify issues and achieve its public policy objectives. By its very nature and particularly because of its connection to communities, the voluntary sector brings a special perspective and considerable value to its activities, including those it undertakes with the Government of Canada.

Mutual Respect

Both sectors will listen to and consider the views of all participants and respect their legitimacy and input.

Inclusiveness

Both sectors will involve the broadest possible range of groups or individuals who may be affected by a policy or who can make a meaningful contribution to the debate. Increasingly, policy development must take account of the specific needs, interests and experiences of the diversity of the voluntary sector, including, for example, groups representing women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal people, linguistic minorities, sexual orientation, remote, rural and northern communities and other hard-to-reach subsectors. Policies must also respect the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Employment Equity Act, the Official Languages Act, the Multiculturalism Act and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as Canada’s obligations as a signatory of relevant international treaties and conventions, for example, on the rights of children, women and indigenous peoples. Policies must also respect all amendments, extensions or replacements to these laws and policies.

Accessibility

Both sectors will take the appropriate measures to ensure that all those invited to participate in a dialogue have access to the process. This will take account of factors such as language, region, distance, ethno-culture, religion, socio-economic background, age, knowledge and capabilities.

Clarity

Recognizing that a clear mutual understanding of the objectives, purpose and process of participation and feedback is vital, both sectors will establish the terms of the policy dialogue in advance and communicate them to participants.

Transparency

To build trust, both sectors will establish open lines of communication, provide information readily and invest in working relationships. Participants must clearly understand the context within which each decision will be made, including the scope of and limitations on dialogue.

Responsibility

Both sectors will participate in good faith and recognize that adequate resources and time are required for an effective process.

Accountability

Both sectors will provide feedback to their respective constituencies on the full range of views expressed, and clearly communicate how this input has been considered in the public policy process.

Both the voluntary sector and the Government of Canada are committed to upholding these principles in a number of ways, reported here in chart form for ease of reference.

Voluntary Sector Commitments

• Develop and strengthen knowledge and policy capacity in their areas of expertise.
• Develop a better understanding of the Government of Canada’s formal and informal policy development process.
• Take specific steps to ensure that diverse groups within the sector are given an opportunity to consider issues and provide input.
• Represent the views of their constituents and articulate those positions clearly.
• Identify whose views are represented when intermediary bodies express opinions on behalf of parts of the sector on issues of major importance to its members, supporters and users.
• Where appropriate and where possible, build consensus within the sector.
• Perform an intermediary role on behalf of sector organizations by using a range of methods to extend the dialogue’s reach; canvassing an organization’s members, users or volunteers before presenting views, and by including a summary of the views of the groups consulted and methods of consultation used.
• Identify and maintain contact with policy makers and actively seek opportunities to share policy ideas with them.
• Pursue opportunities to identify and raise emerging issues with the Government of Canada.

Government of Canada Commitments

• Develop ways for all departments and agencies to recognize and consider the impacts and implications for the voluntary sector and its organizations of new or modified legislation, regulations, policies and programs.
• Develop ways to routinely listen to concerns and issues identified by voluntary sector organizations, and make these methods of dialogue known.
• Find mechanisms to encourage dialogue with the voluntary sector in all its diversity.
• Draw on the full range of methods to interact with the voluntary sector at the various stages of the public policy process, including written consultations, opinion surveys, focus groups, and Internet-based approaches.
• To the fullest extent possible, make appropriate statistical and analytical information – such as survey data, research studies and policy papers – readily available in accessible and useable formats to enhance the voluntary sector’s capacity for analyzing and developing informed policy positions.
• Respect and seek out the expertise and input of the voluntary sector and include it in the analysis and design of policy initiatives.
• Make every effort to plan and co-ordinate policy dialogue with the voluntary sector on related topics, avoiding overlapping requests for participation in the same time period.
• Ensure that policy initiatives capture the fullest spectrum of views and give due consideration to all input received, paying particular attention to those likely to be most affected by policy proposals.
• Include opportunities for the voluntary sector to discuss the rationale for and implications of decisions, thereby building understanding and trust.
• Use appropriate means to make available information about the results of dialogue and consultations (e.g., final reports and approved policies) to those engaged in the policy process, so that they know how their input was used, including how it might have influenced federal government proposals or decisions.

Shared Commitments

• Engage in an open, inclusive and ongoing dialogue through the various stages of the public policy process.
• Include issue identification, agenda-setting, policy design, implementation, monitoring and impact assessment.
• Identify and allocate resources and time to policy activities.
• Ensure appropriate and significant representation from across the voluntary sector.
• Develop and strengthen knowledge and policy capacity to promote more effective dialogue during the policy process and deepen understanding of their respective issues and processes.
• Be aware of the policy implications of their experiences and activities, and inform one another of important conclusions.
• Ensure that assessment takes into account the differing regional impacts of policies.

Index