The Alberta government’s approach to public consultation on issues of public policy has been characterized by its limited scope and perfunctory processes, which often seem designed to reinforce pre-determined outcomes. What is needed is genuine attempt to engage citizens and civil society groups in meaningful ways in the ongoing issues and processes of politics. The government needs to begin by instituting an expanded, more systematic and more meaningful process of public consultation on matters of public policy that begins early in the policy development process, is inclusive and is directly connected to real decision making.  

The Problems:

Strong democracies ask citizens to do much more than merely to mark a ballot at election time, and ask much more of institutions and organizations than simply to enable citizens to vote. They take concrete steps to foster vital citizen engagement and participation in ongoing public issues, governance and policy making.

The Alberta government’s approach in this regard has most often been a kind of perfunctory, “tick-in-the-box,” highly circumscribed online opportunity, with an occasional very controlled and “safe” public meeting.

Rather than welcoming the important involvement and insights of civil society organizations, the government has discouraged this type of participation, often using its power and funding to discourage criticism and to foster either support or silence. The government also has been dismissive of the work of think tanks and policy institutes that are in any way critical of government policy. As a result, policy making often fails to take into account the concerns of many ordinary Albertans and critical stakeholders, and policies are too often developed without consideration of the diversity of perspectives and consequences.
 
The Changes Needed:

The lack of meaningful and effective public consultation is a part of the broader problem of an inadequate level of citizen participation and engagement in the political system. A broadly based approach is necessary to foster this type of engagement on a wide front , but an enhanced, more genuine and more effective public consultation is an excellent place to start. Such an approach should reflect the following commitments or elements:

• The government must commit to reforming its formal decision processes to encourage more citizen participation in public policy making through an expanded and more meaningful process of public consultations. These consultations must begin early in the policy development process, be inclusive and be directly connected to real decision making
• To ensure the full range of affected groups of citizens is heard, public money and support must be available to equalize the capacities of groups to prepare, deliberate and participate
• Government must actively seek to change the current unhealthy political culture by systematically welcoming critique from civil society groups in their areas of expertise and involvement
• The government should institute a new approach to the legislative process requiring disclosure of legislative plans (through a “white paper” tabled in the legislature) and systematic opportunities for public input before bills are brought to the legislature
• All local governing bodies should be required to legislate structures and processes to enable genuine public participation in their public policy decision-making, to allocate funding and to mandate annual reporting on programs and activities
  
• Civic education must be expanded and revitalized to better equip students to become active citizens with more concrete experience in and emphasis on engagement, participation, deliberation and democratic decision-making, and with particular emphasis on current issues
• The government should provide more support for MLAs to connect with and engage their constituents on policy matters
• Civil society groups should cooperate in producing an annual report on the provincial government’s progress toward key goals in public engagement and democratic renewal

Comments from PIA Democracy Forums:

• We need to legislate a requirement for meaningful consultation
• It is more important to promote citizen engagement than it is to focus on merely increasing voter turnout
• We have to elect governments who favour a political culture that welcomes debate, criticism and consultation and is willing to fund it
• Concentrate on ways to create interest in politics (“fueling the fire”) in citizens, and in young people especially
• Use public libraries as a public space for discussion groups
• We need more training in critical thinking, and how to disagree in a democracy
• We need less emphasis on “talking truth to power” and more focus on talking to and engaging ordinary people
• It is essential to add follow-up/action/feedback components to these engagement activities
• Needs more emphasis on including the immigrant population in the process, particularly new immigrants
• Corrections Canada provides a good example of how to operate structured citizen advisory committees

PIA advocates six steps to promote democratic renewal in Alberta:

1. Institute comprehensive reform of electoral and political party financing

2. Abolish the Public Affairs Bureau and replace it with a system that is more open and non-partisan

3. Initiate a Citizens' Assembly to make recommendations on proportional representation

4. Strengthen the role of the Legislature and MLAs by further increasing the power of and support for legislative committees and officers

5. Create a high-profile Commission on Gender and Democracy to develop a comprehensive approach to achieving gender equity in our political system

6. Require a more open, thorough and effective approach to public consultation on issues of public policy development