[fvc-wat-disc] monthly meeting next Thursday

[Cathy Scott]

Hi, All,
Next Thursday, July 30 is our next regular meeting.  The link is below.
Please note that the meeting will start at 7:00, which is our usual time.
I scheduled the start time on Zoom for 6:30 so I can open the meeting a
little early, so we don't miss anyone.

The discussion topic on the agenda is:
'Selecting replacement candidates when an elected member cannot fulfil
his/her term'
*Please advise of any other content for the agenda.*

*Also, here is my synopsis of  the Zoom presentation (July 15th), called
'Catching the Deliberative Wave'. (I think others of our group also
attended this), *
* This  was the launch of the OECD's report on 'Innovative Citizen
Participation and New Democratic Institutions'.  The report was a study of
the use of  deliberative processes (variously called, 'reference panels',
'citizens' assemblies', 'citizens' juries', 'planning cells') which have
been used increasingly worldwide, since the 1980s, to engage citizens in
developing informed recommendations on an issue, which governing
authorities then use to develop policies.  *

*Claudian Chwalisz, one of the authors of the report, presented a summary
of the report:*

   - *the deliberative process is commissioned by a public authority and
   the deliberating group is randomly selected, and demographically stratified
   by gender, age, geographic location, economic status, etc.,*
   - *the study included 289 cases of deliberative process worldwide, 40 of
   which were in Canada, at all levels of government*
   - *types of issues that were addressed included values-driven dilemnas,
   long-term problems, etc.  See the graphic in the report, attached below.*
   - *criteria for a successful process included random/balanced selection
   of members of the group, sufficient time for the process, clear and
   specific definition of the issue,  provision of comprehensive information
   to the group.  THe report has a graphic which shows the complete criteria.*
   - *benefits of a deliberative process:*
      - *better policy outcomes*
      - *greater legitimacy - politicians can say their policies are based
      on citizens' informed judgements, rather than 'opinions' gathered through
      conventional means of gathering citizens' feedback, such as townhalls,
      surveys, etc.*
      - *enhances public trust*
      - *signals civic respect and empowers citizens*
      - *strengthens integrity of governing bodies*
      - *helps counteract polarization and disinformation*
   - *discussion of reasons and methods of embedding public deliberation as
   an institution, as has been done in some countries, such as France.*
   - *12 different models of deliberative processes are described in the
   report*

*Claudia's summary was followed by a panel discussion by *

   - *Peter McLeod, from MASS LBP, an organization which designs and
   conducts deliberative processes for governing authorities, corporations,
   etc.  He pointed out that 1400 Canadians have been involved in
   approximately 40 deliberative processes in Canada.  Participants gain a
   better understanding of the complexity of an issue, and greater empathy for
   other points of view.  Citizens have an opportunity to engage meaningfully
   in decision-making, promoting 'inclusive governance', in democracy .  These
   opportunities improve citizens' 'democratic fitness', by sharing in the
   privilege to speak for others *
   - *Leslie Woo, from Metrolinx, the corporation that is planning and
   building transit expansion in the GTA and surrounding  areas.  Metrolinx
   has worked with MASS LBP to gather information from citizens, in order to
   plan for the transit needs in the GTA.  She pointed out that the
   deliberative process concept needs champions who believe in that better
   policies result, and who are not afraid of the outcome of  a deliberative
   process, who can let go of control of the outcome.  *
   - *Karen Fuller, who is on the 'Open Government Team', which is the
   outreach and engagement team of the federal government.  SHe pointed out
   that citizen deliberation is important to policy-makers who are looking for
   tools to help make complex decisions;  that it is important
   that people believe in what the government is doing.  Deliberative
   processes have not been widely used in government - somewhat by Health
   Canada.  Her team's challenges are to promote this concept within the
   government, and to move the findings of the OECD report into government
   practice, by  briefing senior management;  justifying the concept of
   deliberative process,  to garner support for implementing it.  See chapter
   3 of the report regarding increasing trends toward deliberative process,
   and chapter 5 regarding principles.  She finds this information useful in
   briefing public servants, since they are inclined to want to ground things
   in tenets and principles.*


*I am attaching the  'Highlights' of the OECD report - see below. (You can
also see the whole report, by Googling 'United Nations Democracy Fund', but
the whole report is 240 pages, or so, and the 'Highlights' document is
about 48 pages, which is long enough for me!).*


Here is the link to our meeting next Thursday.

Topic: monthly discussion group meeting
Time: Jul 30, 2020 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85093016919?pwd=S1JQcTVWYzZMMXVyS0xBaVlSbG5Bdz09
Meeting ID: 850 9301 6919
Passcode: 525312
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