Transcript What is policy?

What is policy?
 The basic principles by which a government is guided.
 In the context of a political party - declared objectives
that the party will implement if it has an opportunity to
form the government.
How Party Policy Can Be
Developed
 From the executive level (top down);
 From the grassroots (bottom up);
 A combination these two methodologies.
 Liberal Party supports the development of grassroots
policy and votes on regional policy initiatives at its
national convention.
 Policies also come from the leader and Liberal
executive
Grassroots Policy
Development
 Has the benefit of engaging the broadest base of
people in a meaningful examination of the values and
objectives of the Party.
 However, on grassroots policy initiatives can be of
limited value if they are not well thought out or do not
reflect a sufficiently balanced view of the interests of all
Canadians.
 In a country as large and diverse as Canada,
developing sound national policy can be a particular
challenge.
Developing Policy at the
Grassroots Level
 Good policy should be fact-based rather than simply
ideologically driven.
 The objectives should be realistic and achievable
 The policy should carefully define the problem and provide a
viable solution.
 Not necessary to include specific details for the solution in
the policy statement but there should be enough detail for
the reader to understand how the policy could be brought
into effect.
Importance of Research
 Research can start with newspaper articles but such articles
are generally riddled with inaccuracies and bias. Better
sources include textbooks, academic articles, think tank
pieces, trade or industry association publications, court
decisions, non-governmental organization publications.
 Consideration of various perspectives is very important. It
can be very helpful to talk to someone with expertise in the
area.
 Good research requires an examination of numerous sides
of an issue and a weighing if the costs and benefits of a
course of action.
Consultation Requirements
 Consultation is a prerequisite for the draft resolutions to be
presented at the Alberta policy conference in the Fall.
 Consultation helps to refine issues and to challenge
assumptions; taps the knowledge of a larger number of
people; and ensures greater buy-in for the concept from
those with an interest in the matter.
 Consultation can test and strengthen ideas and ensure that
the broadest base possible is heard on an issue.

Options for Consultation
 Option 1: public forum where there is a free flow of ideas
and discussion within a structured format. EDAs are
encouraged to work together to expand the base for
consultation. If a meeting is held, perhaps several EDAs can
participate.
 Option 2: fan-out email. We suggest that deadlines for
response be set and that long chains or back and forth
exchanges be avoided in order to keep things manageable.
 Option 3: web-based survey of proposed policies. If the EDA
opts to consult via a web-based survey, it should be sure
that there was sufficient research behind the proposal before
seeking broader input.