Collaborative+Governance+and+Changing+Federal+Roles

This document was a joint report from the Public Policy Forum and the PRI (Policy Research Initiative) Joint Roundtable, published in May 2008.



**T** **ABLE OF** **C** **ONTENTS** E XECUTIVE S UMMARY On February 14, 2008, the Public Policy Forum and the Policy Research Initiative co- hosted a roundtable which was attended by senior leaders from the federal government, the voluntary and NGO sectors and academia. They met to discuss the emergence of collaborative governance arrangements and the implications of that emergence for the roles of the federal government. Participants were asked to comment about the changes they see in the policy environment and the ways in which the federal government might evolve to address those changes effectively. In particular, they were asked to consider why collaboration is emerging as a policy tool, the kinds of challenges it presents, steps the federal government can take to make itself useful to potential partners (and vice-versa), and whether government has the right mix of institutions, culture and people to make collaboration work. The following is a short summary of what the participants had to say. //Collaboration under the microscope// Collaboration is not a single template but instead is an “amorphous” term that applies to a whole series of heterogeneous arrangements. Participants widely agreed that whether or not collaboration is “new,” it is something government will have to undertake more often and more effectively in the future. However, participants noted that collaboration involves more than a formal way of governing, in that it also requires a cultural shift — indeed, it involves a change in the “state of mind.” Participants noted that a collaborative federal government can and should retain an integral role in the policy process — it will continue to be a very significant actor in a policy environment with multiple capable actors. Such shared capacity and responsibility might lead to a form of accountability that is based on trust and relationships, along with rules and regulations. What is more, collaboration will require a greater appreciation for //ad hoc//, organic and informal arrangements, albeit under the guidance of some shared values and goals. //Obstacles to collaboration// Participants argued that the culture of the public service is too often risk-averse, and that this stifles innovative, flexible and practical forms of policy-making and delivery. It was also felt that the federal government is often a top-down manager of its partners, which is antithetical to a non-hierarchical spirit of collaboration. There was also concern expressed that Canada’s Westminster-based public institutions, where authority and accountability are arranged vertically, are poorly suited to horizontal collaboration. Moreover, the increasing scrutiny of the public purse by the media and public and the rigid accountability regime that is emerging are real obstacles to greater collaboration. This is partly reflected in the proliferation of burdensome, duplicative and 6 COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE overwhelming Terms and Conditions that constrain actors’ ability to address policy issues in an effective way. Lastly, participants worried that the organizational culture in government is not amenable to greater collaboration. This includes the reluctance by leaders to endorse and support activities or programs that carry any risks associated with new, collaborative arrangements. //Why is collaboration necessary?// Collaboration is made necessary by the proliferation of “wicked issues” that stretch across traditional disciplines, such as social or economic policy, and by the emergence of self-organized non-governmental actors who have the capability and desire to address those issues. Actors are affecting policy from beyond the reach of government, and so government must adjust to remain an arbiter of good governance. Participants widely pointed to the emergence of place-based problems and localized knowledge as signals for greater collaboration. Uniform national objectives cannot always address the policy needs of localized groups or communities, and so it is necessary to collaborate with groups in those places. There is also a business case for collaboration as younger Canadians are more likely to interact through collaborative social spaces like Facebook. Being told they cannot do so as employees of the federal government is unlikely to make government an employer of choice for talented young Canadians. Finally, participants suggested that after an extended period of “state retreat,” collaboration is a way of reconnecting government with Canadians and re-establishing the value and capacity of the federal government in terms of improving peoples’ lives. //Considerations for the federal government in moving forward//
 * Executive Summary..........................................................................................................5**
 * I. Introduction...................................................................................................................8**
 * II. Collaboration under the microscope..........................................................................9**
 * III. What obstacles are there to collaboration?............................................................10**
 * IV. Why is collaboration necessary?.............................................................................12**
 * V. Considerations for the Federal Government...........................................................14**
 * VI. Conclusion.................................................................................................................17**
 * A** **NNEX** **1** **–** **A** **GENDA** **..........................................................................................................18**
 * A** **NNEX** **2** **–** **P** **ARTICIPANT** **L** **IST** **.........................................................................................20**
 * A** **NNEX** **3** **–** **D** **ISCUSSION** **P** **APER** **........................................................................................21**

1) Build a steady, long-term presence and develop greater capacity outside of Ottawa, in order to develop shared goals with local stakeholders and ensure that government is “getting policy right” in the places where it matters. 2) Use Memoranda of Understanding with partners to establish the key values, goals and responsibilities in a partnership, but in a way that allows for flexible action. 3) Establish a “big tent” under which stakeholders feel engaged and action is informed by the goals and values shared by all participants. 4) Experiment with programs, including a “Foundation” model of funding for broad goals, and a “Team” model which groups governmental and non-governmental actors together and deploys them based on expertise and skills. 7 COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE 5) Value collaboration not as a step in a policy-making process, but because it has value. 6) Train, and then recognize and reward public servants for effective collaboration, rather than singling them out when an innovative strategy fails. 7) Plan for and expect some failure as part of the learning curve of collaboration. 8) Adopt an aggressively pragmatic philosophy that starts at the very top of the federal public service, and demonstrates that collaboration is valued and encouraged. There is no silver bullet — go for “small-cycle” changes as a way to build momentum.