University of Northern British Columbia: Open Journal Systems
Not a member yet
560 research outputs found
Sort by
Beyond consultocracy and servants of power: Explaining the role of consultants in policy formulation
No full textPrior research on consultants in policymaking described their expanding policy involvement and impact. This research focuses on consultants' policy formulation roles and on how and why these roles vary across jurisdictions and contexts. It draws on comparative research on healthcare policy in Ontario, Canada, and Victoria, Australia. Based on analysis of contracts and expenditure data, and 59 semi-structured interviews, this research finds that consultants in Victoria are partners in formulation, used routinely for a variety of tasks, including core formulation work. Their role is institutionalized through formal and informal rules. In contrast, consult- ants in Ontario perform non-core formulation work and are primarily active in linking the government to other sites and pools of knowledge. The paper ties this variation to public sector internal capacity and policy sector complexity. It offers new empirical data and provides a nuanced understanding of the roles of consultants in policy formulation
Rule‐free regulation : Exploring regulation ‘without rules’ and apart from ‘deontic categories’
No full textRegulation can occur “with (specific) rules/norms” or “without (specific) rules/norms”. Numerous studies have been devoted to the first option. To the point where “regulation” and “rules” have often been seen to coincide in some academic research, and also in everyday ways of thinking. We deal with the second option in this article: regulation without rules/norms. Namely, a type of regulation by which it is intended to influence others' behaviour without recourse to rules/ norms, and without directly altering the “normative environment”
Disaster relief aid as soft diplomacy: Case of Canadian disaster diplomacy in Nepal 2015 earthquakes
No full textAbstract This article explores Nepal Earthquakes 2015 as a case of Canadian disaster diplomacy, tracing the diplomatic ties between Canada and Nepal. We argue that the warming up of diplomatic relations between these countries in the 50th diplomatic year sprinted Canada's support following the 2015 Nepal earthquakes. The earthquakes increased Nepali Canadians' involvement in the relief efforts, reinforced their diasporic identities, and increased their visibility as a visible minority community within the broader Asian diaspora in Canada while surfacing the political divisiveness amongst them. Against this backdrop, we ask: what lessons can be learned for Canadian disaster diplomacy efforts in the South Asian region? Based on field evidence, we argue that non-state actors, western disaster aid, and local government efforts fail to supply disaster relief in socially optimal quantities. We urge Canadian disaster aid actors to critically reflect on their aid strategies for effective help, not merely rhetoric and band-aid solutions.RésuméCet article explore les tremblements de terre au Népal de 2015 comme un cas de diplomatie canadienne en cas de catastrophe, retraçant les relations diplomatiques entre le Canada et le Népal. Nous soutenons que le réchauffement des relations diplomatiques entre ces pays au cours de la 50e année diplomatique a fait bondir le soutien du Canada à la suite des tremblements de terre de 2015 au Népal. Les tremblements de terre ont accru la participation des Canadiens népalais aux efforts de secours, renforcé leur identité diasporique et accru leur visibilité en tant que communauté de minorité visible au sein de la diaspora asiatique au Canada tout en faisant ressortir les divisions politiques entre eux. Dans ce contexte, nous nous demandons : quelles leçons peut-on tirer des efforts canadiens de diplomatie en cas de catastrophe dans la région de l'Asie du Sud ? Sur la base de preuves sur le terrain, nous soutenons que les acteurs non étatiques, l'aide occidentale en cas de catastrophe, et les efforts des gouvernements locaux ne parviennent pas à fournir des secours en cas de catastrophe en quantités socialement optimales. Nous exhortons les agences canadiennes de l'aide aux sinistrés à réfléchir de manière critique à leurs stratégies d'aide pour être mieux capable d’offrir une aide efficace, et non seulement de la rhétorique et des solutions de fortune.Keywords: disaster diplomacy, Canada, Nepal, Nepal earthquake 2015Mots-clés : diplomatie en cas de catastrophe, Canada, Népal, séisme au Népal 201
Federal overreach: The attestation controversy and the Canada Summer Jobs Program, 2017-2019
No full textOur paper investigates the impacts of the 2018 attestation requirement of the Canada Student Jobs program (CSJ) compared to that of the no-attestation version of 2017, and that of the revised CSJ attestation box of 2019. We found:(1) Christian groups (mostly Catholic and various evangelical Christian denominations) collectively received less than half the funds they received in 2017, and lost just over 3,000 jobs in 2018, or just under half the jobs secured 2017. In 2019 religious-based groups regained about 2,700 jobs.(2) what jobs the religious groups lost in 2018 were picked up by non-religious applicants. The latter received a modest increase in funding in 2018 over the previous year, and another increase in 2019
Implementing Design Thinking: understanding organizational conditions
No full textThe advent of design thinking as a tool for innovation has led to its adoption in a range of organizations. While proponents of design thinking continue to focus on the principles and practices of their method, little is known on the organizational conditions required for design thinking to attain a long-term impact. This article explores seven empirical case studies to identify the conditions required in organizations seeking to integrate design. It identifies four conditions—strategic vision, facilities, cultural capital, and directives—and examines their relationships
The Indo-Pacific Region, Immigration, International Students and Small Mid-Sized Cities in the BC Interior – Policy and Capacity Issues
No full textAbstractThe Indo-Pacific region figures prominently in Canada’s immigration strategy, which has of late become a critical policy file to address a wide range of existing and potential financial, economic, and social, challenges, most notably retaining immigrants and international students to enhance future growth prospects in the face of an aging workforce. Despite a strong political consensus at all levels as to the need to annually increase immigration and international student levels overall, inadequate policies and financial commitments exist in many broader policy areas to address the implications of this aggressive “numbers game”. This assessment provides an analysis of the elevated significance of economic immigration and international education and the conflicted motives within these two policy areas (despite both being viewed as serving larger immigration goals), resulting in serious capacity and equity issues that jeopardize the overall numerical successes – potentially undermining what is our most valuable long-term exchange with the Indo-Pacific Region.RésuméLa région de l'Indopacifique tient une bonne place dans la stratégie d'immigration du Canada, qui est récemment devenue un dossier politique essentiel pour relever un large éventail de défis financiers, économiques et sociaux existants et potentiels, notamment la rétention des immigrants et des étudiants internationaux pour améliorer la croissance future. Face au vieillissement de la main-d'œuvre. Malgré un fort consensus politique à tous les niveaux quand à la nécessité d'augmenter chaque année le niveau global d'immigration et d'étudiants internationaux, des politiques et des engagements financiers inadéquats existent dans de nombreux domaines politiques qui sont trop larges pour faire face aux implications de ce « jeu de chiffres » agressif. Cette évaluation fournit une analyse de l'importance élevée de l'immigration économique et de l'éducation internationale et des motivations conflictuelles dans ces deux domaines politiques (bien que les deux soient considérés comme servant des objectifs d'immigration plus larges), entraînant de graves problèmes de capacité et d'équité qui compromettent les succès numériques globaux - potentiellement nuire a ce qui est notre échange à long terme le plus précieux avec la région Indopacifique.Keywords: Small Cities; Canada; Immigration; International Students; Indo-Pacific, International Education Mots-clés : Petites villes ; Canada; Immigration; Étudiants internationaux; Indo-Pacifique, Éducation international (Kading and Thomas
Evaluating Policy Instrument Complexity with Causal Loop Diagrams
No full textMethods to capture the complexity of using policy instruments would allow us to better evaluate the reasons for their effectiveness. Drawing from complexity science, we produce a Causal Loop Diagram to analyse the implementation of two informational policy instruments in a tourism destination: the Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria and the European Tourism Indicator Scheme. To interpret the emerging system structure, we use complexity theory concepts of emergence; interdependence and interconnectivity; co-evolution; self-organisation; feedback; historicity and path dependence. This qualitative methodology sheds light on the interplay of factors that facilitate and impede the continuous use of these policy instruments. It shows how adopting a complexity science approach to evaluation studies can be invaluable to making tourism policy interventions more impactful
On Numerical Arguments in Policymaking
No full textThe use of numerical arguments has become part and parcel of evidence-based policymaking, serving increasingly as scientific evidence which is used to back up policy decisions and to convince citizens of the acceptability of those decisions. But numerical arguments and their quality and potential persuasive role in the specific institutional context of policymaking have received little treatment within argumentation theory. This paper endeavours to explain the forms, functions, and quality of numerical arguments in policymaking
Global Challenges and Plurilateral engagement in the Indian Ocean world
No full textAbstract The Indian Ocean is the historic cross-roads of the world. On most measures—linguistic, religious, political, legal, and economic, among others—its diversity is unparalleled. While the region is home to perhaps the most strategically important state actors in an age of intense superpower rivalry, it is equally home to an astonishing range of nonstate actors whose influence and significance should not be underestimated. Many religious, indigenous, and local nonstate actors and networks have a long pedigree, sometimes dating back centuries. Layered on these legacy organizations are a vast range of contemporary nonstate, transnational regulators active in the region. These actors play an increasingly important but overlooked role in global governance and can be effectively engaged in situations where states are unable or unwilling to act. This article explores how Canada and nonstate actors based in Canada and beyond might engage plurilaterally with nonstate actors in the Indian Ocean region.RésuméL'océan Indien est le carrefour historique du monde. Sur la plupart des mesures - linguistiques, religieuses, politiques, juridiques et économiques, entre autres - sa diversité est sans précédent. Et si la région abrite peut-être les acteurs étatiques les plus importants sur le plan stratégique à une époque d'intense rivalité entre superpuissances, elle abrite également une gamme étonnante d'acteurs non étatiques dont l'influence et l'importance ne doivent pas être sous-estimées. De nombreux acteurs et réseaux non étatiques religieux, autochtones et locaux ont un long pedigree, remontant parfois à des siècles. À ces organisations profondément enracinées s'ajoutent une vaste gamme de régulateurs transnationaux non étatiques contemporains actifs dans la région. Ces acteurs jouent un rôle de plus en plus important mais négligé dans la gouvernance mondiale et peuvent être efficacement engagés dans des situations où les États ne peuvent pas ou ne veulent pas agir. Cet article explore comment le Canada et les acteurs non étatiques basés au Canada et au-delà pourraient s'engager de manière multilatérale avec des acteurs non étatiques dans la région de l'océan Indien.Keywords: nonstate actors; Indian Ocean region/Indo-Pacific; global governance; sovereignty; pluralism; transnational regulation; plurilateral diplomacyMots-clés : acteurs non étatiques; région de l'océan Indien/indo-pacifique; gouvernance globale; souveraineté; pluralisme; régulation transnationales; diplomatie plurilatéral
Fifty Shades of Manipulation
No full textA statement or action can be said to be manipulative if it does not sufficiently engage or appeal to people’s capacity for reflective and deliberative choice. One problem with manipulation, thus understood, is that it fails to respect people’s autonomy and is an affront to their dignity. Another problem is that if they are products of manipulation, people’s choices might fail to promote their own welfare, and might instead promote the welfare of the manipulator. To that extent, the central objection to manipulation is rooted in a version of Mill’s Harm Principle: People know what is in their best interests and should have a (manipulation-free) opportunity to make that decision. On welfarist grounds, the norm against manipulation can be seen as a kind of heuristic, one that generally works well, but that can also lead to serious errors, at least when the manipulator is both informed and genuinely interested in the welfare of the chooser.
For the legal system, a pervasive puzzle is why manipulation is rarely policed. The simplest answer is that manipulation has so many shades, and in a social order that values free markets and is committed to freedom of expression, it is exceptionally difficult to regulate manipulation as such. But as the manipulator’s motives become more self-interested or venal, and as efforts to bypass people’s deliberative capacities becomes more successful, the ethical objections to manipulation become very forceful, and the argument for a legal response is fortified. The analysis of manipulation bears on emerging first amendment issues raised by compelled speech, especially in the context of graphic health warnings. Importantly, it can also help orient the regulation of financial products, where manipulation of consumer choices is an evident but rarely explicit concern