This article originally appeared in The Conversation, an independent, non-profit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available at the original site.
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After surviving the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians now find themselves facing even more challenges that affect nearly every aspect of their daily lives.
These include an economy under pressure, global warming, a faltering healthcare system and a changing workplace.
For policy makers, there are no easy, out-of-the-box answers. The policy environment in the late-pandemic and post-pandemic era poses new obstacles to effective policymaking unless adapted.
Our new environment is characterized by three main characteristics.
trio challenge
First, we live in an era of declining trust in public institutions and their leaders.
A recent survey found that more than half of respondents agreed that official government statements are unreliable.
In addition, policymakers are grappling with increasingly complex and interrelated challenges, calling for a coordinated and sustained intergovernmental effort.
Finally, the compounding impacts of global issues such as climate change mean that we also face a more uncertain policy environment that makes long-term planning increasingly difficult. I mean
The first report published by the newly formed CSA Center for Public Policy, of which I am a senior executive, said that such a prospect would make it more difficult for governments to implement effective programs and policies, and to solve key problems. It suggests that the need is greater than ever.
Any delayed or ineffective efforts to strengthen the economic security of Canadians, including the provision of affordable housing units, risk further eroding public confidence and increasing public engagement and outreach. Undermine future efforts.
policy tension
Canada’s existing approach to policy-making has shown some tension for some time.
Many Canadians struggle to access pharmacies and mental health services. Half of Canadians wait a month or more for him to get the mental health support he needs.
Our employment insurance system is designed for a labor market that no longer exists, leaving too many part-time, temporary and self-employed workers behind.
There is general consensus about the challenges before us and the goals we want to achieve. Less understood and little changed over the decades are the mindsets, cultures and tools available to policy makers to achieve their goals.
Here are three opportunities for policy makers to consider.
1. Focus on the long term
Many of the problems we face today are the result of a prevailing mindset characterized by a short-term approach and a failure to impartially consider the needs of people, especially those most vulnerable, in decision-making processes. is.
Climate change is a case in point, with future generations bearing the greatest costs of inadequate action today.
Refocusing on the long-term consequences of the choices made today and their impact on different communities requires a change of mindset and thoughtful engagement of more diverse perspectives. Done well, meaningful engagement not only leads to better program and policy outcomes, but also helps rebuild trust in public institutions, especially among marginalized communities.
2. Respond quickly to emerging issues
As challenges become more complex and their impacts more uncertain, the lag between emerging policy issues and policy responses is widening. Emerging technologies are changing human behavior in record time, making it difficult for regulators to rely on traditional tools to protect citizens while fostering innovation.
Traditional models of policymaking cannot anticipate a complex set of challenges. Digital platforms such as Uber and Airbnb are examples.
They expanded very quickly a decade ago, before policymakers developed a regulatory framework to account for medium- to long-term issues such as increasing traffic congestion on urban roads and declining affordable rental inventory. and disrupted the sector.
Implementing regulatory innovation practices that create room for policy makers to experiment can help bridge the gap between emerging issues and policy responses.
3. Expand collaboration
Most pressing policy challenges are complex and cross sectoral and jurisdictional boundaries. But policy solutions are rarely considered with this in mind. Traditional policy-making tools limit and restrict potential solutions and breakthrough opportunities.
Data sharing and collaboration within governments and trusted partners need to be greatly improved to understand difficult problems.
For example, a key challenge to eradicating homelessness is knowing exactly how many people are experiencing homelessness. To this end, the BC Data Innovation Program has developed an integrated data project to better understand and respond to homelessness.
Using administrative data for the first time, the BC government was able to produce an estimate of the number of people experiencing homelessness.This evidence base will lead to better policymaking and service delivery.
The new environment calls for new approaches to policy making that can more effectively navigate the complexity of today’s world. Many of our basic policies and programs were developed decades ago and have remained largely unchanged.
we know what we need to do. Now is the time to reconsider how we do it.
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This article is republished from The Conversation.
https://theconversation.com/policy-makers-must-change-direction-fast-in-the-post-pandemic-era-192307
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