Appendix 2 - Public Consultations
Federal, provincial and territorial governments routinely consult with youth and civil society on policies and initiatives that relate to the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The following are examples of consultations conducted during the period of the present report. This list is not exhaustive.
| Policy/initiative/issue | Date of Consultation | Method |
|---|---|---|
Government of Canada | ||
Internationally-focused initiatives | 2001-2008
June 1-3, 2005 | Five pilot projects that integrated the participation of young people in all phases of the project cycle. North American Regional Consultation to the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children: Regional consultation, including over 200 individuals from government, civil society from across Canada and the USA - including involvement of some 360 children through focus group discussions. |
Consultations on the Settlement and Language Training Services Needs of Newcomers | 2006 | Newcomer focus groups. These consultations were held under the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement. Youth were specifically targeted as a group for their input. |
1996 Hague Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in Respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of Children (1996 Convention) | June-October 2007 | The federal-provincial/territorial Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials - Family Justice consulted with Family Law lawyers across Canada on implications of Canada's possible implementation of the 1996 Convention. |
The Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement (CEYE) | Ongoing | The Government of Canada funds the CEYE, which promotes youth engagement in the development of relevant policy initiatives that affect them. |
Government of Canada - NGO Forum on Children and Armed Conflict | Ongoing | Joint forum that provides an information-sharing venue and catalyst for Canadian initiatives on the issue of children in armed conflict. |
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador | ||
Reducing Poverty in Newfoundland and Labrador: Working Towards a Solution | June -November 2005 | Public input was solicited through workshop sessions and focus groups with various groups including community, business, and labour groups, organizations focused on poverty or with particular expertise, and individuals living in poverty, including youth at risk. A toll-free line was established and e-mail submissions accepted. |
Education initiatives | 2006 | The Individual Support Services Plan (ISSP) and Pathways Commission sought public input on the "Pathways to Programming and Graduation" component of the ISSP through focus groups and surveys. |
Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy | 2008 | Youth Dialogue Sessions were held throughout the province to obtain the perspectives and ideas of youth on what is needed to make Newfoundland and Labrador a province of choice in which to live and work. |
Government of Prince Edward Island | ||
Task Force on Student | May 2005 | Five public meetings were held. |
Employment Standards | January -September 2006 | The consultation process included Submissions were invited and public hearings were held. |
Youth Substance Use | December 2007 | Three public forums were held. |
Child Protection Act | February - March 2008 | Six public meetings were held. |
Government of Nova Scotia | ||
Review of Child Welfare Services | 2004 | A representative working group and a survey of key stakeholders |
Child Welfare Steering Committee - Improving Services for Children and Families | 2005-2007 | The consultation process included focus groups with child welfare practitioners, community boards and other key stakeholders; a call for written submissions from interested parties; comments from interested members of the general public through a web site; and a toll-free telephone line. |
Poverty Reduction Strategy Working Group | 2007-2008 | Public consultations were held between November and March 2008. |
Minister's Advisory Committee on the Children and Family Services Act and Adoption Information Act | November 2005 - May 2008 | The Advisory Committee held 27 meetings over a 23-month period. During the spring and summer of 2006, a campaign sought feedback from the community in writing or personal presentations to the Committee. |
Government of New Brunswick | ||
Inclusive Education | 2006 | A public forum was held that provided key elements for an action plan. |
Government of Québec | ||
Public consultations on the reconciliation of work and family life | June 16, 2004 | The document entitled Vers une politique gouvernementale sur la conciliation travail famille was madepublic. The government released the policy entitled Pour que l'égalité de droit devienne une égalité de fait in December of 2006. |
The government held public consultations on the document entitled Vers un nouveau contrat social pour l'égalité entre les femmes et les hommes | 2005 | Through these consultations, the Commission des affaires sociales received 107 briefs and heard the views of 75 groups. Following the consultations, the government released, on December 17, 2006, its public policy on gender equality, entitled Pour que l'égalité de droit devienne une égalité de fait. |
Public consultations on the bill concerning educational child care services | Fall 2005 | Almost 200 briefs were submitted and approximately 40 groups had their views heard through the consultations. |
Government of Ontario | ||
Developing a Youth Outreach Program - part of the Government of Ontario broader Youth Opportunities Strategy | March - September 2006 | Meetings were conducted with service providers and selected youth groups receiving mental health services in order to build relationships with hard-to-reach youth in "at-risk" neighbourhoods, provide advice, advocate on behalf of youth and connect them to appropriate services. |
Models of Excellence for Youth - Provincial Congress | March 2007 | A Models of Excellence for Youth - Provincial Congress brought together Government of Ontario officials, researchers and other stakeholders from across Ontario and Canada to share and compare models of excellence in community programming for at-risk youth and youth in conflict with the law. |
Review of the Roots of Youth Violence
| June 2007 | The Review visited eight neighbourhoods in five cities across Ontario, consulted with provincial organizations and commissioned research papers. The Review met with or received written submissions from more than 750 individuals. The Review also received more than 5,000 responses to its online survey. |
Aboriginal Engagement Initiative Summary Report
| 2006 and 2007 | Numerous region-specific group sessions were conducted across Ontario during the summer of 2006, to identify opportunities for new and enhanced partnerships to better support Aboriginal youth in, or at risk of being in, conflict with the law. Broader consultations were conducted with communities/stakeholders in 2007. |
Establishment of new Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Respites Services initiative: Understanding the needs of the Community and Families of Children with ASD | August -September 2007 | Community consultations included parents of children with ASD as well as service providers. Consultation activities included face-to-face meetings, focus groups, individual consultations and parent surveys. |
Government of Manitoba | ||
Aboriginal Justice Inquiry/Child Welfare Initiative | August 2001 - April 2003 | This process included a series of Town Hall meetings as well as written submissions from the public. Any member of the public was allowed to provide feedback into the process of the devolution of child welfare in Manitoba. |
Integrated Service Delivery - to inform the creation of the Community Engagement Framework | October and December 2007 | The consultation included five community focus groups made up of community advocates, community women, Aboriginal community members, people living in poverty, rural and Francophone community representatives, as well as members from the disability community. |
Manitoba Strategy Responding to Children and Youth at Risk of, or Survivors of, Sexual Exploitation
| 2008 | Two community summits were held and included representatives from community organizations, Aboriginal groups, government agencies, as well as youth who had experienced sexual exploitation. |
Child issues and priorities | Six times annually | The Healthy Child Manitoba Provincial Advisory Committee, chaired by a community volunteer, consults with civil society |
Manitoba Child Care Program Regulatory Review Committee | Regularly | The committee, made up of parents, child care providers (group, rural, urban, family, Francophone, Aboriginal), labour, Manitoba Child Care Association, and other government and non-governmental organizations with interests in child care, meets to discuss child care issues, review and advise on child care regulations, prioritize direction and outcomes for the Manitoba Child Care Program, and develop a vision for ongoing growth and development of Early Learning and Child Care in Manitoba. |
Government of Saskatchewan | ||
The Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation with Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations | 2003; ongoing |
|
Caring and Respectful Schools Policy; Community Schools Program and Policy (revised); Empowering High Schools Policy | 2004 |
|
Early Learning and Child Care Consultations | 2004 |
|
PreKindergarten to Grade 12 | 2006; ongoing |
|
Early Childhood Intervention Programs | Ongoing |
|
KidsFirst Policy and program | Ongoing |
|
Human Services Integration Forum (HSIF) | Ongoing | The HSIF addresses the needs of the most vulnerable, building on the strengths of individuals, families and communities and increasing capacity to contribute to the social and economic health of the people of Saskatchewan. |
Provincial programs, initiatives and policy in Aboriginal Education. | Ongoing | The First Nations and Métis Education Provincial Advisory Committee makes recommendations. |
Government of Alberta | ||
Alberta Roundtable on Family Violence and Bullying: To develop recommendations for an action plan to address family violence and bullying | May 7, 2004 | Face-to-face discussions took place with victims of family violence and bullying, experts, community organizations, Aboriginal peoples, and youth. More than 3,500 participants attended. |
World Conference on Prevention of Family Violence: To share promising practices in family violence in the areas of prevention, intervention, and support and follow-up. | October 23-26, 2005 | A diverse group of international leaders, researchers, policy and program experts, and youth were invited to the World Conference. More than 1,200 delegates, presenters, observers and volunteers from 30 countries on six continents attended the World Conference. |
International Policy Forum: To build a common framework for action in follow-up to the World Conference on Prevention of Family Violence 2005 | November 1-2, 2006 | Face-to-face discussions took place with 105 invited international leaders, researchers, policy and program experts, and youth. |
Government of British Columbia | ||
Early Childhood Development, Child Care | 2003 - Present | Children, families, school districts and community organizations provide input on services. Aboriginal communities participate in planning for services to their peoples. |
Child and Youth Mental Health Program Planning | 2003 - Ongoing | This plan has been developed and implemented with collaborative regional and community planning processes. |
Children and Youth with Special Needs Consultative Meetings | 2003 - Present | Services are informed by consultations with staff, families, community service providers and others. |
Safe Care Consultation | 2004 | Public and stakeholder consultations were held on protecting youth at very high risk. Results led to increased focus on voluntarily-accessed services. |
Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) | 2005 | Public consultations gathered input across the province on how to invest ELCC funding. |
WorkSafeBC - minors and hazardous work. | April 2006 - December 2007 | Public hearings were held prior to the regulatory amendments for young and new workers being implemented in 2007. |
Government of Nunavut | ||
Youth Development Strategy | 2003 | Workshops and meetings were held to consult with local youth and elder committees to frame the development of a Youth Development Strategy that would be guided by youth and respond to their particular challenges and issues. |
Education Act | 2005 | Public consultations on the Education Act were held through community visits and workshops. A discussion paper and brochure were distributed in newspapers and the community meetings to guide discussion. |
Government of Northwest Territories | ||
Northern Strategy Youth Consultation Session | April 22, 2005 | In-person meetings were held. |
Amendments to Maintenance Orders Enforcement Act | August - December 2007 | The consultation process included online information and an invitation to contact the government. |
Regulations under the Employment Standards Act. | November 2007 - February 2008 | A consultation paper was provided. |
Government of Yukon Territory | ||
Children's Act | 2003 to 2007 | An extensive multi-phased consultation took place. |
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