From Allies to Government

So far we have discussed some effective ways to build awareness, recruit allies and create public interest at the grassroots level. The next step is to move into the political phase of policy development.

Within the Ontario Legislature, it is the Ministers who are individually and collectively responsible to the House of Commons for policies and programs. Ministers have authority and lead the individual departments. The staff within the departments are the ones who research, study and advise the Minister about policies. (Kenny-Scherber, 2006). Often times it is the debates that are held in the legislature that create public awareness and attention to a particular policy on the table. Legislation is introduced into the House of Commons either in the form of pubic bills, government bills ( introduced by a cabinet minister) or private bills introduced by a member of the provincial legislature. Much early in our blog we discussed how NDP member Marilyn Churney introduced a private members bill about adoption into the legislature.

Once introduced, the bill is titled and "read for the first time"( Kenny-Scherber p. 97). Following a brief introduction there is a vote to decide if the bill will be accepted for future debate. If accepted, the bill moves on for a 2nd reading. In the interim, the members of parliament have time to study the bill. The 2nd reading is when members have the opportunity to debate and make comments on the bill. ( As a point of interest adoption, we will add here that between 1998-2003 seven adoption policy bills were brought to the legislature and never made it past 2nd reading).

The outcome of this is a critical stage as to what happens next. If the bill receives an unanimous vote of all members in the house it will pass on to the 3rd reading. If the bill receives a majority vote it will pass on to the committee stage. If it goes to what is known as a standing committee the bill may be investigated further in the way of public hearings, expert witnesses etc. This can be a crucial time for voices to be heard from private citizens and stakeholder groups to influence policy ( White, 1989 as cited in Kenny-Scherber).

Once the work at the standing committee is complete, the amended bill is returned to the House.

At the third reading, the bill may either be accepted by members without debate and voted on and pass 3rd reading or it may be sent back once again to a standing committee for further revisions. Following a 3rd reading, a bill receives Royal Assent and eventually becomes law.

Having briefly reviewed the political process by which policy becomes law, it is also important to consider the "lifecycle" of the political climate. (Kingdon 1984 ,as cited in Kenny-Scherber) uses the term "policy window" to describe the optimum time to bring a policy forward. This window is typically within the first year of a new government when there is restructuring, new ideas and platforms being established.