Public Policy Research Centre
Memorial University of
Newfoundland
Presentation to Federal Council
Policy Group May 13, 2003
David Vardy, Interim Director
Profile of Director
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Economist
Federal Service
Provincial Service of 27 years as Deputy Minister
Channing Chair and Adjunct Professor
Task Forces and Panels
Interim Director February 1, 2003
Future of Public Policy
• Challenges and fundamental change in
Newfoundland and Labrador
• Strong policy capacity at national but not at
provincial level
• Cost of policy failure high – policy failure as
cause of our unacceptable place in Canada
• Need for made-in-Newfoundland solutions
• Vision is important
Pro-active versus Reactive
• Vision leads to pro-active stance
• University well-positioned to be pro-active
• Research agenda important in pro-active
model of governance
Timing Propitious
• Royal Commission Report Imminent
• Election Imminent
Why University Think Tank?
• University Strategic Plan makes
commitment to public policy research
• National funding councils demand policy
relevance
• Wide and diverse range of multidisciplinary expertise at University
• Respected Institution in Province
Target audience
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Governments
Leaders
General Public
Public support generates government action
The Need for a Policy Centre:
Memorial’s Strategic Plan
• Making our policy-related expertise
accessible.
• Excellence in research and community
service.
• Innovative leadership in developing and
applying knowledge and values.
• Responsive to Newfoundland and
Labrador's geography, culture and
economy.
Getting Started
• The Public Policy Research Centre gratefully
acknowledges the advice and financial assistance of the
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Policy Centre Mission Statement
• The Policy Centre will enhance social and
economic public policy in Newfoundland
and Atlantic Canada through collaborative
research and capacity development.
Policy Centre Research Focus:
Social and Economic Development
• Natural resource management
• Optimizing participation of local economies in
natural resource development
• Seeking linkages between old and new
economies
• Identifying best-practice strategies for regional
development.
Centre’s Collaborative Commitment
• to identifying questions for research and analysis
with policy makers and policy advisors at all
levels of govt.;
• to working with research centres and funding
agencies regionally, nationally and internationally
that have similar mandates;
• to responsible, scientific and timely research;
• to communicating results so as to help policy
makers make the best possible decisions.
Policy Centre Location
4th Floor, Queen’s College
Memorial Main Campus
Policy Centre Organization
University President
Vice-President (Research and International Relations)
Dean of Arts
Policy Centre Director
Policy Centre Advisory Board
Advisory Board: MUN Members
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Chris Loomis, Chair, VP (Research)
David Graham, Dean of Arts
Chris Dunn, Department of Political Science
David Vardy, Interim Director
Advisory Board: Community
Members
• June Alteen, Chairs School District 3 & Steering
Committee of the Social Strategic Plan for the Grenfell
Cormack Region
• Douglas Brown, Inst. of Intergovernmental Relations,
Queen’s U.
• Keith MacDonald, Manager of Policy and Planning,
ACOA
• Andy Noseworthy, Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental
Affairs, Govt. of NF and Lab.
• Elaine Price, President, NF and Lab. Federation of Labour
• William Wells, President and and CEO, Newfoundland
Hydro
Policy Centre Working Papers
• Timber and Non-Timber Forest Products:
Changing Policy in Newfoundland and
Labrador (Susan Williams)
• The Irish Economic Model and Federal
Transfers in Canada (Stephen White)
Policy Centre Projects
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Strategic Social Partnerships
Dynamics of Rural Areas
Economic Impact of Offshore Petroleum
Royalty Regimes and the Economic Future
of Newfoundland
Dissemination and Networking
Activities
• public lecture series (e.g., Galbraith Lecture)
• exchange visits by researchers or policy makers
• web site, ‘occasional paper’ series, roundtables,
workshops, conferences
• joining national and international policy research
networks
• annual prize for the best graduate thesis or MA
project report in public policy
Curriculum Development to
support Public Policy Capacity
• Executive Masters in Oil and Gas Studies
• Public Sector Leadership and Management
Development Program
• Masters in Health Systems Management
Capacity Development
• Centre draws upon faculty
• Influence on new appointments
• Build policy-relevant expertise
Review Panel
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ACOA funding two years
Contract up to December 31, 2004
Review required
Panel appointed in September, 2002
Panel to examine future prospects of centre
Report in December 2002
Panel Members
• Keith Banting, Director of Policy Studies at
Queen’s
• Philip Prince, President, Canadian Energy
Research Institute, (CERI)
• Noel Roy, Professor,Economics Department
at MUN
• David Vardy, Chair of Panel
Review process
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University input
Government input
Community organizations
Site visit
Collaborative writing process
Recommendations
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Centre to continue, subject to funding
Necessary funding identified
Focus upon fundamental issues
No restriction on mandate
Rolling agenda
Strong interaction with other centres
Recommendations (continued)
• University to provide space and overhead
cost plus some contribution to salaries
• Core funding from both Province and
Federal Government
• Project funding from variety of sources
• Transitional Arrangements
Recommendations (continued)
• Core faculty participants identified
• Strong engagement of faculty in planning
• Research to result in peer-reviewed
publication
• Core executive team of three
• Board of Directors to replace advisory
committee
Status of report
• Board of Regents have report
• Interim Director appointed
• ACOA extension
Research Agenda
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Royal Commission report imminent
Policy Centre offer to host workshops
Process to establish research priorities
Vision without ideology
Vision
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Innovation Theme
Knowledge based
Healthy Communities
Sustainable Development
Principles or criteria
• Relevance in terms of innovation,
employment, public debt, sustainability
• Potential application to other areas
• Builds upon strengths
• Multi-disciplinarity – embracing wide range
of expertise
• Timeliness
Principles (continued)
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Options
Evidence and theory
Existing work – no duplication
Use of people with highest level of
expertise
• Network with other centres
Research agenda setting
• Start with broad fields
• Policy forum to review
• Policy forum to pick immediate priorities
and identify selected fields
• Consultation process to build medium term
research agenda
Build upon Royal Commission
work
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Demographic trends
Regional and rural Development
Entrepreneurship
Fiscal Federalism
New economy
Innovation
Broad Fields
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Renewable resources
Non-renewable resources
Education, health, human resources
Governance issues
People, Places, Transportation and
Technology
Renewable Resources
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Fisheries and aquaculture
Forestry
Agriculture
Hydroelectric resources
Coastal zone management
Environment
Waste Management
Reinvention of old industries
Non-Renewable Resources
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Petroleum
Minerals
Issues of sustainability
Supplier development and local benefits
Royalty Revenue
Balance between economic rent and direct
regional benefits
• Reinvention of old industries
Education, Health, Human
Resources and Culture
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Labour Relations
Occupational Health and Safety
Income Support
Social determinants of economic progress
Economic and social adjustment
Prepare youth for new economy
Adult literacy/new economy
Culture
Governance Issues
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Women in society
Aboriginal issues
Dispute settlement
Provision of local services
Fiscal federalism and intergovernmental
cooperation
• Social capital and volunteer sector
People, places, transportation and
technology
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Communities and demography / Rural - Urban
Location of economic activity
Labrador issues
Economic and social Adjustment to resource crises
Transportation and communication and social
infrastructure
• Research and innovation
• Manufacturing and trade
• Investment capital
Agenda setting
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Policy forum to select one or two projects
Royal Commission report timely
Policy forum to select two broad fields
Consultation process to follow
Themes and research projects identified
Seek project funding
Building Public Policy Centre
• Requires major commitment by University
from top down
• Transformation of University
• Broad base of support in community
required
• Difficult challenge requiring significant
commitment of energy
• Full time director needed (not part time)
Funding for Centre
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Core and Project funding
Private sector
Foundations
Federal
Provincial government
Balance of expertise
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Canada Research Chair
Interchanges/Visiting Fellows
Research Staff/ Senior and junior
Post/Doctoral
Relationship to other centres
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ISER/Smallwood
Centre for Applied Health Research
PRAC
Regional and Rural Studies
Board of Regents
• Assess funding situation
• Make decision to proceed
• If positive, then appoint new Board of
Directors and recruit new Director and
Associate Director in early fall
Contact
David Vardy
Interim Director
Public Policy Research Centre
Memorial University of
Newfoundland
St. John's, NF, CANADA A1C 5S7
Tel. 709-737-4311
Fax 709-737-2041
e-mail dvardy@mun.ca