Royal Roads University (RRU) is partnering with the Public Policy Forum and the Policy Research Initiative to conduct a series of real-time electronic dialogues to stimulate public policy discussion and, in the future, influence public policy on sustainable development. The purpose of the dialogues is multifold:

• to stimulate dialogue among diverse sectors of Canadian society around critical sustainable development issues;

• to use and evaluate this media - electronic dialogue - as a tool to change and enhance literacy, both scientific and social, around specific sustainable development issues among both the public and the policy-development community; and

• to determine whether 'outside' substantive dialogues inform the policy development process.

The project is led by Ann Dale, Professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability at Royal Roads University. The Steering Committee also includes: Nancy Averill, Director of Research & Methology, Public Policy Forum; Tony Boydell, Dean of School of Environment and Sustainability, Royal Roads University; David MacIsaac, Transport Canada; Jamie Smith, Treasury Board Secretariat. The project is currently in pilot stage to test various aspects of the e-dialogues, including technology and format. To provide feedback regarding your experience with the pilot e-dialogue, please fill in the evaluation survey that will be posted with each dialogue. In its pilot phase, the e-dialogues will be composed of two parallel and complementary, almost real-time discussions with:

1. a panel of nationally-recognized experts who bring diverse experience and perspectives to the discussion; and

2. audience members, comprising Royal Roads learners and other interested members from the broader community (federal, provincial, and local governments, the private sector, civil society, national and international institutions), who will reflect on and add to the expert discussions.

As the software is developed and refined to meet the demands of a truly interactive real-time deliberative dialogue, the dialogues will become increasingly interactive between panelists and audiences. In the future, the e-dialogues will also incorporate e-polling as a mechanism to determine how much change has occurred in the audience as a result of the dialogues. Subsequently, and as a critical part of this research, the project will determine how the knowledge gained from the e-polling can influence Canadian public policy. RRU is planning to hold 3 e-dialogues per year.

For further information on the e-dialogues project, please contact:

Ann Dale
Principal Investigator
School of Environment and Sustainability
Royal Roads University
tel: 250.391-2600, ext. 4117
Ann.Dale@royalroads.ca