A Subtle Balance critically reflects on major trends and enduring
challenges over the last four decades of public policy and governance.
During this time, a tension has existed between two aims for public
decisions: that they be based on the best available evidence and
analysis, and that they be fully democratic. This period has seen a
continuing drive for more direct citizen engagement in decision-making
and governments trying to address major policy issues through novel
consultative and collaborative processes. In essays that offer detailed
and novel insights into the recent history of specific issues in social
policy, environmental policy, and processes of policy advice and
decision-making, contributors elaborate on how these trends have played
out in diverse areas of practice, what their consequences have been, and
how specific institutional reforms could reset the requisite balance
between expertise, evidence, and democracy in Canadian public policy.
Inspired by the wide-ranging contributions to scholarship and practice
of A.R. (Rod) Dobell, A Subtle Balance draws on the influences of
distinguished scholars and sophisticated practitioners of public policy
to assess recent changes in governance. Contributors include Martin
Bunton, Barry Carin, Ian Clark, Rachel Culley, Rod Dobell, Lia Ernst,
Jill Horwitz, John Langford, Justin Longo, Michael Prince, Harry Swain,
Charles Ungerleider, Josee van Eijndhoven, Michael Wolfson, and David
Zussman.
