MASS Bulletin no. 15
 Health Minister Lauds MASS LBP Hospital Consultation We didn't see this coming but in response to a question about service cuts at Northumberland Hills Hospital, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews replied: "I think this is a very innovative approach that Northumberland Hills Hospital took in this case. They actually brought together citizens and gave them very intense education into what some of the choices were in the hospital. There is no question that these are tough decisions, but the citizens’ advisory panel was something that I think other hospitals may wish to explore, because it does actually ask the people in the community what they need to protect and what could be done better..." — Ontario Hansard, Question Period, April 27, 2010 Learn more about the budget consultation process we designed for NHH. A Must-Read for Engagement Professionals A big part of our job at MASS is to stay on top of the latest techniques for engaging citizens and stakeholders. We spend dozens of hours each month keeping tabs on what's happening across Canada as well as internationally. It's information that fuels our work and thinking and it's information we're often asked to share. That's why we're gearing up to launch Public Engagement International Review (PEIR) — an quarterly e-digest for engagement professionals that will offer insight, analysis, and international examples of innovations in public engagement. If you're responsible for community engagement in your organization, PEIR is designed for you. Subscribe to PEIR and keep your finger on the pulse of the sector's most recent innovations. Interested in purchasing an advance 'founders' subscription' at a special price: 21st Century Learning and the Arts ArtsSmarts has spent a decade changing the way teachers, students and artists interact and learn from one another. Recently, we were invited to complete a strategic review of the organization and think about how ArtsSmarts can extend its reputation as a national champion for 21st century learning. Young man, there's no need to feel down The recent 150!Canada Conference attracted delegates from dozens of ministries, companies and community organizations across the country. Among them was YMCA Canada which has since asked us to design and facilitate the program for their 2010 AGM — an event that will welcome more than 250 delegates representing 52 Canadian YMCAs and focus on a major update to their strategic plan. Wish List Recap Two weeks ago, MASS released its first Wish List: 10 projects and issues we're hungry to tackle over the next 18 months. We've had a great response from our friends and clients including letters from as far away as South Africa. You're helping our work wishes come true, so please continue to spread the word! Download the MASS Wish List PDF here MASS Talk Special Edition: May 11, 2010 Is more growth the solution to our economic woes? Can it possibly deliver prosperity and well being for a global population projected to reach nine billion? In this explosive book, Tim Jackson — a top sustainability adviser to the UK government — makes a compelling and surprising case against continued economic growth in developed nations. Join MASS LBP Principal Peter MacLeod in conversation with UK author Tim Jackson on his recent book, Prosperity without Growth. Planning to attend? RSVP here. Date: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 6pm
Critically, Jackson dismantles what he calls the 'decoupling' myth — the idea that new technology ultimately reduces demand for natural resources. According to Jackson, innovation alone won't cut it and relying on an economic system that fails to account for the finitude of the Earth's resources is a recipe for trouble. According to the Guardian, "In terms of a worldview for the new decade and beyond, this could well be the most important book you will read." There's no better endorsement than that.
Too often the pluralism of our society is seen as an obstacle to creating a viable ethical and political consensus on science and technology.” The Journal of Evolution and Technology (JET) explores this concept or problem through this article on public consultation. Divisions over budget costs or city planning is one thing, but can seem trivial when dealing with the highly divisive problems that accompany many science and technology policy issues, such as genetic engineering. Human ingenuity vs human values = public consultation. Cool stuff. Boost your bottom line. Make your employees happier. Here are the trends behind and the dividends of a democratic workplace. DEMOS: Reinventing the firm (PDF) "Employee-owned companies currently contribute some Ł25bn to the British economy. According to an annual index compiled by a leading law firm, they outperform the FTSE by roughly 10% each year." It makes you wonder if outdated corporate structures are a root cause of economic and creative stagnation. If so, can firms be modeled so that shareholders and employees, the economy and society profit? Vancouver has a vibrant local party system. Cincinnati, Philadelphia and New York City all have municipal term limits. Montreal voters elect local Borough Councils. What are the options that could make your city’s election policy work better? Better Ballots for Toronto has 14 options, check them out here (PDF). With six TED presentations to his credit Dr. Hans Rosling is a legend. He is king at making complex issues and forces easy to understand using simple infographics. Here is a great video of Rosling illustrating the problems of population growth with LEGO. For extra data fun, check out his website, Gapminder.org, where you can explore the world trends with ingenious infographics. Finish Schools are #1: Finland's kids regularly outperform other OECD countries in science and literacy scores. Two counter-intuitive reasons: less classroom time and having the same teacher year after year after year. (All I can say is that memories of Mrs. Ruddy come flooding back. I was fortunate to escape when I did.) An extensive look at Building a Green Economy by Paul Krugman, author of The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008. This overview is refreshing and altogether useful, until he hits the wall with this ever-popular rejoinder: “All we need now is the political will.” Ahhh... David Brooks: a conservative any liberal can love. Recently, he upended Cass Sunstein's argument that the internet is harming democracy by segregating audiences into self-reenforcing bubbles of belief. MSNBC and FOX viewers are a handy old media shorthand for the phenomena. But according to a counter-study Brooks cites, "the Internet will not produce a cocooned public square, but a free-wheeling multilayered Mad Max public square. ... If there is increased polarization (and there is), it’s probably not the Internet that’s causing it."  What you cannot do while voting in the UK Heat map of Taxi traffic in NYC Alfred Hitchcock would be pleased with these crows Energy Crisis SOLVED = Cows on treadmills... Dialogue and Deliberation Practitioners Survey 2009 Make an Annual Report of your personal encounters Margaret Atwood hearts Twitter. Ugh Quirky.com: Product Design Finance-Community Hacking Norman Rockwell’s interpretation of democracy |
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