The Messy World of Policy-making: Science, Stakeholders and Sausage Making workshop took place in Ottawa between March 3 and 7. The workshop brought students and young professionals together with a wide range of experts with varying perspectives, backgrounds and disciplines to discuss the complexities and intricacies and challenges of water policy in Canada.
During the morning of March 5, SOWC’s Brenda Lucas took part in a discussion that concentrated on the inner workings of the policy making process in a session called, The Sausage Making Process, a title inspired by Otto Von Bismark’s quote – “laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.” Lucas provided a perspective from her three years as Senior Policy Advisor to the Ontario Minister of Environment and her role developing the Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act that was passed in the provincial legislature.
“These types of workshops provide a great opportunity to engage with present and future influencers in the Canadian water sector,” said Lucas after the workshop. “I’m always excited to have an opportunity to engage students and young professionals with multidisciplinary perspectives of the water sector in Canada today.”
The five-day workshop was hosted by the Canadian Water Network, an organization that is driving Canada’s progress on three core water management challenges: protecting public health, protecting watersheds and ecosystems, and ensuring sustainable water infrastructure.