Managing The Public Consultation Process V3

Ted Griffith, Vice President© National Public Relations Ltd

POWER MANAGEMENT IN ONTARIO

MAY 13 T H 2009

Managing the Public Consultation Process

© National Public Relations Ltd. Ted Griffith, Vice President

NATIONAL Public Relations

Vice President, NATIONAL Public RelationsCanada’s largest and most successful

communications consultancy35 years in operations300 + professional staff in 10 officesClients are Canada’s leading corporations,

governments, and NGOsPublic affairs, corporate communications, media

relations, digital media, healthcare, marketing communications, public consultation

Developed Energy Conservation Week for OPA


PUBLIC CONSULTATION EXPERIENCE

15 yearsTransfer of blood supply management to Canadian

Blood ServicesWater & Wastewater treatment sitesEnergy in Ontario

2006: Ontario Supply Mix (Gov’t of Ontario)

2006: Enbridge Ontario Wind Farm

2008: Northern York Region – Gas Plant (OPA)

2008: SW GTA – Gas Plant (OPA)


Public Consultation - NATIONAL

International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Aggregates Right to Draw Water Pipelines for Oil & Natural Gas Transmission Lines First Nations concerns

SYNENCO – Northern Lights project

ENBRIDGE – various pipelines, including Alberta Clipper and Southern Lights

SHELL – Oilsands related

IMPERIAL OIL -- MacKenzie Gas Project

AESO (Alberta Electric System Operator) – Edmonton/Calgary transmission line


Today’s Messages

1. “SOCIAL LICENSE” versus “SOCIAL FRICTION”

2. The goal of public consultation is to foster balanced discussion

3. It is not possible to over-communicate

4. The people you want to influence are not in the room


WHY CONSULT WITH THE PUBLIC?

Statutory RequirementRFP RequirementInformation GatheringPublic Education OpportunityManaging Public Opinion

SOCIAL LICENSE TO OPERATE


Social License

Today’s society demands more accountability and transparency – from both governments & corporations

A by-product of this is called “Social License” The consent of communities to develop a resource and

extract value

This community consent must be acquired at the earliest possible stages of a project and be maintained throughout its lifecycle

COMMUNITIES ARE DEMANDING THAT ORGANIZATIONS GO WELL BEYOND COMPLIANCE IN ORDER TO SATISFY THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND NEEDS


The Opposite of Social License

Social License

Social Friction


What Is Social Friction?

A societal force operating on public planning processes resultant from complex differences in the perceptions, values, and capacities of interdependent stakeholders.

Friction is the force that resists movement between objects in contact. Social friction focuses on the interaction between interdependent

stakeholders.

It can be desirable: When it provides traction to prevent planning or implementation from

going forth without due deliberation on stakeholder considerations;

It can undesirable: When it causes excessively slow or inefficient progression, or halts

planning or implementation altogether.Denise Carpenter, EPCOR


Friction Factors

INCREASES FRICTIONCoerced

Industrial

Exotic

Memorable

Dreaded

Catastrophic

Unknowable

Controlled by others

Unfair

Morally relevant

Untrustworthy source

Unresponsive process

REDUCES FRICTION

Voluntary

Natural

Familiar

Not memorable

Not dreaded

Chronic

Knowable

Controlled by individuals

Fair

Morally irrelevant

Trustworthy source

Responsive process


Social Friction & Power Generation


Industrial

Exotic

Memorable

Dreaded

Catastrophic

Unknowable


Unfair

Morally relevant



REDUCES FRICTION

Voluntary

Natural

Familiar

Not memorable

Not dreaded

Chronic

Knowable


Fair

Morally irrelevant

Trustworthy source

Responsive process



Industrial

Exotic

Memorable

Dreaded

Catastrophic

Unknowable


Unfair

Morally relevant



REDUCES FRICTION

Voluntary

Natural

Familiar

Not memorable

Not dreaded

Chronic

Knowable


Fair

Morally irrelevant

Trustworthy source

Responsive process

What Effective Consultation Will Do…


Consultation Attempts To Achieve Balance

Social License

Social Friction

Public Consultation Process



Industrial

Exotic

Memorable

Dreaded

Catastrophic

Unknowable


Unfair

Morally relevant



REDUCES FRICTION

Voluntary

Natural

Familiar

Not memorable

Not dreaded

Chronic

Knowable


Fair

Morally irrelevant

Trustworthy source

Responsive process

What Activists Will Do…


The Evolution of Social Friction

Honest Creative

Crooked


WHY CONSULT WITH THE PUBLIC?

Statutory RequirementRFP RequirementInformation GatheringPublic Education OpportunityManaging Public Opinion

To Foster Balance


The Principles of Public Consultation

You cannot over-communicateWhatever you say …

Can and will be used against you

ListenBe seen to listenLet it be known that you are

listeningRespond, thoughtfully The People You Want To

Influence Are Not In The Room


The People You Want To Influence

For

• Views can be strongly held

• Hard to influence

Against

• Views are often strongly held

• Not easily influenced

Quiet

• Views are not strongly held

• Most able to be influenced


Tools of the Trade

Stakeholder Assessment Action Plan

Key issues,

concerns

How supportive?

How affected?

How influential?

How will we engage?

When will we

engage?

Team member

responsible

Stakeholder

A

Stakeholder

B

Stakeholder

C


Tools of the Trade


Tools of the Trade


Tools of the Trade


Tools of the Trade


Tools of the Trade (2)


Thank you

Ted GriffithVice PresidentNATIONAL Public Relations 310 Front Street West 5th FloorToronto ON Canada M5V 3B5Direct (416) 848-1373Main (416) 586-0180 x 273Fax (416) 848-1413www.national.ca

http://www.national.ca/

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Managing The Public Consultation Process V3