Narrative Chronology of the Policy Process (3 pages)

The purposes of this assignment are:
To develop your capacity to find, interpret, and evaluate information and media policies
To gain an understanding of how policies are made
To know who makes them and who benefits from them.
To accomplish these goals select one of the following Canadian government policy documents and writing a report following the steps listed below.
Canadian Government Policy Documents
Information and Communication Policies
Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage. (2004, May). Interim Report on Copyright Reform (Links to an external site.). First Report. 37th Parliament, 3rd Session.
Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. (2003, April). Opening Canadian Communications to the World (Links to an external site.). Third Report. 37th Parliament, 2nd Session.
Other Policies
Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. (2005, March). Here We Go Again . . . Or The 2004 Fraser River Salmon Fishery (Links to an external site.). Second Report. 38th Parliament, 1st Session.
Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Health. (2004, April). Opening the Medicine Cabinet: First Report on Health Aspects of Prescription Drugs (Links to an external site.). 37th Parliament, 3rd Session..
Research and Composition
1. Narrative Chronology of the Policy Process (3 pages)
From contextual information in the document and appropriate primary (government web sites) and secondary (newspaper and magazine articles) sources, tell the story of how this policy has been developing over the past few years. Locate the document in the process. What led up to it, and what has followed? Trace the process back a few years and make it as current as you can. For each event or publication, note who sponsored or created it, what the mandate was, and, briefly, what the outcome was. Make sure you relate the events or documents to each other.
2. Stakeholder Profiles (6 pages)
Using appropriate policy documents, news databases, and web sites, locate as many stakeholders or interest groups as possible.
Group them into the following categories: government, industry, NGOs, and other (if necessary).
For each of government, NGO, and industry stakeholder groupings, prepare a report of about two pages on the grouping that outlines the position(s) that the group espouses on the policy issue. Why do they hold that position (i.e., what will they get if the policy goes their way?).
Describe generally who is in each grouping. Is there unanimity or a split? Why might this be the case?
Detail the group's interventions and/or participation in the policy process.
Use examples drawn from the group members.
Remember that you need to go beyond the submissions that these organizations made for the specific document of study.
Conclude with a statement of which sector you believe has been the most successful in the process or note if two sectors have joined together in opposition to the third.
3. International Comparison (2 pages)
Relate the document to a similar document from the EU, U.K., or U.S. Locate and identify this document. Who produced it and why? What is the context for this document? Briefly compare and contrast its concerns with those of the Canadian document.
4. Documentary Policy Discourse Analysis (2 pages)
Identify the problem the document seeks to address. (Look in the executive summary, introduction, and conclusion.) How is the problem framed? What is the solution it proposes?
Identify the cast of characters in the document. Who is/are causing the problem? Who will provide the solution? In other words, say who the heroes and villains are.
To the extent you can, relate the story being told in the document to the stakeholder profiles you assembled in Part 2. Which stakeholder grouping does the document most closely resemble? Why might that be?
Stylistic Considerations
Documenting Your Work
Start your references on a separate page.
Provide two lists of references using APA style. (See note below about citing government documents.)
The first list, Works Cited, should include every source summarized, paraphrased, or quoted.
The second list, Works Consulted, should include other sources consulted but not used directly in your research.
Sources on these pages must be in alphabetical order by author.
Pay particular attention to citing web sites.
APA is problematic in citing government documents. We suggest that you first learn the rules for citing government documents and then make the modifications required for APA style. There are several useful guides to citing government documents.
Queen's University Library. (2011, August). Brief guide to citing Canadian government documents and statistics (Links to an external site.).
Mount Allison University Library. (1997, December 1). Guide to citing Canadian government publications (Links to an external site.).
Formatting Notes
Double-space your work.
Use a 12-point font with one-inch margins all around.
Include a cover page.
Provide page numbers.
Do not write in point form.
Underline or italicize the names of all publications (newspapers, books, magazines).