Decision Making
as if
Society and Environment Matter
The "Canada Well-Being Measurement Act" (CWBMA) could transform
the decision making process.
What we count and what we measure signifies what we value. When all
we count is monetary transactions (GDP), talk about environmental quality
and social cohesion does not produce action. When we legitimize other factors
by measuring and reporting on them in our core measure of progress, they
become visible. That visibility, in turn, enables anyone to see how policies
and actions affect the measures and encourages decision makers to pay attention
to them.
The purpose of the CWBMA is to establish a set of indicators to measure
"the economic, social and environmental well-being of people, communities
and ecosystems in Canada." The Act would require public input to determine
the "the broad societal values on which the set of indicators should
be based."
There are two things you can do to advance this possibility. One is
to encourage people to think about and discuss what well-being means to
them. What do we value? How can we tell if the circumstances related to
those values are getting better or worse?
A "Discussion Kit" is available from the 7th Generation Initiative.
It provides suggestions for initiating a discussion about the questions
above and includes feedback sheets so we can collect your opinions about
what should be measured.
Think of the issue or issues that matter to you. How can we tell if
the situation is getting better or worse? This is the information needed
to establish an effective monitoring system that can inform good decisions.
Please help us collect this information and expand the network of interest
needed to assure that the potential of this Act is not watered down for
lack of public participation or strategic cooperation.
The second thing you can do is to lobby your MP. Our experience so far
has been that when people review the Act and background materials, they
see the sense of it and add their support. The trick with MPs is to get
their attention. They are very busy. They do, however, respond to persistent
constituents. Ask your MP what s/he thinks of the "Canada Well-Being
Measurement Act". S/he can get full details from the Ottawa office
of Joe Jordan MP. Check back every week or two until you get a response.
Contact information for all MPs is available from 1-800-667-3355
The Act is politically safe because it only requires that we pay attention
to the factors that people identify as important. As impartial indicators,
once established, if they are witnessed to move down, the action which they
suggest will be independent of political baggage and we will be much more
likely to see some action taken.
For more detail, see:
http://www.cyberus.ca/choose.sustain/index3.html
or ask us for a free copy of the new edition of "Measuring Well-Being".
Write postage free to:
Joe Jordan M.P.
7th Generation Initiative
Rm. 422, Confederation Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6
or contact:
Mike Nickerson, Coordinator
sustain@web.net (613) 269-3500
Questions and comments are welcome.
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Last Update: <ay 11, 2002
Filename: http://www.SustainWellBeing.net/7GI/500wrd-announce.shtml