Engagement without authority : an analysis of voluntary planning and community health boards of Nova Scotia in the neoliberal era

Abstract

In 1963, Nova Scotia began a complicated history with formalised citizen engagement practices as a vehicle to ensure citizen input into the policy making process. From Voluntary Economic Planning to Voluntary Planning, citizen engagement has been a fluid process over its nearly fifty years of existence, with the responsibilities of boards changing based on the governing party of the time. This thesis examines Voluntary Planning and Community Health Boards in Nova Scotia between the years of 1999 to 2017. Using a combination of government publications, academic literature and media data, this thesis argues that the changes to Voluntary Planning and Community Health Boards within this period reflect a neoliberal governance model. Under the leadership of three separate political parties, citizen engagement bodies were used to sustain central control in decision making and manage negative perceptions of the government by inhibiting the ability of citizens to hold consultative authority in policy deliberation.