The organization I represent — Seniors’ Action and Liaison Team (SALT), Edmonton, Alberta — fully supports the intent of this issue’s editorial by Chafe, Levinson and Hébert.1 However, one point needs clarification.
The editorial cites the recent public consultation on the Alberta Health Act as one of the “positive examples of public engagement at the provincial and regional levels.” Members of SALT participated in these consultations in good faith. In addition, we made a written submission that included the following: “Members of SALT have participated in a number of government-sponsored consultations in recent years. The results have always been disappointing. With hindsight, the usual impression has been that the key decisions had already been taken and the consultation was merely an exercise in public relations. There has been no sense that the input had been willingly sought or, when given, seriously considered.”
We have seen and heard nothing in the past few months to suggest that the Alberta government’s consultation strategy has changed.
Footnotes
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Some letters have been abbreviated for print. See www.cmaj.ca for full versions.