Public Policy - Free Essay Example

Provide a one paragraph definition of public policy. After researching the term public policy it was difficult to come up with one single definition. Cocharm et al, 1999 define public policy always refer to actions of Government and the intentions that determines their actions. Dye 2000 states that public policy is the outcome of the struggle in Government over who gets what, whatever government chose to do or not to do. Cochorn suggests that public policy consists of political decisions for implementing programs to achieve societal goals. Stated most simple, Peters 2003, defines public policy as the sum of government activities weather acting directly or through agents, as it has a influence on the life of citizens. Upon reaching a good definition of public policy seems to be very difficult. Birkland 2005 concludes that, all the aspects of the definition suggest that public policy affects a greater variety of people 2. Provide an example of both positive and normative statements (not the ones provided in your text book! ) A. Positive statements are statements that can be tested or rejected by referring to the available evidence. Example: A reduction in the use of plastic bag will help reduce the risks associated to global warming. B. Normative statements express an opinion about what ought to be. They are subjective rather than objective statements. They carry value judgments. Example: The new HST on fast food is unfair and unfairly penalizes the poorer class of consumers. C. 3. List what you think are the top three policy issues for government today. Indicate why you think they are important. The top three policy issues for government today are A. Health care- Most recently, health care is one of the most popular issues amongst heads of government. Mental health care and the cost associated with treatment are affecting the poorer class of Canadians. It is the government’s duty to provide health care at an affordable cost to ensure citizens wel lbeing. It is a policy issue because the government is struggling to meet the demand for health care. On September 13, 2010, Vieira from the Financial Post wrote an article, stating that there has been a growth in public health spending and had advanced at an annual rate of over 8% over the last decade. However, the government’s income is set to grow at an annual average of less than 4%. In order to meet the fiscal challenges the government must reduce public health spending significantly, otherwise other public spending is squeezed and/or taxes will rise. The is an important policy issue for government because they need to reduce public health care spending and at the same time ensure that residents are taken care of in the best possible way. (https://www. financialpost. com) B. The Environment-Global Warming/ Climate Change- Global warming and its negative effects on climate change are top political issues for government today. Most recently heads of government from m any countries met in Toronto to discuss how to reduce the negative effects of global warming. The earth’s temperature is rising because of the amount of carbon dioxide within its atmosphere. This increase of carbon concentration can be linked to economic activities. The amount future of global warming and its effects are uncertain. If the temperature continues rise, the Earth’s climate will change, ocean levels will rise -because of ice melting in the Arctic, low-lying coastal areas will need to be protected against the rising tides by expensive barriers. It is the government’s responsibility to implement policies to help combat the deadly monster. If actions are not put into place now, soon the earth will be of no good to fauna and flora. The Economy/ Recession-. The global recession is taking its toll on the country. Canada’s economic growth and standard of living (as defined by income per capita) are forecast to fall in 2009, and unemployment wil l rise in 2009 and 2010. Worries about the Canadian economy come from weakness in the United States Economy, the country’s largest trading partner. It is important to have a stable and healthy economy. It is the duty of the government to ensure that the economy is healthy by implementing policies