Public Administration

K05 - Equity Diversity and Inclusion in Public Administration

Date: Jun 3 | Time: 03:30pm to 05:00pm | Location:

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Jerald Sabin (Carleton University)

Designing Deliberative Participation for Linguistic Inclusion: Megan Mattes (Simon Fraser University)
Abstract: Citizens’ assemblies are an emerging tool for governments to consult members of the public on policy matters. When conducting this deliberative, interactive form of public engagement, how can policy-makers facilitate inclusion and representation of community members who don’t speak the jurisdiction’s official language? This paper presents a case study of community dialogues conducted in eight languages (in connection with the Burnaby Community Assembly) in support of updating the City of Burnaby’s Official Community Plan. To evaluate the extent to which the multilingual dialogues facilitate democratic inclusion and representation of non-English speakers, I draw on findings from the dialogues; interviews with organizers and facilitators of the multilingual dialogues, as well as with planners and policy-makers at the City of Burnaby; and the final Official Community Plan document.

Can AI Transform Discriminatory Practices in Public Service Access and Delivery? Insights from a Theoretical Model.: Christian Schimpf (University of British Columbia), Vince Hopkins (University of British Columbia)
Abstract: Discrimination undermines equity in public service delivery by creating barriers to access and quality. The increased use of statistical methods, machine learning, and AI in public service delivery has inspired a rapidly growing literature on the consequences for equity. For example, empirical research suggests that AI-based profiling can increase accuracy while simultaneously reducing equity by discriminating against marginalized populations. At the same time, an extensive literature dating back to Lipksy (1980) has documented ongoing discrimination against citizens by human street-level bureaucrats. Against this background, we explore the conditions under which AI can be used in public service delivery. We develop a theoretical model in which human street-level bureaucrats and AI algorithms jointly deliver a public service. We find that service access and delivery inequity is a function of the mixture of taste-based and statistical discrimination, algorithm quality, the complexity of individual cases each street-level bureaucrat deals with at a given time, and the overall caseload per street-level bureaucrat. A quality AI tool that can reduce caseload or complexity, such as low-touch digital service or helping street-level bureaucrats process information, can increase equity of public service delivery by reducing discrimination. Our theoretical paper contributes to a fast-growing body of literature on using AI and related methods in public service delivery. Our main contribution is integrating the AI literature on discrimination and the literature on discrimination by street-level bureaucrats. Our theoretical model provides ground for a rich research agenda and suggestions for interventions to reduce equity in public service access and delivery.

Inclusion for All? Measuring Inclusivity in the OPS: Jocelyn McGrandle (Columbia College)
Abstract: Equity, diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of organizational actions across much of the western world. Many public sectors have been leading the shift from a more business driven diversity approach to a human centered inclusivity approach, including federal and provincial governments in Canada. Recent research at the federal level has specifically examined harassment and discrimination within the public service, finding that persons with disabilities as well as persons identifying as trans or non-binary reported higher levels of both harassment and discrimination (see Jones, Finkelstein and Koehoorn 2018; Waite 2021). Using recent data from the Ontario Public Service, this study seeks to replicate this previous work within Canada’s largest provincial public service. Such a comparison will allow for an understanding if discrimination and harassment towards particular groups is part of a more systemic societal pattern, or, if it is more linked to idiosyncratic actors or structures within particular government organizations.

Memory, Displacement, and Resistance: NFBC Storytelling as Public Policy Engagement: John Bessai (University College of the North)
Abstract: How can cultural institutions use storytelling to bridge gaps in historical memory and engage with pressing policy challenges? This paper examines the National Film Board of Canada (NFBC) as a public historian and policymaker, using Circa 1948 and Bear 71 as case studies in memory activism and policy engagement. Circa 1948 uses augmented reality to immerse audiences in post-war Vancouver, exposing the historical realities of urban displacement and inequity. Blending technology with historical narratives challenges prevailing views on urban development and highlights the enduring impacts of social exclusion. Meanwhile, Bear 71 employs interactive digital storytelling to critique human interference in ecosystems, exploring how such encroachment intersects with environmental policy and ecological sustainability. Drawing from public policy and environmental humanities frameworks, this research demonstrates how storytelling democratizes policy conversations, enabling broader engagement with issues like urban inequality, ecological resilience, and collective responsibility. It argues that the NFBC operates as a policymaker by creating narratives that connect historical memory with contemporary policy debates, inspiring innovative approaches to coexistence and governance.