The importance of skillful community leaders: understanding municipal pesticide policy change in Calgary and Halifax |
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Authors: | R Hirsch J Baxter C Brown |
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Institution: | 1. Faculty of Environmental Studies, HNES 276, York University , 4700 Keele Street, Toronto , Ontario , Canada , M3J 1P3;2. Department of Geography, Social Science Centre , University of Western Ontario , 1151 Richmond Street, London , Ontario , Canada , N6A 5C2;3. Department of Geography , University of Ottawa , 60 University Street, Ottawa , Ontario , Canada , K1N 6N5 |
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Abstract: | This paper focuses on policy change under scientific uncertainty. This is done by exploring two case studies of Canadian pesticide policy evolution applied to Sabatier's ‘Advocacy Coalition Framework’. ‘Stakeholder’ and ‘narrative policy’ analyses are emphasised to understand pesticide policy changes in Calgary (public education without a restrictive by-law) and Halifax (restrictive by-law). The parallel case studies consist of qualitative interviews with members of pesticide policy advisory committees in each city and a content analysis of local newspaper articles. Key resources mobilised by coalitions to achieve their policy goals include skillful leadership, and the use by those leaders of the media to disseminate coalition narratives. Further, the context of policy change contributed to the scenarios whereby pro-by-law grassroots activists were particularly successful in Halifax and anti-by-law city employees were most influential in Calgary. |
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Keywords: | policy change advocacy coalitions pesticide by-laws news media skillful leaders |
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