The Importance of Skillful Community Leaders, Understanding Municipal Pesticide Policy Change in Calgary and Halifax

Authors

Rachel Hirsch, University of Western Ontario
Jamie Baxter, The University of Western OntarioFollow
C. Brown, University of Ottawa

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2010

Volume

53

Issue

6

Journal

Journal of Environmental Planning and Management

First Page

743

Last Page

757

URL with Digital Object Identifier

DOI:10.1080/09640568.2010.488110

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.