1990 to present

Consultant in social and fiscal policy and public affairs

Self-employed contract consultant, focusing on social and fiscal policy, and the relationship between them; government, community and media relations; and work with government and non-government organizations in these areas. Some recent examples follow.

Policy research, development and analysis; literature reviews:

• Diversity practices and their impacts (Justice Canada)
• Development of a “disability lens” for the Government of Canada and for the consideration of federal, provincial and territorial governments. Human Resources Development Canada (Social Policy Group)
• Feasibility study and prototype of a social policy simulation game (Muttart Foundation)
• Federal Budget analysis (Canadian AIDS Society)
• Applicability of social justice audit approach under the Canada Health and Social Transfer (Justice Canada)
• Self-regulation approaches for the voluntary sector, nationally and internationally (Voluntary Sector Roundtable)
• Accountability practices of the voluntary sector, nationally and internationally (Panel on Accountability and Governance in the Voluntary Sector)
• Labour Market Issues for people with disabilities (Ministerial Task Force on Disability Issues and Canadian Labour Congress)
• Research and report on anticipated social trends and possible responses of the personal income tax system over the 1990s (Tax Policy and Legislation Branch of the Department of Finance)

Government relations capacity building for civil-society organizations:

• Developed and delivered workshops on government relations in post-Social Union Framework Agreement Canada for national, provincial and territorial literacy coalitions
• Development of materials for use by individual food banks in a national campaign entitled “Opportunities, not Food Banks” (Canadian Association of Food Banks)
• Analysis and advice on participation in lead-up discussions to Social Union Framework Agreement (Canadian AIDS Society)
• Analysis and advice on impacts of federal budgets and next steps (Canadian Co-operative Association)
• Analysis and advice on developing joint approaches by domestic and international development civil-society organizations on social policy questions (Canadian Council for International Co-operation)

Facilitation and group planning processes:

• Facilitation of focus groups of donors, of key volunteers, and of clients (United Way/Centraide Ottawa)
• Facilitation and planning with human services non-government organizations in Yellowknife, NWT (NWT Literacy Council)
• Facilitation of meeting to plan input to Adult Literacy Strategy (Nunavut Literacy Council)
• Strategic planning among multiple stakeholders of future directions (Supportive Housing Network of Ottawa)
• Facilitation of national thinktank on the Children’s Agenda (National Children’s Alliance)
• Strategic planning sessions for non-profit housing companies (Centretown Citizens of Ottawa Corporation, Taiga Non-Profit Housing Corporation; Nepean Housing Corporation, CityLiving)

Consultation/engagement design and implementation:

• Co-designed and implemented a plan to consult with seniors’ organizations across Canada on elements of planning for an aging population (Federal/provincial/ territorial working group on Planning for Aging)
• Co-designed and implemented a community consultation process to identify future directions (United Way/Centraide Ottawa)
• Designed and managed implementation of consultation meetings across Canada on a range of issues of importance to the voluntary sector (Voluntary Sector Initiative)
• Designed and implemented a process to engage professions whose members are on the path to homelessness for a national homelessness prevention project in a national working group (Raising the Roof)
• Designed and implemented a process to engage tenants in evaluation of tenants services (City Living, Ottawa)

Applying Technology to Public Policy Development and Public Affairs:

• Created and managed website, including interactive workbook and discussion board, for federal/provincial/ territorial working group on Planning for Canada’s Aging Population
• Developed architecture and re-built 300-page website ensuring highest standards of accessibility (Council of Canadians with Disabilities)
• Created and managed an “electronic assembly” to coincide with Assembly 2002 of the voluntary sector (Voluntary Sector Initiative Secretariat)
• Developed public policy website and web-resources (Par-L)

2000-2002

Director, Communications and Consultation, Voluntary Sector Initiative Secretariat
Provided advice and direction on consultation and communication with the voluntary sector and the public as part of the Voluntary Sector Initiative

1997-present

President, havidave.com
Founder and president of a business that provides web design, maintenance, advisory, and programming services, especially for non-government organizations. Emphasis has been on providing web-based tools for consulting with the general or specific publics on policy development issues.

1986-1990

Executive Director, National Anti-Poverty Organization
Responsibilities included working with a Board of Directors, almost all of whom were low-income activists across Canada, to bring the issues and voices of low-income Canadians to federal policy-making tables. Specific priorities included the development with government of the Goods and Services Tax Credit, the linkages between health inequity and poverty, research on literacy and low income, and barriers to training for social assistance recipients.

1985-86

Communication Advisor (Media), Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women
Responsibilities included development and implementation of a communications strategy to bring to the attention of the public, through mass and specialized media outlets, the research and activities of the Council; advising other staff and Council members on their role in promoting the Council's activities; and developing tools to monitor media coverage of Council activities and other issues of importance to women.

1981-85

Special Advisor, Office of the Mayor, City of Ottawa
Responsibilities included co-ordinating media coverage of the Mayor and activities of importance to her; developing policy in the areas of pornography and prostitution; providing the first point of contact for a wide variety of community-based and other non-government organizations; liaison with other levels of government; resolution of constituent-identified problems, especially in areas of housing and municipal compliance; and liaison with a wide range of municipal officials.

1979-81

Publications Officer, Conference Board of Canada
Responsibilities included liaison with authors (in-house and outside the Board) in the preparation of manuscripts for publication; liaison with authors and printers to prepare the quarterly Canadian Business Review for publication

1978-79

Quebec Bureau Chief, Canadian University Press

1976-77

Quebec Field Worker, Canadian University Press

1971-72

Reporter and feature writer, The Sherbrooke Record

Education

1997 to 1999

Ph.D. Candidate in Public Policy, Carleton University.  Withdrawn upon successful completion of comprehensive examinations

1992

Masters in Public Administration, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

1980

M.A., University of Western Ontario (Canadian History)

1974

Bachelor of Journalism (Honours), Carleton University

1972

B.A., Bishop's University (North American History concentration)

Publications

“Back to the Future – The Rear-View Mirror Provides Glimpses of What Lies Ahead for Income Security in the 21^st Century”, Policy Options, August 2004.

“Synthesis and Analysis of Phase I Research under the National Homelessness Initiative”, National Homelessness Secretariat, April 2004.

Review of Improving Connections Between Governments and Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations: Public Policy and the Third Sector, Kathy L. Brock (ed.), in Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations, Vol. 14, No. 3, September 2003, pp. 362-363.

 "Fifty years of Social Policy: Playing “Hide and Seek” with Villains and Heroes", Policy Options, June 2003.

"From Street to Stability: A Compilation of Findings on the Paths to Homelessness & its Prevention", with Lina Asfour, Raising the Roof, 2000.

"Income Security and Supports for Persons with Disabilities: Future Directions", Research Paper #14, Canadian Labour Congress, 1999.

"Simon Says 'Take a Giant Step Forward': Advancing the National Children's Agenda", with Susan Phillips, National Children's Alliance, 1999.

"Social Spending, Social Results: Options for a Social Justice Audit Component in the Context of the CHST", Working Document WD1997-2E, Policy Integration and Coordination Section, Policy Sector, Department of Justice Canada. 1997

"Labour Market Integration for Persons with Disabilities: Issues, Overlaps and Options", The Will to Act for Canadians with Disabilities: Research Papers, Federal Task Force on Disability Issues. 1996

Reducing the 'Grease' in Canadian Labour Markets: A Cautionary Tale", in Critical Commentaries on the Social Security Review, Caledon Institute 1995

"Life at the Margins", Policy Options, Vol. 13, No. 3, April. 1992

Toward Prosperity, Equity and Consensus: The Case for a Canadian Charter of Social and Economic Rights", with Arthur Milner, in A Social Charter for Canada? Perspectives on the Constitutional Entrenchment of Social Rights, C.D. Howe Institute 1992

"Poverty Stops Equality: Equality Stops Poverty", with Bruce Porter, in Human Rights in Canada: Into the 1990s and Beyond, Human Rights Research and Education Centre, University of Ottawa 1992