I am pleased to announce the release of Alberta's Social Policy Framework. Based on input from 31,000 Albertans, the framework will guide government and community partners to address challenges such as poverty, addiction, and family violence.
Between June and December, 2012, the engagement brought together Aboriginal Elders, business leaders, non-profit organizations, community groups, service delivery agencies, municipalities, elected officials, Government of Alberta staff and Albertans passionate about our province. Many of you participated in this engagement and I thank you for your contributions and for engaging your clients, colleagues, stakeholders and neighbours in these important discussions.
Alberta's Social Policy Framework envisions a renewal of social policy with a system-wide focus on co-ownership, collaboration, and transparency. The framework will have a clarifying role to produce better outcomes for Albertans—it will be clear about what we are trying to achieve, how we are going to get there, and who is going to do what. It will have an influencing role to guide policy alignment, reaching beyond Human Services to other sectors and areas of government. Finally, it will have a coordination role to support the redesign of policy and practice and coordinate activities within and between government departments, and between government and other stakeholders, to ensure consistency.
In challenging economic times, Alberta's Social Policy Framework will help focus decisions to achieve outcomes that have the most benefit to Albertans. Our need to explore innovative approaches and be open to transformational change in how the human services sector can best serve Albertans takes on even more importance within a limited fiscal climate. It's about all parts of society working together using shared principles to achieve common goals. This will involve a human services system built on results, not processes, and a focus on:
- creating person-centered delivery and decision making, aimed at
- positive outcomes for clients and their families, and in turn our communities;
- protecting vulnerable persons;
- reducing inequality; and
- collaboration to get us all to a better place.
As we enter a more fiscally challenging environment, I can assure you that investing in families, communities and vulnerable Albertans remains one of the primary goals of the Government of Alberta. Better outcomes for Albertans continues to be the driving force of the Ministry of Human Services and we plan to do this through focused, effective action, as well as through the transformational initiatives identified in Alberta's Social Policy Framework.
In many ways, the Social Policy Framework is a reflection of a significant transformation already underway in Alberta, and certainly within the government and the province's human services sector as a whole. Albertans have told us that they understand that social policy underpins the fabric of our society and that social policy and economic policy are intertwined. If we want an Alberta in which quality of life and economic opportunity are available to all Albertans, we must focus on understanding and ensuring our programs and policies focus more on prevention and awareness, treat people with dignity and respect, are accountable, inclusive, and innovative; and focus on achieving results. It is important to continue working on this approach. Investing in prevention and empowering communities and people will help us decrease the need for intervention, improve productivity and lead to cost savings down the road—but more importantly it will helps us achieve the right outcomes for Albertans. I'm confident Alberta's Social Policy Framework will help us get there.
I encourage you to explore this site for more information on Alberta’s Social Policy Framework, including tools and resources and full results from the public engagement process. We will continue to use this site to engage Albertans about important issues.
I thank you again for your participation in the creation of Alberta's Social Policy Framework. The inspiring vision, principles, important outcomes, and strategic directions are a direct result of your contributions. I look forward to working with you—our partners, stakeholders, and fellow Albertans—on the framework's priority actions and continuing our work together in empowering and improving the lives of Albertans.
