On January 9, 2003, Minister Stewart announced that she had asked Dr. Benjamin Levin of the University of Manitoba and Ms. Shirley Seward, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Labour and Business Centre, to undertake an initial round of consultations regarding the broad parameters of a proposed Canadian Learning Institute, including knowledge and information needs, mandate and organizational structure.

Envisaged as an independent, pan-Canadian organization that promotes and supports evidence-based information on all areas of lifelong learning, the mandate of the institute was proposed as follows:

• Informing Canadians regularly on Canada's progress in learning;
• Promoting knowledge and information exchange; and
• Supporting experimentation in innovative approaches to learning.

Consultations were undertaken during the last three weeks of January and the first half of February, 2003.  They provided an opportunity for provinces and territories, and a wide range of stakeholders to express their views on the proposed mandate and organization of the institute and their willingness to participate.

While Dr. Levin consulted primarily with provincial and territorial governments and national learning organizations, Ms. Seward met with business and labour organizations, national Aboriginal organizations, early childhood and literacy organizations and other stakeholder organizations.  When possible, we both participated in meetings. 

We take comfort in assurances we have received from the Government of Canada that this was meant to be an initial consultation to seek views at the early stage of development of the proposed Canadian Learning Institute and that provinces and territories, and other interested parties will have future opportunities for input and participation as plans progress.

Almost everyone with whom we spoke can see benefits in the better application of information and knowledge to issues of learning, whether this is to assist individuals in making learning choices, educators and learning organizations to provide the right programs and services, employers and workers to build the learning capacity of their organizations, non-governmental organizations to more effectively deliver services and provide public policy input, or governments to make optimal policy decisions.

As our report shows, however, and as one would expect in a country as diverse as Canada, our respondents expressed a wide range of views about the need for and potential role of a Canadian Learning Institute.  These range from optimism to cynicism; from strong support of the idea to considerable concern about its merits and potential efficacy.

We are conscious that some provinces and territories have reservations about this proposed institute, particularly as it relates to the formal education system that lies in their jurisdiction.  We are equally conscious that the majority of non-governmental stakeholders are very supportive, and would be disappointed if no action were taken.

A number of key areas of consensus emerged from the consultations.  These include:  developing collaborative partnerships and alliances; recognizing the mandated roles of provincial and territorial governments in regard to formal education; making effective use of existing institutions and networks; supporting and building on existing knowledge bases and expertise; and the critical importance of mobilizing knowledge in a practical way so that it leads to action and change.

We also believe, as does the Government of Canada, that a Canadian Learning Institute requires active participation by many parties if it is to be successful.  In our view the success of the institute would require that:

1. Its activities provide practical value to the many different parties across Canada that use or produce learning information.
   
2. It is an information and knowledge institute, not an advocacy institute.  One of its primary roles should be to improve our level of knowledge about learning issues and to share information that mobilizes action, without taking public policy positions on learning issues.
   
3. It embodies strong, effective partnerships with federal, provincial and territorial governments, business, labour, learning institutions, and a range of stakeholders actively involved or interested in different aspects of lifelong learning.  It will be important that the institute recognizes the mandated roles of provincial and territorial governments in the area of formal education, and be seen to complement, extend and strengthen work already underway across Canada around issues of information and learning.  The organization must aim to increase capacity across the country.
   
4. It develops a governance structure that is efficient yet allows effective input from many sources.  It should be an independent institute, respected and trusted by all parties.
         

If the above issues can be successfully addressed, then our consultations indicate that a Canadian Learning Institute could make a useful contribution to the development of learning in Canada.

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