RICHARD PRIAL
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E-mail:	rprialpolitics.ryerson.ca

Richard Prial is a lawyer, Director of Strategic Alignment Branch in the Health System Strategy Division, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Government of Ontario and the former Director, Results Office in the Cabinet, Government of Ontario. In his current position, Richard is responsible for establishing a new function in the largest Ministry with the mandate to achieve alignment between the Ontario health system strategy and the execution of the strategy by the ministry and the health system; overseeing refinement of the health system strategy map and embedding a new approach (portfolio management) to evaluating competing public investments in the health system; and leading an innovative, large-scale cross-government initiative to improve equity in health and human services policy outcomes, and developing tools to assist government in making better human services policy choices. He also has an academic background in comparative literature and critical theory.

His particular points of focus have been on the craft of public policy and the art of public administration. His policy portfolio includes reform of Ontario’s workers’ compensation system, labour law reform, strengthening of the province’s administrative justice system, enhancing the accountability of governments and ministers of the Crown. His public administration portfolio includes leading roles in public sector ethics, agency and board governance, performance measurement, program evaluation, alternative service delivery methodology and public sector quality service. He has a great deal of experience in horizontal governance – the art of joined-up government focused on results.

His current research interests include the intersection of public administration theory and practice, effective agency and third party provider governance, strengthening public policy capacity, and health policy with a particular focus on strategies for reducing inequity in health and social well-being. Affiliated to the Yeates School of Graduate Studies at Ryerson University, he teaches a course in Public Sector Ethics and Accountability in the Masters of Public Policy and Administration program.