Level of consensus

3.6 The Chair will be responsible for designating each position as having one of the following designations:

Full consensus - when no one in the group speaks against the recommendation in its last readings.

This is also sometimes referred to as Unanimous Consensus.

Consensus - a position where only a small minority disagrees, but most agree3

Strong support but significant opposition - a position where, while most of the group supports a

recommendation, there are a significant number of those who do not support it.

Divergence (also referred to as No Consensus) - a position where there isn't strong support for

any particular position, but many different points of view. Sometimes this is due to irreconcilable

differences of opinion and sometimes it is due to the fact that no one has a particularly strong or

convincing viewpoint, but the members of the group agree that it is worth listing the issue in the

report nonetheless.

Minority View - refers to a proposal where a small number of people support the

recommendation. This can happen in response to a Consensus, Strong support but significant

opposition, and No Consensus; or, it can happen in cases where there is neither support nor

opposition to a suggestion made by a small number of individuals.