Public Meeting: Wards 13, 14, 18 - Core Service Review

The following meeting invite comes from Councillor Ana Bailão's office. You can download a PDF copy of the meeting flyer here. Please note they are asking people to register by June 6th.

Councillor Sarah Doucette, Councillor Gord Perks, Councillor Ana Bailão

Invite you to participate in a Ward 13, 14 and 18 round table discussion on the Core Service Review

A discussion on:

  • issues and city services important to you and your community
  • keeping Toronto liveable and prosperous, now and in the future
  • the role of the City in delivering and funding these services

Wednesday June 8th, 2011
Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton School
Gymnasium, 7pm
1515 Bloor Street West

(south east corner of Dundas Street West and Bloor Street West)

Seating is limited, please register by June 6th at either
mnewton@toronto.ca or 416-338-5178

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2011-06-08_CityServiceReview_TriWardFlyer.pdf233.99 KB

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Core Service Review Was Sham

We attended the core services meeting on Wednesday night too.

It was a sham.

The 3 Councillors were forced to make citizens participate in a process that was pre-ordained to favour a specific outcome and gave zero opportunity for the citizens who had come out to voice concerns, put ideas on the record, or offer any kind of solution or idea outside of pre-printed cards that people were supposed to shuffle around like children.

It was insulting to the intelligence of citizens and a consultation in name only. Regrdless of ones views the people were not heard at this meeting. A serious issue was reduced to a series of cue cards. It was like an "election" in a dictatorship where there is only one name on the ballot. The online survey and these meetings are a complete fraud.

I felt sorry that the Councillors had to officially pretend that this made any sense.

Core Service Review a Sham - I agree

I went to the one on June 2 at Metro reference Library and found the same. Restrictive choices, facilitators writing up some comments and not others so as to end up with the same watered down themes. Councillors like Janet Davis floated and seemed to try to direct citizen responses (whose input was this supposed to be anyway?) What a waste of an opportunity though, as people were straining to give constructive ideas but were stymied by the format.

Interesting note: Near the end, a young woman tried to hand out postcards calling for citizens to stop the service cuts, and was harassed and almost thrown out by a security guard, until I intervened and he noticed tv cameras around, then backed off.

Funny note: One table put Police Services in the 'not needed' column because they were upset with the large contract wage increase. Another asked if they could put Mayor Rob Ford in that column too.

a better example of how to gather public input?

This is a note I recieved about the Core Services meeting from Carina, an active resident nearby.

Subject: FYI - a better example of how to gather public input?

Hi all,
 
I attended last night's local edition of the city's rushed, chaotic and arguably nearly useless "public consultation" on the core services review.
 
(** PLEASE NOTE: this is NOT a criticism of the three councillors who presented the session (thanks to them all for setting up this session for us). What was quite obvious was that their hands were tied by the ill-considered structure of the process that has been imposed upon us.)
 
As a positive alternative, allow me to bring to your attention the process used for a new street proposed to run along the south side of Liberty Village (where currently most streets dead-end at the Lakeshore rail tracks right now.) I invite you to check out the materials on this page: http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/libertynewst/
 
Note especially the feedback summary (http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/libertynewst/pdf/liberty-village...) and the "dot-mocracy" sheets (scanned here: http://www.toronto.ca/involved/projects/libertynewst/pdf/liberty_mar_1_2...)
 
I don't know how the session was run, since I did not attend, but at first glance, it looks like it was very effective!  The "dotmocracy" sheets were especially cool. The ideas that are presented for comment appear to have been created at the workshop by participants themselves (instead of pre-set by staff),  and the visual nature of the "agree/disagree" "voting" is very effective. They also give great opportunity for additional comments.
 
Anyway, just thought I'd highlight this as a possible alternative process for consultation (and one that the city already uses elsewhere!).
 
Cheers,
Carina