By Tom Muir
March 6, 2015
BURLINGTON,ON
Hard to disagree that the present delegation process isn’t much of an accountability mechanism, but nobody ever said it was easy. What you seem to suggest is giving up. Apathy is how we got to where we are.
The point is that you can delegate and say whatever you want, and demand answers in the Council chambers. You can raise an issue and target a Councillor or whoever as the wrongdoer. You can band together and make a louder noise. You can’t do that at any other level of government.
Keep in mind that a lot of Council business is repetitive and officially mandated by law. It’s not always a big deal that creates issues that arouse people.
As a Standing Committee chair, Ward 1 Councillor Rick Craven WAS as good as it gets. Handling delegations and accepting the ideas of other people – not as good. But he wins elections. Craven and Tom Muir tangle frequently.
It’s these controversial issues where you can publicly call out the Mayor, Council, or Councillors, whoever you see as the guilty party. Gang up on them with your fellows.
What we really need is the major press and media to get involved in a bigger way. The Gazette here is really the only voice on what goes on at City Hall, in an otherwise large vacuum. The other media are part of the lack of accountability.
You either get in the citizen boat and row, or drown.
William James, the philosopher, once said, “Act as if what you are doing makes a difference – it does.”
Tom Muir is an Aldershot resident who has delegated frequently at city hall – he doesn’t back down. He commented on the delegation process in Burlington. Click on the link
What other media? Is there other comprehensive political news coverage in Burlington? The Burlington Post is mainly for flyer delivery and they have a big annual single source retainer from c$ty hall, so, there may be some conflict in providing objective reporting on accountable governance.
I agree with you.
Other comprehensive political news coverage for Burlington does not exist. I sort of said that between my lines.
I was just trying to say, tactfully, that this is something that is needed, but I must say I was not the least confident in any possibility.
I agree with you about the Post. They have never shown me any provision of objective reporting on accountable governance, as you said. It really is a flyer and notice distribution, and I see no trace of real journalism in this regard. Conflict is right. The Ikea related property deal that you and others say smells, is just the kind of issue that begs a real journalistic look.
I remember Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau saying that he had gone up against the big media as corporations of business that “have to satisfy their sponsors”. Right on.
Mr. Muir:
Apologies but I realize that in my previous response I didn’t provide the primary reason for my initial comment. Less haste, more speed I suppose. My primary issue with the delegation process, as it is currently practiced at City Hall, is that it provides no opportunity to challenge Council directly, to ask specific questions to which they are mandated to respond. As the delegation process currently exists, only Council gets to ask questions and I have seen it practiced in a very one-sided, almost abusive way. I believe in the dynamic of active discourse and respectful confrontation and, in my opinion, the current delegation process does not provide it. Perhaps regular “Town Halls” should become part of the City’s public engagement framework.
I agree with you pretty much. But arguing with me about the perfection or imperfection of the only tool we have to speak to power is a waste of your breath. Agreement with me or Pepper is not the purpose of this media and conversation. I am trying to advance understanding of what is available and what we can do with that.
I’m just suggesting ways that the current process can be used if a strategic and planned approach is used. Waiting for a new way to magically appear is silly and totally unproductive and not the least frustration reducing.
For example, how long will you wait for regular Town Halls? I haven’t heard of any movement afoot to get this going.
So I say to use what is at hand, but I do agree with your outline of the limits and often, the futility, as a mechanism of accountability. I said so in my remarks.
I don’t want to wait 4 years for my vote to be counted, and leave it at that.
I have been involved in a number of issues for more than 20 years, so I know well the limits to that. To do this, to be involved, you have to be aware, as you say. But all this involvement and awareness, however, has to be translated into will and then action if it is matter at all, in my opinion.
Specifically, (I simplify) ask the question to the Councillor and demand an answer. Wait a suitable time, and if you don’t get an answer, then make a plan to delegate to Committee. In that delegation, you can ask the question again and call out the Councillor inaction.
After the Committee meeting, your delegation to the Committee meeting, and their report to Council, will be an item on the Council agenda. You can then delegate to Council under the heading of “issues arising from the Committee meeting”. Then you can add new information and argument to push your original point of delegation to Committee.
My purpose is to get citizen complaint and suffering translated into will and action at Council.
What do you suggest as another action plan to seek accountability at Council for the process that currently exists?
Mr. Muir:
You can continue to ‘storm the Bastille’ if you wish, I’ll continue to work for reform. Oh, and I’m sure that I’ll be delegating as I do. I respect your opinion, I just don’t share it. Let’s leave it at that.
Without telling us how you are working for reform then your dismissive “storming the Bastille” characterization is a counsel of despair.
Please share with everyone an example of what you are doing.
And if delegation is as useless as you say it is, then why are you so sure you will be doing it?
A little instruction in your opinion would be helpful.
You’re exhausting Tom – keep at it. You might want to look up the expression “tongue in cheek”. I respectfully exit this discourse. It’s been fun.
Mr. Muir:
I believe that this is the second occasion on which you have responded to one of my remarks and accused me of being apathetic and “giving Up”. So, to clarify, I am suggesting no such thing. As a matter of fact I am an activist and quite heavily involved in several of the issues currently facing the City. I am simply applying a different, and I would argue, more accurate perspective to some of the contentions posted in this media. I do not believe that delegation is currently a mechanism by which we hold Council accountable. It is too constrained, too bound by protocol and process and too formulaic. It does exist as a platform for a citizen to raise concerns and provide some form of input. I simply don’t believe that it is very effective in that regard. Pepper obviously agrees with you since he has posted your comment as a separate article but, then again, he is in the business of evoking controversy. The best way that a citizen can hold elected representatives to task is to vote, to become involved and to be aware.