Trending: Multiple Levels Of Government In Etobicoke Keep Wanting To Have A Say In Matters At City Hall ... WHY?
July 25 2024
I've been noticing a troubling trend in our city's politics lately. Political representatives who hold roles in other levels of government are increasingly getting involved in our municipal city affairs and it's raising a lot of eyebrows among political watchers. It's also concerning to see some local councillors, when they can't achieve their goals at council, turning to higher levels of government to exert pressure on the city. This kind of maneuvering undermines the integrity of our municipal government.
As community members, we naturally support anyone who seems to be fighting for our causes. However, we don't always get the full story. I've seen fellow residents, motivated by what their local politicians have told them, go to council meetings to speak out, only to discover they didn't have all the facts. It's unfair and disheartening to be led on for someone else's political gain.
Recently, at a meeting I attended at City Hall, it was disheartening to see residents discovering new information while deputing. Despite extensive back-and-forth discussions with officials, they learned that the matters at hand had been in the works for many years. It made me wonder why, in all their meetings with their councillor, they had not been given the whole story. A councillor's duty is to present the full context, enabling residents to engage in informed and heartfelt advocacy.
Municipal politics differ from provincial and federal politics in that they are primarily focused on the immediate and practical concerns of the local community. A municipal councillor is elected to represent the interests and concerns of their specific ward, ensuring that the voices of residents are heard and addressed within the larger context of the city. Each councillor, however, holds just one vote out of 26 on the city council, making collaboration and negotiation essential for effective advocacy.
Communication is key. Your council member needs to share a complete picture of the issues with residents, not just the pieces that align with their personal views. By providing the full story, councillors empower residents to form their own opinions and concerns based on all available information. This approach fosters transparency and reduces backroom dealings, ensuring that residents’ voices are authentically heard.
We won't always agree on every issue, and that's okay. Differing opinions are a healthy part of our democratic process. But it's crucial that our politicians don't exploit our trust. Misleading us for personal advantage erodes the trust and makes it harder for us to engage effectively in civic matters.
We deserve honesty and transparency from our elected representatives. Only through integrity can we ensure our voices are genuinely heard and respected in Toronto's municipal democracy. Let's continue to push for this in our local politics. It's our city, and we deserve nothing less.
Understanding Jurisdiction in Canadian Politics
To help clarify some of the confusion around who handles what in our political system, I’ve put together a quick rundown on the different responsibilities at each level of government. Knowing which issues are managed by Municipal Councillors, Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs), and Members of Parliament (MPs) can help us better understand where to direct our concerns and efforts.
Responsibilities by Government Level
Municipal
Local roads and transportation
Public transit
Local police and fire services
Garbage collection and recycling
Water and sewage
Local parks and recreation
Land use and zoning
Public libraries
Local economic development
Provincial MPPs (Members of Provincial Parliament)
Healthcare
Education (K-12 and post-secondary)
Provincial highways
Provincial police (e.g., OPP)
Social services and welfare
Environmental protection
Provincial parks
Municipal governance oversight
Labour laws and employment standards
Federal MPs (Members of Parliament)
National defense and military
Immigration and citizenship
International trade
Criminal law and federal policing (e.g., RCMP)
Foreign affairs
Banking and monetary policy
Postal service
Indigenous affairs
National transportation and infrastructure
Employment insurance and pensions
Understanding the Jurisdictions
Municipal Councillors handle issues that directly affect our local community, such as local roads, public transit, and waste management.
MPPs focus on provincial matters, including healthcare, education, and provincial highways.
MPs manage federal responsibilities like national defense, immigration, and international trade.
By understanding these distinctions, we can better direct our concerns and advocacy efforts to the appropriate level of government. It helps us engage more effectively and ensures that our voices are heard by the right representatives.
The Importance of True Consultation
True consultation is a cornerstone of effective municipal governance. It's crucial that consultations are conducted impartially, often best handled by city staff who are dedicated to serving the public interest without bias. When politicians lead these consultations, there's a risk that the process can be steered towards their own preferences and narratives, potentially skewing the results to fit their agenda.
Impartial consultations ensure that all voices are heard fairly and that the outcomes genuinely reflect the community’s needs and concerns. By relying on city staff for these processes, we can trust that the information and feedback gathered are unbiased and comprehensive. This approach fosters transparency and trust, ensuring that the decisions made truly benefit our community as a whole.
A Town Hall in comparison is a great chance for a local politician to hear from the residents on specific matters and that can be the outlet for the political messages and yes, there is always a place for this type of meeting. Lets just not confuse the two and lets use both; consultations address new matters and answer questions. While a Town Hall is where the concerns and ideas can flow to make projects better with clear input from both residents, staff, politicians, and various other stakeholders and experts. Also keep in mind when Town Halls cover large issues that cover multiple jurisdictions this is when it is a really useful opportunity to bring in multiple levels of government to take part in the work at hand!
Understanding the distinct roles of different levels of government, ensuring transparent communication from our councillors, and advocating for impartial consultations are all essential for fostering a more informed, engaged, and trusting community. By working together and demanding integrity and transparency from our representatives, we can ensure that our voices are truly heard and respected in Toronto's municipal democracy.
Great article!
Good article, but you implicitly ignored the issue of blatant misrepresentation and outright prevarication that plagues toronto, much of it perpetrated by “staff”. Even more troubling is professional staff that are subject to and use their professional credentials but fail to adhere to their professional responsibilities to the public which supersede those to their employer. This has become a chronic issue with an agenda driven super mayor, massive money on the table for development and the rise of powerful lobby groups especially bikers.