On Tuesday, January 20th, Focus Burlington held the first of two Town Hall events for Burlington residents. This meeting, entitled “Beyond the Ballot”, was an opportunity for voters to hear the perspectives of four knowledgeable, informed political observers and to pose questions for discussion and debate.
As the event moderator, I was extremely impressed by the range of incisive questions and observations from audience members. There was one question in particular that I felt went to the heart of residents’ concerns and frustrations.
The person asking the question is someone I know personally, a knowledgeable, informed, and well-educated resident who has previously delegated to city council on budget issues. She is exceedingly thoughtful and genuine. In essence, her question to the panel was:
“What would you do to improve the delegation process at City Council”?
After listening to the panellists’ responses, she shared her personal concerns and reflections on her experience delegating, a sentiment that drew applause and several nods of approval. As someone who has previously delegated, I share most of her opinions.
Delegation in Theory
The City of Burlington has a web page that explains in exacting detail what residents need to do in order to delegate before Council:
https://webforms.burlington.ca/Clerks/Request-to-Appear-as-a-Delegate
The process is supposedly simple. You click the hyperlink and complete the online form, identifying yourself, the reason you are delegating, and other pertinent details. Ideally, the city would like persons delegating to provide notes and summaries of the delegation in advance.
If you are delegating in person, you are expected to drive to City Hall, go to Council Chambers, wait in the audience until the issue on which you are delegating arises, and then be summoned to the podium.
If you are delegating virtually, you’ll be sent a Zoom meeting link. You can watch the meeting, and you’ll be unmuted when it’s your turn to speak.
You can speak for 10 minutes at a standing committee meeting and for 5 minutes at a council meeting. Furthermore, you will be timed and cut off at the 10 or 5-minute mark.
This is all very formal and genteel.
Delegation in Reality
Here’s where theory departs from reality.
1) Council meetings start at 9:30 am on weekdays. Depending on the day and the issue, you could be waiting in the audience anywhere from ten minutes to several hours. Sadly, the folks at city hall don’t recognize that most delegating are doing so on their dime and time. The paid delegates generally act on behalf of a developer. However, the taxpayers are paying councillors to listen, which is often not the case.
2) Most council members likely won’t be listening to what you are saying. I’m continually amazed at how many councillors are distracted by sidebar conversations with public servants or by texting on their cellphones. Giving their undivided attention is not their forte.
3) Very few councillors will even bother to ask questions. If it is a budget or financial issue, you can usually expect Councillors Sharman or Bentivegna to wade in. If it is a development issue, the councillor whose ward is affected may or may not raise a query. Kudos to Councillor Kearns, who usually has some insightful observations or questions. Most, sadly, don’t give a damn.
4) Bright, shiny objects and vanity projects garner a lot of attention. During the times I’ve been to council, and the sessions I’ve viewed online, I’m astounded by how much attention cultural issues, individual awards, recognitions, and vanity projects attract.
Most Distressing of All
Back to the Town Hall meeting. The resident who raised the question about delegation made a most incisive observation, one that was later echoed by a couple of other attendees. She mentioned that, despite considerable research and advanced informed proposals, the council never once offered to undertake a further review of her delegation. No one followed up with her afterwards. No one asked for additional notes. All she received was a perfunctory “thank you,” and then it’s on to the next delegation.
Ticking the Box
One of the appeals of municipal politics is that it is the level of government that has the most direct and immediate impact on ordinary citizens. The concept of delegation was originally intended to allow members of the public to make their views known directly to local decision-makers and public officials. It was designed as a forum that provided immediacy, access and an opportunity to influence those in authority. Sadly, those who have delegated often regard it as nothing more than a sham or a farce, and from the perspective of councillors, it is simply one more “tick the box” exercise designed to assuage disgruntled residents.
Based on your experiences having observed or delegated to our council, what is your opinion? Please comment below.
Discover more from Focus Burlington
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I delegated often over a ten year period 2013 – 2023. First it was waterfront issues 2013 – 2015, then downtown development issues till 2021 and finally a mid-rise development issue near our residence in Ward 3, on a site not planned for any development at all and certainly not a mid-rise.
I have often described delegating as a hope someone might listen, might comment or ask a question. It happened once and a while, but not very often. A question is best because the delegator can respond and often segue the answer into a bit of a conversation with the questioner. It is rare, but it is as close to a debate, a sharing of thoughts, as you can ever get at Council. It feels like a real communication in public, but is usually cut off by the Chair quite quickly, because citizens are not allowed to debate an issue in Council. I don’t know why that is, but can only guess that we citizens have our place and it is in the audience being as quiet as a mouse and as obedient as a good pet.
Anyway, I really never accomplished anything by delegating. Not a single victory. I must have imagined that some of my many points made sense to me as well as others, but they never changed anyone’s mind on Council. I followed up some development applications to OMB, LPAT and OLT hearings, but got politely dismissed or ignored in all of them. I’ve given up delegating. It’s not good for my health and welfare and apparently not Council’s.
I can only dream that all Ward Councillors hold regular open ward meetings where everyone can share ideas and views together and that someday Council might hold meetings in a similar manner like a town hall where comments and dialogue are open to everyone. But I realize it is just a dream, because Council does not wish that to happen and controls the meetings. As well as the citizens.
I understand Gary’s frustration with the way the delegation process works. But I would suggest unless the delegate can show that his/her position is supported by more than just himself/herself It is unlikely that Council will take much note of it. And why would it? Let’s say you get up and delegate a certain position on a matter and then I get up and delegate the complete opposite position. Who should they listen to? Who should they act upon? I suggest one needs to be able to show that one’s delegation is for and on behalf of a large and representative grouping. An exception to this might be when a delegation is made by a particular individual of repute, knowledge and expertise.
Having said that, as I understand it, one can only delegate to council in regards to a matter on its agenda. If that is so I would suggest it is a little bit stupid. I believe a resident should be able to delegate to council on any matter at any time.
So I would suggest that a separate day or maybe two half days each month be set aside for delegations to be made to council in regard to any matter affecting the city. I suggest one would still have to register in advance the intention to delegate in order to allow Council and staff to manage time effectively.
This in my opinion would truly expand the democratic process.
.
The same issues that I have highlighted above will still exist.
But miracles might happen and maybe a delegate will bring to council’s attention an issue and make a suggestion as to how to deal with the issue and a light will go on in each of the council members heads and they will take up that idea.
One may make a delegation but again the delegation is on behalf of the single person making it unless it can be shown otherwise.
People might say that residents can bring up any item they like through their ward councilor. Theoretically that is true. In practice it is not. Ward councilors act as filters.
Personally, I am not a fan of providing information about what I wish to delegate upon and give advance notice to council members. I think that allows them to turn off and not really listen to the delegation. I think they need to be taken by surprise so to speak. Maybe that would encourage more questioning from the council members.
So to reiterate my main suggestion is – let’s have a delegation day or days when anybody can make a delegation about any matter they wish to bring to council’s attention.
Sometimes (but rarely) they offer to review it further. This I believe is so that is on public record in the minutes of the meeting to show that they are engaging. But then after many emails asking for follow up it never ever actually happens. Radio silence. Is that acceptable community engagement?
My comments previews you made here was published through the Burlington Gazette. It attracted a few comments from other Gazette readers. Sadly, the comments were all rather negative, not towards my suggestion, but as to the likelihood of anything like this ever coming to be. So I submitted the comment shown below to the Gazette but the editor does not publish my submissions. So I thought I would post it here because I know the readers of The Gazette are also Focus Burlington subscribers.
“The common refrain is that Council tolerates delegations but does not take them seriously and does not give them due consideration. I’m not arguing that is not the case.
However, the delegation day (or half day or whatever) would be open to residents to delegate on any subject they wish (i.e. not tied to a specific agenda because there is no agenda). There’s no real downside for council members, whether today’s members or future members, because they can do as you say they all do now and that is listen to the delegation and then ignore it. The upside for council members and for Council as a whole is that they can say they are engaging and providing ordinary folk a platform to publicly raise issues of concern to them.”
If one wants an outcome one must be persistent like an English terrier holding onto a trouser leg and never give up. I urge you all to maintain your persistence.