SOUNDBITES
e-Bulletin
May 30, 2011
This issue:
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Registration is Now Open for Social Planning Toronto’s June Research & Policy Forum
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Proceedings from SPT’s 2011 Research & Policy Roundtable Forum, “Who’s in Charge?” Now Available
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Share your thoughts about School Fundraising with the Ministry of Education
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"Tenant Voice, Tenant Homes" - SPT's Deputation to the Executive Committee, May 24, 2011
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Partner News & Events (this is now featured in the right column)
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Worth Repeating: Stupid Rules
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Get Involved in Social Planning Toronto
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About Social Planning Toronto
Justice & Equity on the Job: Challenging wage theft and employment barriers for racialized workers
Join us for a discussion on issues facing racialized workers in the Canadian labour market and the campaign to improve Ontario’s employment standards.
Time: June 15, 2011 1:00pm-3:30pm
Location: Social Planning Toronto, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1001 (Corner of Carlton & Yonge)
Our office is wheelchair accessible. Light refreshments will be served.
Speakers:
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Sheila Block, The Wellesley Institute, Canada’s Colour Coded Labour Market: The Gap for Racialized Workers
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Deena Ladd, The Workers’ Action Centre, Unpaid Wages, Unprotected Workers: A Survey of Employment Standards Violations
A detailed proceedings document is now available from our 2011 Research & Policy Roundtable entitled, Who’s in Charge? The impact of agencies, boards and commissions on public accountability and service delivery, held on Feb 24th, 2011 at Metro Hall.
The objective of the forum was to invite key experts, academics, community advocates and policy-makers to engage in a critical discussion on the proliferation of arm’s length government agencies, boards and commissions in Canada, Ontario and Toronto. We discussed the impacts of ABCs on public accountability and service delivery by exploring their roles and responsibilities in specific policy areas of health, transit, public safety and security and urban/municipal planning. Agencies such as Metrolinx, the LHINs, and the Ontario Municipal Board, have considerable authority over public services, however, very little is known about how they function, their mandate or how decisions are made. Our intention was to explore some of the key issues regarding accountability and service delivery that have emerged within these domains.
The day began with introductory remarks made by SPT board, Chair Celia Denov, and Executive Director John Campey. Our second session guest speaker was Colin Talbot, professor from the University of Manchester. Mr. Talbot provided us with a broad overview of the international experience and proliferation of arms-length bodies in public administration, paying special attention to the UK experience and current challenges. His key message was that the use of special purpose bodies have been used in many jurisdictions around the world for years and are unlikely to be reduced despite calls by certain governments for their review, reform or elimination.
Our third panel session, “Perspectives on Agencification: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly”, saw presentations from Hon. Jean Augustine (Ontario Fairness Commissioner), Pamela Bryant (University of Toronto) and David Siegel (Brock University). Hon. Jean Augustine offered a case study example of how agencies are formed, how they operate and some of the key challenges they face, by discussing the regulatory agency she heads, the Ontario Fairness Commission (OFC). Pamela Bryant discussed the different types of agencies operating in Ontario, their functions and why they are used in our public administration. She also highlighted some of the key issues regarding accountability and how governments are working to strengthen good governance mechanisms and practices to enhance transparency and accountability. David Siegel provided participants with a local government perspective, focusing on the Niagara Parks Commission as a case study example. He highlighted the challenges provincially created agencies operating in municipalities’ face, along with the need for better public education and understanding around what role ABCs play to facilitate greater public accountability.
After lunch, participants broke off into smaller groups to have a more focused discussion on the agencies dealing with the policy areas of health, police and public safety, transit and municipal planning. Our health panel, examining issues around the Local Health Integration Networks, included Raymond Applebaum (Peel Senior Link), Natalie Mehra (Ontario Health Coalition), Mark Hundert (Hay Group Health Care Consulting) and Scott Dudgeon (The Change Foundation). The police and public safety group discussed bodies such as the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, and featured Alok Mukherjee (Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board), Cathy Boxer-Byrd (OCPC), Anna Willats (Toronto Police Accountability Coalition) and Mariana Valverde (University of Toronto). Our transit panel on Metrolinx consisted of Steve Munro (transit advocate), Franz Hartmann (Toronto Environmental Alliance), Shelly Gordon (CUPE) and John Howe (Metrolinx). Our final panel focused on municipal planning issues and the Ontario Municipal Board and consisted of Michael Shapcott (The Wellesley Institute), Andrew Sancton (University of Western Ontario) and Michael Gottheil (Ontario Municipal Board).
Our fifth session consisted of brief snapshot presentations of two additional Toronto ABCs. Speakers Peggy Nash from Invest Toronto and John Macintyre from Build Toronto, provided participants with a brief overview of their respective organizations, highlighting some of their main functions and duties. Our final speaker of the day consisted of Shirley Hoy, who provided us with some final reflections on this topic from her perspective as former Toronto City Manager. Ms. Hoy highlighted the Toronto Public Library system as a success story of effective ABC management due to its citizen members largely controlling decisions instead of City Councillors. Her top four recommendations for successful local ABC management included:
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Developing a clear Memorandum of Understanding between Council and the agency that outlines the responsibilities of each member of the governing body, including roles, boundaries, and powers.
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Formal regular reports to Council by the board and board chair should be a requirement.
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Adopt a ‘no surprise’ policy to manage major changes for both sides (the board and Council).
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Board members should be well briefed and oriented to the strategic directions of the Mayor and Council.
Please note:
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Social Planning Toronto would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the City of Toronto for their support and contribution, as well as to all the speakers, moderators, organizers and attendees for making the event an overwhelming success.
Nadia Heyd is a member of the Fees and Fundraising Subcommittee through the TDSB’s Inner City Advisory Committee and the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee. As a parent and a member of her children’s School Council she is actively involved in addressing the inequities that exist within the system and exploring solutions. The following piece will give you information and outline ways that you can get involved in seeking to make our public schools more equitable places where all students can succeed.
There has been a lot of talk this year about Fundraising in Ontario's Publicly Funded Schools. ( link to recent news articles - Toronto Star). Personally, I am concerned about fundraising in the school system for two main reasons.
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I believe that it creates and deepens inequities within the publicly funded school system
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I believe that it lets government off the hook for providing adequate funding to the system
Sources:
I am writing to let you know that currently, the Ontario Ministry of Education is holding public consultations on its Draft Fundraising Guidelines. The Toronto District School Board's Inner City Advisory Committee (ICAC), is hosting a public meeting where you can share your thoughts, concerns, observations or comments with real live representatives from the Ministry of Education. If you are interested in speaking publicly at the meeting, you will have the opportunity to make a brief statement (no more than 5 minutes).
Meeting details:
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011, 11:00am - 12:30pm
Fairmeadow Training Centre, 17 Fairmeadow Avenue
Get TTC schedules
Driving? link to a map (parking is available)
If you are unable to attend the meeting, but still wish to make comments about the proposed guidelines, please use one of these two online methods - This link provides a space for you to confidentially direct your comments about fundraising to the ICAC, who will add your comments to its formal recommendations to the Ministry of Education, or you can email your comments directly to the Ministry of Education by August 31, 2011 :
I wanted to supply you with some background information (which is also posted to the ICAC Fees and Fundraising Subcommmittee website, here.):
Please share this information with parents, teachers, community agencies, and everyone you know who has a stake in public education in Ontario.
Thank you, Nadia Heyd
Parent of kids attending school in the TDSB,
Volunteer with Toronto District School Board:
Parent Involvement Advisory Committee Alternate Rep - Ward 22
ICAC - Fees and Fundrasing Subcommittee
Toronto Community Housing’s one-man interim board, Mr. Case Ootes, has recommended that 22 TCHC homes be sold off. Seven residents and groups, including SPT, deputed to the City’s Executive Committee on Tuesday, May 24 calling for the committee to return the issue to the new TCHC board once its full complement with tenant representation had been established. Despite these calls, the Executive Committee voted in favour of selling off the homes. The decision now goes to City Council for a final vote on June 14/15. As well, provincial Ministerial approval is required before 10 of the 22 homes can be sold. Read the SPT deputation here:
Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today.
Social Planning Toronto is a non-profit community organization engaged in research and policy analysis as well as community development and the promotion of civic engagement. SPT works to improve the quality of life of all Toronto residents. Our work includes a strong focus on advancing the human right to safe, decent and affordable housing.
We are here today to recommend that the committee refer the question of selling off 22 Toronto Community Housing single family homes back to the TCHC board once a proper board with TCHC tenant representation has been put in place. We have several concerns about the recommendations of Mr. Case Ootes.
First is the issue of democratic process. This one-man appointed board with no tenant representation does not have the legitimacy to make major decisions affecting TCHC tenants. Mr. Ootes’ decisions should be restricted to the necessary routine day-to-day running of TCHC with all other matters left to a properly constituted board with full tenant representation. A decision to sell off these homes would displace 15 tenant families. Tenant representatives must be at the table with a full say in matters affecting tenants.
City Council has required that a new board be in place by Council’s June 14/15 Council meeting. Tenants begin voting on their representatives today. Clearly a proper board will be in place within the month. There is no justification to make this decision today.
Continue reading...
Stupid Rules
Maytree Opinion, May 2011
By Alan Broadbent (this article reflects much of the presentation, “The relationship between responsibility and accountability.” that Mr Broadbent delivered at SPT's recent Symposium, “THEY’RE NOT THAT INTO US” Communicating what we do, what we need, and why it matters in a changing world.)
One of the first lessons we learn in life is to play by the rules. At home, at school, on the playground, or in the neighbourhood, it is the rules that make the world go round, we are told. If it weren’t for the rules, we’d descend into chaos and confusion.
But what about stupid rules? What do we do when we’re faced with rules that not only don’t seem to make sense, but seem to run counter to our best interests? And what do we do when our best interests aren’t just personal to us, but to those who depend on us to deliver services or goods that make their lives better?
This is a dilemma that is increasingly facing people working in the community sector, as the cold hands of auditors general, regulators, and public sector funders tighten their grip on the activities in the sector. Those cold hands are abetted by hysterical and sloppy coverage in the commercial press.
The result is the imposition of rules and reporting processes comprehensively out of step with the actual risk of waste in the sector.
Get Involved in Social Planning Toronto
Your membership and support enables us to be a more effective resource and voice for the non-profit community sector in Toronto.
2011 is an important year for the community sector in Toronto. Your organizational or individual membership in Social Planning Toronto strengthens our voice.
As a member you are entitled to:
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Voting privileges at the SPT Annual General Meeting.
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Agency listing and linking on SPT's website.
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Participation in SPT Member Forums.
Your support helps us to:
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Strengthen the voice of local communities across the city.
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Increase our capacity to engage in social policy research, analysis and advocacy for communities and the organizations that serve them.
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Maintain our role as an independent voice for positive change in Toronto.
For more information on membership, please visit www.socialplanningtoronto.org/get-involved/
To enquire about membership, please call Mary at (416) 351-0095 ex 251 or email mmicallef@socialplanningtoronto.org
About Social Planning Toronto
For more than fifty years, SPT and its predecessor organizations have served as a vital voice for the non-profit community sector in Toronto – conducting research and supporting community mobilization that has made a real difference for our organizations, our communities, and the most vulnerable residents in our city.
OUR MISSION
Social Planning Toronto is committed to building a civic society: one in which diversity, equity, social and economic justice, interdependence and active civic participation are central to all aspects of our lives - in our families, neighbourhoods, voluntary and recreational activities, at work and in politics.
OUR ROLE
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Convenor of social research, often in collaboration with other non-profit organizations and academic institutions.
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Mobilizer of community resources to improve equity, inclusivity, and the quality of life in the City of Toronto.
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Advocate with policy makers for improved social and economic conditions.
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Resource for action-oriented research, policy analysis, and community planning, in support of community priorities.
Social Planning Toronto funders include:
  
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