Maytree Conversations

Diaspora Dialogues has launched Spur, Canada’s first national festival of politics, art and ideas. The festival is designed to engage Canadians in a feisty, cross-country search for ways forward on pressing issues.

In the first year, the festival will include Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver with more editions rolling out in 2014.

Spur Toronto runs from April 11 to 14:

“Now that the economy has become a water-cooler subject, The Bottom Line – Spur’s Toronto edition – looks at the intersection of money, politics, art and ideas, and asks how we might reimagine their connections in our society.

Spur Toronto’s eclectic mix ranges from panel discussions with The New Yorker senior editor Hendrik Hertzberg on vested interests in politics to politically hot theatre with playwrights Hannah Moscovitch, Michael Healey and Guillermo Verdecchia; debates from political operatives Chima Nkemdirim, Jaime Watt and David Herle on electoral alchemy to breakfast with first-time author Ayelet Tsabari with her brilliant short fiction collection and Ins Choi’s (Kim’s Convenience) brand new theatrical walking piece. There will be discussions, town halls, readings, performances, walking tours and funky late-night music at the Pilot Tavern to tempt you – and much more.”

Book early so you won’t miss out! Tickets can be purchased on the Spur site. Festival passes get you in to all events, as well as a private reception.

Visit Spur Toronto for the complete lineup of sessions and presenters.

Here are a few sessions we think might be of interest to our community:

The Yes Lab (April 12)

Calling all political artists! Hosted by Andy Bichlbaum of The Yes Men, The Yes Lab is a three-hour workshop designed to generate ideas and get groups of people thinking creatively. Social justice organizations can take advantage of all the Yes Men have learned, including how to use humour to open minds and share ideas, figure out which culture-jamming activities are effective, understand “laughtivism” and collectively brainstorm potential project ideas.

Political Advertising: Electoral Alchemy (April 13)

Political messaging has become increasingly refined and tightly targeted. But do the subtle arts of political communication actually serve democracy, or seduce voters into abandoning rational or practical choices? A panel of distinguished political strategists, consultants and advisors discuss their personal favourite pieces of political storytelling and the quantifiable impact and ethics of artful spin.

Strictly Canadian = Doomed to Fail? (April 13)

In a town-hall- style forum that bridges the blogosphere and conventional media, Spur challenges journalists across genres to debate whether labelling something as “Canadian” builds our society or dooms our cultural industries to failure. Be part of the debate: join a local columnist and some of the city’s most-followed culture bloggers in an energetic conversation.

Who Should Own an Idea? (April 13)

Canada invests significant amounts of public money in the arts and sciences through institutions such as hospitals or universities or through extensive grant programs. Who benefits from the commercialization of ideas generated from all that activity – and who should?

The Theatre of Politics (April 14)

Playwrights – like politicians – have powerful roles in society, shaping and reflecting back to us relevant social issues and crafting persuasive stories in ways that may move us into action or news ways of thinking long after we turn from the stage. But is some content too hot to handle? Join Canada’s top political playwrights as they discuss the intersection of politics and theatre.

Vested Interests in Politics (April 14)

Do people with money have an undue influence on our political system? Well-informed panelists bring their expertise and experience to discuss comparative models of political campaign financing in Canada and the United States.

Join Diaspora Dialogues for what promises to be a fun, informative, irreverent series of presentations and discussions.

by Michelynn Laflèche, Director of Research, Public Policy and Evaluation at United Way Toronto

On February 25, at a full-day symposium with McMaster University and the Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario (PEPSO) research group, United Way Toronto launched the ground-breaking It’s More than Poverty report. Representatives from the private sector, labour, government and non-profit organizations gathered to discuss the growth of precarious jobs – those without benefits and those with uncertain futures.

Confirming the anecdotes

This new report, based on a specially commissioned survey of over 4,000 respondents, confirms what our communities and member agencies knew, anecdotally, five years ago:

• precarious work has grown in prevalence;
• it impacts workers’ well-being; and
• it is more prevalent among recent immigrants and people from racialized groups.

The data also shows that the impacts of precarious work are more severe for people with low income.

Additionally, we found that precarious work has spread into all sectors, across the entire GTA and Hamilton region, and among all demographic groups and all income groups. For example, on some indicators, middle-income earners in insecure employment were actually experiencing more challenges than low-income earners in secure employment.

Emerging questions

Some of these counterintuitive findings surprised us, and others.

Some of the reaction focused on the issue of choice. In particular, the finding that being in precarious work was adversely affecting middle-income individuals and families was new and troubling. Could people earning middle incomes – between $50,000 and $100,000 a year – really be precarious? Wasn’t the kind of work that these earners were doing, such as knowledge jobs at colleges and universities, or freelance design and other creative jobs, something they chose to do? Didn’t many of these workers live in households where one partner had a secure job and the other could afford to work on short-term contracts (and did so as part of a chosen lifestyle)?

The answer is split and suggests that choice is a very complicated issue. Yes, middle-income jobs can be precarious. No, it’s not all about choice. We know that many in Toronto cannot choose the opportunities available to them. Indeed, over half of survey respondents employed in insecure work said that they would prefer more secure work. Importantly, our data also showed that, if the survey respondent was in a precarious job, their partner was more likely to be in a precarious job, too.

But the real issue for all workers in precarious jobs, whether they choose these jobs or not, is that the conditions in which they are working are harmfully affecting not just the workers, but also their families and their communities. It is troubling that our labour market is no longer creating enough jobs that are pathways to income and employment security.

Continuing the conversation

As was so energetically discussed during the symposium, we (as a society) got here one decision at a time. The good news is that vulnerability and insecurity are not inevitable. We can escape this growing trend, decision by decision. It will take time, it will take clear ideas on what to do, and it will take a widespread coalition to make the necessary policy and social change. But it is not impossible.

Our task, now, is to make this change happen.

(Original version of this article was first published on imagineacity.ca.)

Related:

• Download the report: It’s More than Poverty (PDF — 5.85 MB)
• Download the executive summary: It’s More than Poverty (PDF — 1.33 MB)
• CBC Metro Morning: Full time no more?
• Toronto Star editorial: Workers with unstable jobs left behind by outdated social programs
• Toronto Star: Half of GTA and Hamilton workers in ‘precarious’ jobs
• Toronto Star: Profiles: The faces of precarious work
• Toronto Star: Job insecurity: When a smaller paycheque is better
• Globe and Mail op-ed: Half of Toronto-area workers have fallen into ‘precarious employment’: study
• Workers’ Action Centre: Ground-breaking report on precarious work highlights need for urgent action

Help Toronto Councillors understand how you value the city services and programs that make Toronto more equitable, accessible, healthier and prosperous.

Some committee meetings have already been held this week. Below is a list of a few more and information about a Special Executive Committee Meeting happening in September.

Useful resource

Commitment2Community has put together a helpful step-by-step guide to making a deputation that you should read before making or sending any deputations on the topic.

What is a Standing Committee?

Standing committees have distinct mandates in areas of public service delivery and corporate operations, including: monitoring current program delivery, service levels and emerging issues; recommending policy and program changes. They make recommendations to City Council for a final decision. You can arrange to speak or send in comments to these committees.

Why should I go to a meeting?

The results of the program review from the Core Service Review for selected City divisions are being discussed at these standing committees. You can “depute” (make a 5 minute verbal presentation and/or submit a written statement) about the recommendations of the program review at the standing committees.

Upcoming Standing Committee meetings

Thursday, July 21 – Parks and Environment Committee, 9:30 a.m., Committee Room 1

Members: Michelle Berardinetti, Raymond Cho, Norman Kelly (Chair), Mary-Margaret McMahon, Ron Moeser, James Pasternak

Go to depute on: Farmer’s markets, tower renewal, community use of parks by diverse communities, community gardens & more.

Sign up to depute: pec@toronto.ca OR phone: 416-397-7796

Email your deputation to: pec@toronto.ca & the City Manager: talktoCityManager@toronto.ca

Monday, July 25 – Licensing and Standards Committee, 9:30 a.m., Committee Room 1

Members: Glenn De Baeremaeker, Chin Lee,  Gloria Lindsay Luby, Frances Nunziata, Cesar Palacio (Chair), Anthony Perruzza

Go to depute on: animal services, farmers markets, taxis, rooming houses & more

Sign up to depute: email lsc@toronto.ca OR phone: 416-397-7796

Email your deputation to: lsc@toronto.ca & the City Manager: talktoCityManager@toronto.ca

Tuesday, July 26 – Government Management Committee, 9:30 a.m., Committee Room 1

Members: Paul Ainslie (Chair), Vincent Crisanti, John Filion, Doug Ford, Pam McConnell, Jaye Robinson

Go to depute on: city facilities, below market rent policy for city funded agencies, fair wage policy, affordable space, human rights

Sign up to depute: email: gmc@toronto.ca OR phone: 416-392-7340

Email your deputation to: gmc@toronto.ca & the City Manager: talktoCityManager@toronto.ca

Wednesday, July 27 – Planning and Growth Management Committee, 9:30 a.m., Committee Room 1

Members: Ana Bailão, Gary Crawford, Frank Di Giorgio, Peter Milczyn (Chair), Karen Stintz, Adam Vaughan

Go to depute on: Building inspection, urban planning issues, safety issues for women & seniors, heritage & more.

Sign up to depute: email: pgmc@toronto.ca OR phone: 416-392-7340

Email your deputation to: pgmc@toronto.ca & the City Manager: talktoCityManager@toronto.ca

Thursday, July 28 – Executive Committee, 9:30 a.m., Committee Room 1

Members: Paul Ainslie, Michelle Berardinetti, Mike Del Grande, Rob Ford (Chair), Doug Holyday, Norman Kelly, Giorgio Mammoliti, Peter Milczyn, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Cesar Palacio, Jaye Robinson, David Shiner, Michael Thompson

Go to depute on:the value and importance of the services and programs provided by organizations supported by city grants Community Partnership Investment Program grants, TCHC, TTC, Toronto Public Library, Toronto Zoo, CNE, EnWave, Toronto Hydro, Toronto Parking Authority & More

Sign up to depute: email: exc@toronto.ca OR phone: 416-392-6627

Email your deputation to: exc@toronto.ca & the City Manager: talktoCityManager@toronto.ca

Special Executive Committee Meeting – September 19, 2011

What does the Executive Committee do?

It monitors and makes recommendations on the priorities, plans, international and intergovernmental relations, and the financial integrity of the City, including Council’s strategic policy and priorities in setting the agenda.

The Executive Committee makes recommendations or refers to another committee any matter not within the committee’s mandate or that relates to more than one Standing Committee.

Why should I depute at the September19th Executive Committee meeting?

This is another opportunity for members of the public to depute and speak up about the value and importance of the services and programs provided by organizations supported by city grants. Executive Committee will likely be reviewing the completed reports from the Toronto Service Review, which should include recommendations from standing committees on the community services and programs.

SAVE THE DATE to depute to Standing Committee on September 19, 2011 and be sure to sign up to depute at least a week before the meeting.

Sign up to depute: email: exc@toronto.ca OR phone: 416-392-6627

Email your deputation to: exc@toronto.ca & The City Manager: talktoCityManager@toronto.ca

Contacting your City Councillor and Mayor

While you can attend attend these meetings and depute, you can also let your City Councillor know what you think.

Visit the city website for City Councillor contact information, call 311.  If you want to connect with your local councillor, but aren’t sure which ward you live in, you can search using your address on the city of Toronto website. Find contact information for the Mayor on the Mayor’s website.

Resources:

• Budget and Finances – Cities have lots of responsibilities and lots of expenditures, but they do not have matching revenue streams for what they are asked to deliver.
• Transit – Public transit is increasingly being recognized as an essential service, but it faces a number of challenges, not least of which is its price tag.
• Urban Places and Spaces – Good planning leads to a vibrant urban fabric, while poor planning leads to uninteresting design, soul-less and unhealthy communities.
• Affordable housing – A safe and affordable place to live is every city resident’s right, but it is increasingly hard to ensure. Over 260,000 households in the GTA spend more than a third of their income on housing.
• City Services – The city is responsible for the maintenance of streets, water mains, community centres and other core public infrastructure.
• Civic Democracy – Civic participation in municipal politics is low, and permanent residents (who number a quarter of a million people in the City of Toronto) are excluded from even the most basic act of voting.
• Diversity and Leadership – Despite the benefits and importance of diversity the region’s public leadership does not reflect the diversity of the population.

There are some consultations going on that will impact most, if not all of us in the City of Toronto.

These consultations are one way for you get involved to tell politicians/civic leaders what you think of key city services.

Current City Consultations

City of Toronto Core Service Review – Deadline for input: June 17, 2011

Toronto City Council has launched a review of all of its services and implemented a multi-year financial planning process.

The City has posted its multilingual Core Service Review consultation kits (top 10 languages + French), along with a number of information resources on City services. They can be found here:

• Consultation Kits
• Information Resources

You can also register for a City-hosted consultation session through the www.torontoservicereview.ca website (registration required due to space limitations and to provide accessibility supports).

Many of these sessions are full or will be full soon. So, you can also provide your input into the City’s Service Review process through the City’s online survey (with an accessible option):

City’s Recreation Service Plan – Deadline for input: June 30, 2011

Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation is developing a plan to guide the development and management of services over the next five years. Read the Guiding Principles for access to City recreation programs.

Most of the Public Consultation Sessions have occurred (there are 2 more scheduled), but you can also send your feedback using the online Recreation Service Plan survey. The survey is also available for download in large font format (PDF).

Complete list of City of Toronto consultations

Did you know that there is a list of current and ongoing consultations on the city website?  Find out if there’s a consultation happening on an issue that’s important to you.

Contacting your City Councillor and Mayor

While you can attend local meetings and fill out online surveys, you can also let your City Councillor know what you think.

Visit the city website for City Councillor contact information, call 311.  If you want to connect with your local councillor, but aren’t sure which ward you live in, you can search using your address on the city of Toronto website. Find contact information for the Mayor on the Mayor’s website.

Resources:

• Budget and Finances – Cities have lots of responsibilities and lots of expenditures, but they do not have matching revenue streams for what they are asked to deliver.
• Transit – Public transit is increasingly being recognized as an essential service, but it faces a number of challenges, not least of which is its price tag.
• Urban Places and Spaces – Good planning leads to a vibrant urban fabric, while poor planning leads to uninteresting design, soul-less and unhealthy communities.
• Affordable housing – A safe and affordable place to live is every city resident’s right, but it is increasingly hard to ensure. Over 260,000 households in the GTA spend more than a third of their income on housing.
• City Services – The city is responsible for the maintenance of streets, water mains, community centres and other core public infrastructure.
• Civic Democracy – Civic participation in municipal politics is low, and permanent residents (who number a quarter of a million people in the City of Toronto) are excluded from even the most basic act of voting.
• Diversity and Leadership – Despite the benefits and importance of diversity the region’s public leadership does not reflect the diversity of the population.

This weekend (May 7 & 8, 2011) is the fifth year of Jane’s Walk. Get to know your city and each other by getting out and walking!

The event is a great excuse to get out and explore Toronto’s many secret places and neighbourhoods. Started in 2007, Jane’s Walk has grown exponentially each year, both in Toronto and around the world. This year there are 170 free neighbourhood tours in Toronto alone.

In the true spirit of community, there is something for everyone.

You can find the full schedule of walks on the Jane’s Walk website. And, of course, there’s now an app for that.

Choose your walk!

This year’s tours walk you through everything from the historical to the controversial. Here are a just a few highlights:

• No need to travel to Brampton, explore Rexdale’s Albion Road in search of the city’s best Indian food;
• Get an insider’s perspective on how pedestrian-friendly initiatives happen in the City;
• Join author Amy Lavender Harris for a literary walking tour of “Parkdale, Scummy Parkdale;”
• Explore the messy and complicated world of planning and street design in the Stockyards area of Toronto;
• Learn how Regent Park is being revitalized with residents and newcomers to the community, who will share their stories of what was, what is, and what is still to come:
• “A Lens on Lawrence Heights” walks through a neighbourhood poised for transformation;
• See creative design that makes room for trees and learn what it takes to protect old trees and ensure newly planted ones survive;
• “Hidden Treasures in Social Housing” explores hidden treasures in Toronto’s East end – human and financial – in social housing; and
• New this year, a night Jane’s Walk – “Darkness and Light” explores the lighting grid of downtown Toronto.

Additional highlights

As part of the event and to celebrate the occasion of the 50th anniversary of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, Jane’s Walk Toronto is holding a reading relay of the text in front of Toronto’s City Hall over the Jane’s Walk weekend. Anybody can drop by the Jane’s Walk tent on Nathan Phillips Square and read aloud, sign the log book and add their voice to the celebration of this enduring work.

Also, throughout May, the Walkability Studies of Toronto’s inner-suburban high rise neighbourhoods, a research initiative of Paul Hess (University of Toronto Geography) and Jane’s Walk, will be featured in a photo exhibit at the Urbanspace Gallery at 401 Richmond Street West.

For social media users, here are your references:
Twitter: @janeswalk
Twitter Hash tag: #jwalk
Facebook: Jane’s Walk

Enjoy exploring your city this weekend!

Related links:

• Jane’s Walk
• Headspace: Jane Farrow discusses Jane’s Walk

Addressing the participants at a School4Civics networking event on September 15, Alan Broadbent argued that election campaigns should be an opportunity to put forward a compelling vision. However, the current municipal election campaigns, particularly in Toronto, are more focused on the negative, on what we should do less of, instead of how we can build a great city.

At the same time, he pointed out that it is important to be realistic. There’s only so much a mayor or councillor can do.

It is an unfortunate truth that cities are the invisible level of government and provinces have complete control over what cities can do. They can dictate obligations and responsibilities; they can even dismiss elected mayors and councils. They limit the sources of revenues for cities to property taxes and fees, but prohibit them from collecting the big, growth related income and sales taxes. This lack of powers and financial clout is a real problem. Our cities are trying to succeed with one hand tied behind their back.

This matters because we expect our mayors and councillors to have a vision of the city that we can move forward with and build on. But they are denied the access to the critical tools that allow them to get there (to build transit system we need, housing we need, etc.).

However, this shouldn’t excuse the lack of vision.

Fortunately, there has been a rise in civil society groups that are transforming the way people operate within the city. These groups are acting as catalysts for community conversation and engagement. Good examples include:

• Better Ballots
• People Plan Toronto
• Jane’s Walk
• The Tower Renewal Project
• The Toronto City Summit Alliance
• organizations like Maytree, Metcalf, Atkinson, the Wellesley Institute, and Laidlaw which support equity and prosperity across the region

No matter how the politics go, as long as we have a strong, resilient fabric of organizations like these, and engaged and concerned residents, we can be very hopeful that we have a wonderful ability to keep growing this city and making it great.

Listen to Alan’s speech here:

(Run-time: 20:08)

Download the mp3 (right-click to save to your computer).

Alan is the author of Urban Nation: Why We Need to Give Power Back to the Cities to Make Canada Strong.

While it’s still almost eight months to go until we vote for Toronto’s next mayor, it’s never too early to start thinking about the issues that matter. To make an informed decision, it’s important to understand where the candidates stand and what their positions are.

The Toronto Star in a helpful feature asked Toronto’s leading mayoral candidates about their positions on some emerging election issues, including transit, bike lanes and the city’s financial troubles.

They identified the following five candidates as most likely to be in the lead: George Smitherman, Rocco Rossi, Giorgio Mammoliti, Joe Pantalone, and Sarah Thomson.

For what the candidates had to say, read the feature.