The Canadian Urban Institute in collaboration with the Cities Centre, University of Toronto present:

On the Outside Looking In? The Many Mysteries of Governance in the City of Toronto
Thursday, September 9, 2010
7:45 – 9:30 a.m.
The Arts and Letters Club
14 Elm Street, Toronto, ON

This latest session from the Election Issues Series is presented by The Canadian Urban Institute and the Cities Centre, University of Toronto.

The City of Toronto is ostensibly democratic and run by legitimately elected officials accountable to the people every four years. But the City is so large, it has so many responsibilities, the nooks and crannies of its operations are so arcane in some respects that some Toronto citizens feel they have little understanding of its workings and little or no say in its policies. What is the right way of reading the City? Is it, by and large, an open, democratic institution that allows and even encourages access to all its citizens, as its supporters – including residents and ratepayers
associations – might say?   Or, as its critics might say, is it a closed and even obscure organization that, in effect, bestows privilege and power on those who have mastered its intricacies and understand which “buttons” need to be pushed?

As a backgrounder to these issues of governance in the City of  Toronto, the Cities Centre at the University of Toronto has produced a paper entitled “The Governance of Toronto: Challenges of Size and Complexity” (available to download from the event page here).  It covers overall questions of citizenship, voting and running as a candidate, the role of civil society and ratepayers associations, the mayor and councilors, the organization of “city hall” (a.k.a. “the bureaucracy”), the city’s boards and commissions, and – last but not  least – the role of the Ontario Municipal Board.  While always important, these issues take on extra importance during the current municipal election period.

Taking this paper as its starting point, issues of governance in Toronto will be discussed by a panel of experts.  Bring your questions to the meeting, and join in on a lively discussion of the issues and challenges of governing a very large and important city.

Speakers:
Art Eggleton, Senator and former Mayor of Toronto (Session Moderator)
Richard Stren, lead author on the paper and Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto
Alan Broadbent, Chairman, The Maytree Foundation

Registration Rates: Members, $32; Non-Members, $40

To register for this event, please visit the Canadian Urban Institute Events Page.

Additional CUI Events – Save the Dates Notice!

Wednesday, Sept. 15, 7:30-9:30pm, reception to follow: All Candidates Debate Presented by Cities Centre in collaboration with Innis College Urban Studies Program, the Canadian Urban Institute and the Toronto
Star.  Moderated by John Honderich.  Innis Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue (corner St. George Street, 1 block south of Bloor, St. George subway station).  Attendance registration opens September 8th — more  details will be announced soon!

Thursday, Sept. 23, 7:45-9:30 am: Housing as a Right? What is a City’s Role? The Canadian Urban Institute, in collaboration with Cities Centre, University of Toronto. This session is part of the Election Issues breakfast series . Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Room 308/309. Registration details will be posted on www.canurb.org shortly.

Wednesday, Oct. 6, 7:45-9:30 am: Beyond the  Ballot Box The Canadian Urban Institute, in collaboration with Cities Centre, University of  Toronto. This session is part of the Election Issues breakfast series . Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Room 308/309. Registration details will be posted on www.canurb.org shortly.