Our city’s diversity is no longer reflected on council’s agencies and boards Most of us would agree that we should strive to include people from every background in our civic institutions.
But a troubling trend is emerging when it comes to citizen appointees to the boards of directors of over 120 city agencies, boards, commissions, corporations and special-purpose bodies, like the Toronto Arts Council, the Library Board, Exhibition Place, the Toronto Atmospheric Fund board, etc.
If the current process continues as is, we’ll have one of the least representative groups of appointees in the last 20 years.
Click here to see a chart representing the racial makeup of the current council.
It’s not like these positions require special expertise. In fact, the great majority don’t. Instead, they call for people with a general understanding of how to provide oversight and some ability to understand financial information. For the most part what’s needed is individual integrity, a willingness to learn on the job and a commitment to the community.
This description fits many people across Toronto. But in a city where visible minority groups (or should that be “majority”?) make up over 50 per cent of the population, only 15 per cent of these positions are going to non-whites.
This is compared to 55 per cent during the 2007-?2010 council term. Indeed, according to city reports, there are no appointees of Latin American, aboriginal or Southeast Asian background, according to the city clerk’s numbers.
Further, in a city where the biggest annual events are Pride and Caribana, there are no people of Caribbean or African origin, and only 0.2 per cent identify as LGBTQ, compared to 6 per cent under the last council. This seems particularly skewed. When it comes to gender balance, the situation isn’t much better. During the 2007-?2010 council terms, the mix of men and women was 53 and 47 per cent respectively. Now, 75 per cent of the positions are filled by men.
Council fills these positions on recommendations from a Civic Appointments Committee made up of councillors Raymond Cho, Doug Ford, Mary Fragedakis, Giorgio Mammoliti, Ron Moeser, Frances Nunziata, James Pasternak, Jaye Robinson and Michael Thompson.
Some might think there’s a lack of interest among under-represented groups, perhaps a disillusionment with City Hall, yet the number of applications has risen from 1,316 for the last round to 1,705, a nearly 10 to 1 ratio of applicants to positions. Our city is filled with people who have advanced degrees and varied trades, lots of life experience and are hard-working and want to contribute.
But decisions have been made that narrow the diversity range of those making decisions on city bodies, and when such a pattern is in place you have to suspect political motives. But besides the possibility that fair representation may not be a priority for those doing the selecting is the question of the process itself.
Merely advertising these posts in various languages is not enough. There has to be an active process where “ambassadors” work with specific communities, ideally by liaising with local leaders and disseminating info about positions at places where people gather.
Newcomers are heavy users of city services, and having their input on how to run them would help better tailor them to the needs of all. Getting selected would also give a boost to those needing the critical “Canadian experience.”
One change that might ensure a broader mix would be the establishment of a permanent, independent Civic Appointments Commission whose work would be ongoing instead of just at the start of each council term. Perhaps a rolling process could stagger appointments to allow this new body to do more targeted outreach to fill positions. As a bonus, such a move might prevent any one council from stacking all the boards of city agencies to suit their will.
The city could also go one step further and push for legislation to let residents who aren’t citizens vote in municipal elections. Ryerson professor Myer Siemiatycki, author of Municipal Voting Rights For Non-?Canadian Citizens, notes that over 40 countries allow non-citizens to cast city votes, as does Nova Scotia.
Sure, the ratios of who’s appointed will go up and down from time to time. But the stats that now stare us in the face show the situation is clearly unacceptable in the kind of city we live in. Council should initiate a new recruitment process and a review of the selection mechanism. This is about making sure boards reflect a range of opinions and experience worthy of our diversity.
Origin
Source: NOW
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