Two non-Town Hall Offerings

This site is about town halls in Hamilton. However, seeing as the underlying theme is 'engagement', it's occasionally going to make sense for there to be links and features that might not specifically connect to the notion of town halls...but are certainly important factors and influences and notions to consider. 

On this occasion, I have two things to offer, and both feature Toronto 'community choreographer' Dave Meslin, co-editor of the book 'Local Motion: The Art of Civic Engagement in Toronto'. 


The first is from the launch event for '3 Things for Calgary', the kind of initiative that's indicative of genuine visionary leadership. (I'll have more to say about this anon, this idea that not all the emphasis for authentic forward movement should come from City Hall, that inspiration must be a two-way street, with each portion of the previously-mentioned 'great governance formula' –residents and Councillors– possessed of both transmitters and receivers, an endless –and endlessly-empowering– loop)

The second is a TED talk given by Mr. Meslin. The title of his presentation? 'The Antidote to Apathy'.

M Adrian Brassington

Observations En Route

"Most people arrive at tortured conclusions via blind and painful routes. They don't like it when someone shows up in a balloon. You can't expect anyone to trust revelation if they haven't experienced it themselves. Those who haven't, only know reason. And since revelation is a thing apart, and cannot be accounted for reasonably, they will never believe you. This is the great division of the world, and always has been. Now, when reason and revelation run together, why, then you have something, a great age. But in this city, now, reason is predominant. To argue from any other point of view or by any other means, is subversive."

Great News!

Our November 10th event, 'An Evening With Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr' will be streamed live online...with the chat feature. 

I guess that now means we have a potential audience...

...of billions. 

The Great Governance Formula

Click image to enlarge

Previously, I've referred to the idea of a 'formula' involving residents and their elected officials. I'd been thinking about it recently and realized that I hadn't really nailed the concept very well. Because I'm not a mathematics-type person, I'd unconsciously had the two elements on either side of the '=' sign. But that's not the case at all. They're both on one side, with 'Governance' on the other. 

What's all the more important, and I threw this out for consideration at last night's Hamilton Civic League meeting, is this:

At any given time, the 'Councillors' portion is delivering an average of about 75% of potential. There are always some stinky incidents and there are sometimes some interludes of excellence. 

But where the citizenry are concerned...

Wearing my 'Chapeau de Cynisme', I'd say that Hamilton's down on the low end of the 'Potential' scale. Maybe around 20, 25%? (I know that Those Who Are Active will undoubtedly rail at me for this suggestion. But I calls 'em as I sees 'em.)

Do I find this depressing? 

Nope. 

I take enormous solace in considering how much potential we have at our fingertips. 




M Adrian Brassington

Press Release

           

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: M Adrian Brassington

Organization: Town Halls Hamilton

Email Address: townhallshamilton@gmail.com

Web site: http://townhallshamilton.blogspot.com/

Hamilton, ON, October 27th, 2011 —Town Halls Hamilton (THH) in partnership with the Hamilton Civic League (HCL) is pleased to announce its moderator for the November 10th event at City Hall in Council Chambers, ‘An Evening With Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr’, Stephanie Seagram. 

(Photo credit: Lee Hillman/Hillman Media)

Ms Seagram is Program Director for the Cossart Exchange, a local business incubator for the creative industry and an aspect of the Imperial Cotton Centre for the Arts. As well, Stephanie has been working with people in education and development for over 15 years, has BA in Visual Arts, a Master's of Science in Education and is a member of the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). Combined with her background are her talents as contributor to Cable 14’s For the Record.

Town Halls Hamilton Founder M Adrian Brassington said of Ms Seagram’s joining the THH team: “Stephanie brings to the effort the poise, intelligence and spirit required to make our town halls distinct experiences for guests on both sides of the stage, the Councillors and the audience. I believe she’ll prove to be the right person at the right time, the perfect addition to our endeavours.”

The Hamilton Civic League is a broad-based, non-partisan association formed in 2009 to encourage citizen engagement and involvement in the political process. Town Halls Hamilton is a nascent, grassroots endeavour to create concerted, city-wide opportunities for increased engagement between residents and their Councillors. Both organizations believe in the importance of residents being in a position of greater ownership of their local governance.

For additional information, contact M Adrian Brassington at townhallshamilton@gmail.com or visit http://townhallshamilton.blogspot.com/

# # #

Speaking of engagement...

In today's Spec, there's a great letter, 'If people are engaged, then they'll vote'. In it, the writer presents some meaty material, stuff that's worth considering...if contentious. You can click the link, but I'm also publishing it here (with emphasis being mine): 

Voter turnout

I have read with interest the discussion that followed the provincial election regarding the low level of voter participation. One theme has been the general distaste with the lack of choice, and this feeling also often crops up in class discussion at McMaster University where I am a student in political science.

I have to ask how many of the people who feel this way are members of a political party, where anyone can have a significant effect on the candidates and policies that are put forward? How many regularly write letters to the editor, or contact their MPs and the various cabinet ministers, and so make their views known? And how many have more than the superficial understanding of the issues that simply following the headlines and TV news provides? From discussions on the street and from polls, it is evident that many or most people don’t.

I do not support any limitations on the right to vote, but until people are willing to fulfil their democratic responsibility to understand the issues, perhaps it isn’t necessarily desirable that they do vote. Our political culture will not change until our civic culture does, with people becoming more engaged. Until then, politicians will continue to pander to populist feelings with misleading rhetoric.

Liam Helder, Hamilton

If Wishing Made It So...

Under different circumstances, I'd love to have rolled out Town Halls Hamilton events by now. Here then, is my Top Six Topics list for issue-specific town halls we'd have presented over the past few months...'if wishing made it so':

Back to Where it All Began

The impetus behind Town Halls Hamilton began on my 'original' community activism blog, My Stoney Creek.

In July of 2010, as we approached the Municipal Election, I posted this editorial. So in a very real sense, what you see here, began there.

Shortly after this was published, I felt compelled to really dig into the subject of 'engagement', and wrote a five-part series taking a thorough (some would say 'exhaustive', others might prefer 'exhausting') look at the notion. Here then, are links to the My Stoney Creek essays 'The Great Political 'Engagement' Conundrum:

Part One


Part Two


Part Three


Part Four


Part Five



M Adrian Brassington

Variations on a Theme

A question I consistently get asked about how Town Halls Hamilton intends to pursue its goals is "What are the town halls going to be about?'

My primary answer is 'Whatever the organizing neighbourhood association decides in collaboration with their Councillor.' 

My secondary answer has to do with non ward-specific town halls. 

There are myriad topics that go beyond the immediate concerns of any particular neighbourhood association or ward. Concerns that transcend all 'borders' or community constructs. We're planning on promoting these events just as heartily as the ward-specific town halls, even though they'll undoubtedly consist of more than just our Moderator and a guest on stage. 

From over at Raise The Hammer...

Please take a look at this article, tying in with yesterday's press release of the partnership between the Hamilton Civic League and Town Halls Hamilton.

Press Release

          

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Larry Pomerantz

Organization: Hamilton Civic League

Telephone Number: (905) 545-5577

Email Address: HamiltonCivicLeague@gmail.com

Web site: http://WeVote.ca/

Hamilton, ON, October 13th, 2011 —The Hamilton Civic League (HCL) is pleased to

announce a working partnership with Town Halls Hamilton (THH) to organize and

facilitate a series of citizen-led Town Halls. Beginning with an inaugural Town Hall on

November 10th in Council Chambers at Hamilton City Hall, HCL and THH are planning

to hold similar events around the city over 2011 and 2012 to forge stronger links

between citizens and their elected representatives. With an agenda driven by local

neighbourhood associations, the Town Halls Hamilton initiative aims to bring together

civically-minded residents in a friendly, positive and constructive environment.

The Hamilton Civic League is a broad-based, non-partisan association formed in 2009

to encourage citizen engagement and involvement in the political process. Town Halls

Hamilton is a nascent, grassroots endeavour to create concerted, city-wide

opportunities for increased engagement between residents and their Councillors. Both

organizations believe in the importance of residents being in a position of greater

ownership of their local governance, and this alignment is seen as one way of building

energy and momentum towards this goal.

HCL Chair, Larry Pomerantz states “We have recently seen an increase in the number

of new organizations that share our goal to heighten civic engagement. We encourage

individuals to join and organizations to partner with HCL to forge collaborative

community building opportunities such as with Town Halls Hamilton.”

The Hamilton Civic League will be actively involved in making the Town Halls Hamilton

events successes, and the organization invites all Hamiltonians to become involved in

the initiative over the following year.

For additional information, contact Larry Pomerantz at

HamiltonCivicLeague@gmail.com or visit http://townhallshamilton.blogspot.com/

Voter Turnout, Part Three: Effecting Groundswell Changes

While there is no magic wand (or formula, for that matter), I'm willing to bet that if we're looking for ways to replicate the inclinations of consistent voters, the expression 'Live with a pirate long enough and you learn how to curse,' provides an invaluable clue.  

So here are some offhand suggestions as to what basic situations might provide for the inculcation of a higher sense of civic duty, of service, of obligation related to the end-examples proffered previously, how a value system that honours community engagement might be promoted:

-Households where a strong sense of responsibility outside-of-self is propagated, where neighbourhood cleanups, community projects and volunteering aren't seen as esoteric activities foster the mindset associated with civic duty. 

-Education systems where 'civics' isn't dealt with in a lip-service way, but rather support long-term awareness and the potential for participation. Where politicians visit classrooms to reinforce what's being taught, where students finish their education with a full understanding of how each level of government work, and can discuss the practicals with as much aptitude as they might be able to rhyme off their favourite professional sports team's stats or the minutiae of the latest social fad. 

-Parents who show by example that 'politics' and 'politicians' don't have to be addressed from a default of negativity or cynicism or dismissiveness, who take their children along to debates and candidates' nights and to actually watch them vote. 

-Perhaps most of all, families, neighbourhoods and communities where respect is valued at all levels. Because when the idea of respect is planted and fostered, when an individual is respected and feels respect for themselves, this 'default setting' carries over into all aspects of Life. While it doesn't guarantee 'perfect people', it certainly makes for more situations that resemble what we all in our hearts want our families, our neighbourhoods, our communtities to resemble. 

M Adrian Brassington

Voter Turnout, Part Two: So why do people who vote, actually vote?

Because they see things entirely differently than the person that doesn't vote...or maybe just differently enough. 

Because they feel a sense of responsibility. 

Because they feel a sense of obligation.

Because they feel a sense of civic duty. 

For the most part, the consistent voter (and by association, the voter who joins their local neighbourhood association, who is active in their community), casting a ballot isn't some overwrought thought process. 

I believe that it's instinctive. 

It's like loving someone. You don't go all angsty over it...you just do it. (Or you don't, in which case the conversation is moot.)

Voter Turnout, Part One: Maybe we're asking the wrong question?

This week's provincial election voter turnout was 49.2%. 

This year's federal election voter turnout was 61.1%. 

Last autumn's municipal election voter turnout was roughly 40%. 

Which naturally begs the question 'Why don't people vote?'

Going back to the title of this editorial, maybe we're asking the wrong question. Maybe we should be asking: 

'Why do people vote?'