|
Saanich - Victoria Citizens' Assembly Information as the process unfolds, in chronological order |
|
What is a Citizens’ Assembly?
A Citizens’ Assembly is a representative body of citizens tasked by a government to study, deliberate, and develop recommendations on a specific issue. Typically, members of a Citizens’ Assembly are randomly selected from among a pool of volunteers who pledge to work on behalf of all members of a community over a period of several weeks or months. The Assembly’s recommendations are generally developed by consensus and are intended to represent the best interests of the community.
Why do we need a Citizens Assembly? How does it work? What does it do?
The referendum ballot question for voters in Saanich and Victoria:
Are you in favour of spending up to $250,000 for establishing a Citizens’ Assembly to explore the costs, benefits and disadvantages of the amalgamation between District of Saanich and the City of Victoria??
Why?
In the modern world, governments in all countries, of all sizes -- national, regional or local -- require information to make decisions about complex policy issues including spending priorities, finance, health care, social services, transportation, and governance (i.e. how do we organize elected bodies to make decisions on services required by their populace.) Many of these issues are controversial and require sober second thoughts to ensure information used for decision-making is both comprehensive and balanced.
Too often, social systems, societies and elected leaders are paralyzed through the public participation process that can be mired in confrontation by political parties and special interest groups. Critical decisions are never made and citizens at large feel frustrated.
A Citizens’ Assembly (CA) is a group of citizens who look at information and conduct an analysis and make recommendations to councils and to the public. In the case of Saanich and Victoria, to investigate commonalities and costs of a possible merger of the urban core of Greater Victoria. In the 2014 election, these voters indicated a strong interest in examining their local government structure, voting 88% and 80% respectively. In 2017-18, the citizen-led Saanich Governance Committee recommended that Saanich support a joint study with the City of Victoria. Saanich Council unanimously approved this recommendation. The City of Victoria also agreed. On October 20, 2018, voters in Saanich and Victoria are being asked to approve a study process to do so.
In the past two decades several countries have used a form of CA as a fair selection mechanism for a deliberative public process that can assess options, costs and benefits of complex topics and then provide fair, balanced and independent advice to elected officials and a public report to residents who then decide what action to take. The process of referral to an independent citizens' group is often known as a Civic Reference Panel. Advocates of this process suggest it “reinforces a basic faith in the principle that given the opportunity to participate in a thorough, fair and inclusive process, citizens are ready to provide constructive advice, offering officials the intelligence, perspective and sensitivity that difficult public issues require.”
Such a process is common in Ireland and the Netherlands. In Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Vancouver have used this process. In 2013 the Province of BC used a CA to study various systems of electoral reform that led to a provincial referendum. Recently, Duncan and North Cowichan completed a similar process and held a referendum in spring 2018.
How?
Victoria and Saanich Council have jointly agreed to ask voters for approval to fund a CA process to study options for improved inter-municipal service delivery, including the possibility of amalgamation. If receiving a majority Yes affirmative vote in both municipalities, the joint Councils will then be assured that their residents support a study and that Councils can proceed to establish terms of reference for a CA process. An independent facilitator would be assigned responsibility to do three things:
1. To direct an independent selection process via a public call for volunteers to serve on the CA panel, based on demographics e.g. gender, age, occupation, etc., of the community from a pool of hundreds or thousands of volunteers. Approximately 24-48 residents would be selected by lottery to serve.
The facilitator will solicit and collect data from municipal staff and other agencies to compile a public information package about all aspects of the community. {Using Duncan as an example, the CA produced a remarkable data report that documented, for residents and officials, more information about all aspects of local government in their communities including, not only municipal finances/budgets/staffing etc., but various social, economic and institutional factors that defined the unique character of their communities, e.g. boundaries, taxation, capital projects , environmental issues, policing, future growth and development, recreation.) Elected officials and residents learned a great deal about the common interests of their communities that was much more detailed than the normal municipal budget review.
2. The CA will arrange for presentations from numerous agencies and community groups and include opportunities for broader public consultations.
3. Based on this input from research data, presentations, considerable integral dialogue and debate, the CA will collectively direct the facilitator to record their observations, concerns, conclusions and recommendation and then prepare a final report that is presented to both Councils. Depending on what they learn, they may or may not recommend in support of amalgamation.
Residents of Duncan decided to reject the recommendation of the CA to amalgamate with North Cowichan. This outcome should reassure any concerns about the CA process. The CA does NOT replace the ultimate democratic mechanism of voter consent for any subsequent changes. The final decision rests with the voters. In the case of Saanich - Victoria, should a final report recommend in favour of amalgamation, it would NOT occur unless approved by voters in both municipalities in a subsequent binding referendum.
See more information on Citizens' Assembly
A Citizens’ Assembly is a representative body of citizens tasked by a government to study, deliberate, and develop recommendations on a specific issue. Typically, members of a Citizens’ Assembly are randomly selected from among a pool of volunteers who pledge to work on behalf of all members of a community over a period of several weeks or months. The Assembly’s recommendations are generally developed by consensus and are intended to represent the best interests of the community.
Why do we need a Citizens Assembly? How does it work? What does it do?
The referendum ballot question for voters in Saanich and Victoria:
Are you in favour of spending up to $250,000 for establishing a Citizens’ Assembly to explore the costs, benefits and disadvantages of the amalgamation between District of Saanich and the City of Victoria??
Why?
In the modern world, governments in all countries, of all sizes -- national, regional or local -- require information to make decisions about complex policy issues including spending priorities, finance, health care, social services, transportation, and governance (i.e. how do we organize elected bodies to make decisions on services required by their populace.) Many of these issues are controversial and require sober second thoughts to ensure information used for decision-making is both comprehensive and balanced.
Too often, social systems, societies and elected leaders are paralyzed through the public participation process that can be mired in confrontation by political parties and special interest groups. Critical decisions are never made and citizens at large feel frustrated.
A Citizens’ Assembly (CA) is a group of citizens who look at information and conduct an analysis and make recommendations to councils and to the public. In the case of Saanich and Victoria, to investigate commonalities and costs of a possible merger of the urban core of Greater Victoria. In the 2014 election, these voters indicated a strong interest in examining their local government structure, voting 88% and 80% respectively. In 2017-18, the citizen-led Saanich Governance Committee recommended that Saanich support a joint study with the City of Victoria. Saanich Council unanimously approved this recommendation. The City of Victoria also agreed. On October 20, 2018, voters in Saanich and Victoria are being asked to approve a study process to do so.
In the past two decades several countries have used a form of CA as a fair selection mechanism for a deliberative public process that can assess options, costs and benefits of complex topics and then provide fair, balanced and independent advice to elected officials and a public report to residents who then decide what action to take. The process of referral to an independent citizens' group is often known as a Civic Reference Panel. Advocates of this process suggest it “reinforces a basic faith in the principle that given the opportunity to participate in a thorough, fair and inclusive process, citizens are ready to provide constructive advice, offering officials the intelligence, perspective and sensitivity that difficult public issues require.”
Such a process is common in Ireland and the Netherlands. In Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Vancouver have used this process. In 2013 the Province of BC used a CA to study various systems of electoral reform that led to a provincial referendum. Recently, Duncan and North Cowichan completed a similar process and held a referendum in spring 2018.
How?
Victoria and Saanich Council have jointly agreed to ask voters for approval to fund a CA process to study options for improved inter-municipal service delivery, including the possibility of amalgamation. If receiving a majority Yes affirmative vote in both municipalities, the joint Councils will then be assured that their residents support a study and that Councils can proceed to establish terms of reference for a CA process. An independent facilitator would be assigned responsibility to do three things:
1. To direct an independent selection process via a public call for volunteers to serve on the CA panel, based on demographics e.g. gender, age, occupation, etc., of the community from a pool of hundreds or thousands of volunteers. Approximately 24-48 residents would be selected by lottery to serve.
The facilitator will solicit and collect data from municipal staff and other agencies to compile a public information package about all aspects of the community. {Using Duncan as an example, the CA produced a remarkable data report that documented, for residents and officials, more information about all aspects of local government in their communities including, not only municipal finances/budgets/staffing etc., but various social, economic and institutional factors that defined the unique character of their communities, e.g. boundaries, taxation, capital projects , environmental issues, policing, future growth and development, recreation.) Elected officials and residents learned a great deal about the common interests of their communities that was much more detailed than the normal municipal budget review.
2. The CA will arrange for presentations from numerous agencies and community groups and include opportunities for broader public consultations.
3. Based on this input from research data, presentations, considerable integral dialogue and debate, the CA will collectively direct the facilitator to record their observations, concerns, conclusions and recommendation and then prepare a final report that is presented to both Councils. Depending on what they learn, they may or may not recommend in support of amalgamation.
Residents of Duncan decided to reject the recommendation of the CA to amalgamate with North Cowichan. This outcome should reassure any concerns about the CA process. The CA does NOT replace the ultimate democratic mechanism of voter consent for any subsequent changes. The final decision rests with the voters. In the case of Saanich - Victoria, should a final report recommend in favour of amalgamation, it would NOT occur unless approved by voters in both municipalities in a subsequent binding referendum.
See more information on Citizens' Assembly
July, 2018 - The Councils of the City of Victoria and District of Saanich have approved a common question to be placed on the October 20, 2018 municipal election ballot:
“Are you in favour of spending up to $250,000 for establishing a Citizens Assembly to explore the costs, benefits and disadvantages of the amalgamation between the District of Saanich and City of Victoria?”
This is the first time that residents of the largest municipalities in Greater Victoria have been asked to officially weight in on whether they should consider merging or not. The common question(s) are far more specific than those asked in 2014, hence will give both councils clear public direction to either proceed with a Citizens Assembly on amalgamation or not. Each question must pass by a simple majority or the initiative fails. Ultimately, these are opinion questions that will potentially lead to an unbiased study.
The thoughtful deliberations made by council members of both municipalities has reaffirmed to the residents of each municipality that their local government is listening.
“Are you in favour of spending up to $250,000 for establishing a Citizens Assembly to explore the costs, benefits and disadvantages of the amalgamation between the District of Saanich and City of Victoria?”
This is the first time that residents of the largest municipalities in Greater Victoria have been asked to officially weight in on whether they should consider merging or not. The common question(s) are far more specific than those asked in 2014, hence will give both councils clear public direction to either proceed with a Citizens Assembly on amalgamation or not. Each question must pass by a simple majority or the initiative fails. Ultimately, these are opinion questions that will potentially lead to an unbiased study.
The thoughtful deliberations made by council members of both municipalities has reaffirmed to the residents of each municipality that their local government is listening.
Watch the Victoria - Saanich joint Committee of the Whole meeting, June 26, 2018, when agreement was made to formulate a common question on the creation of a Citizens' Assembly
Shellie Gudgeon, Amalgamation Yes, presentation (text) to Victoria Council, April 26, 2018
Shellie Gudgeon, Amalgamation Yes, presentation (text) to Saanich Council, April 23, 2018
CFAX interview on Saanich - Victoria Citizens' Assembly on Amalgamation, with Shellie Gudgeon, Amalgamation Yes, April 12, 2018
Package of 3 items below:
- Mayors' (Saanich and Victoria) joint report on Citizens' Assembly, April 18, 2018 to Saanich Council
- BC Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Selina Robinson response to Mayors of Saanich and Victoria request for Citizens' Assembly, March 7, 2018
- Mayors of Saanich and Victoria letter to BC Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Selina Robinson requesting meeting re: Citizens' Assembly, January 22, 2018
Principles for the Establishment of a Citizens' Assembly, Amalgamation Yes, April 8, 2018
Simplified Flow Chart: Citizens' Assembly on Amalgamation, April 2018
Simplified Flow Chart: Citizens' Assembly on Amalgamation, April 2018