“How is it for you?” It is a question that is very rarely asked in politics, and particularly in 2013, when our attention (and that for many outside of Canada) turned to the life and actions of one person. A travesty, no doubt, when so many in our city who are far more deserving of municipal attention were placed on the backburner for a considerable portion of the year. What can we make of this as we reflect on past events and turn our gaze to a new year, a new budget and come Fall 2014, a new municipal government?
Governance should rightly occur on behalf of all citizens. At the cusp of a new year and cycle of government in the City, it is an excellent opportunity to consider what good leadership for the City should consist of— leadership that would be of benefit to everyone in Toronto, and not just those who occupy a particular location in the electorate. We exercise our rights as citizens when we decide on who deserves our vote and our support. At the same time, it is incumbent upon the Mayor and City Council to prioritize every citizen of Toronto. The law is not a static institution, and should reflect our changing social reality. As we consider the lessons learnt from the scandals generated by an irresponsible Mayor, City Council (current and future) should also be mindful that long-term change should not simply replicate structures of government that have often failed to take marginalized groups into consideration. Doing so risks implementing a legislative model that causes some groups of people to either feel excluded from the municipal process or face significant challenges in attempting to do so.
“How is it for you?” Perhaps it’s time to ask this question in a meaningful way. We have heard a great deal from and about how it is for one white, middle-class male in a position of political power. A steady, long-term stream of ultimately meaningless apologies did little to correct unacceptable behaviour until Council finally removed much of his power. As we consider political change, we also cannot hold those in positions of privilege to a different set of moral standards while, for example, continuing to turn a blind eye to the fact that racialized young men in low-income neighbourhoods continue to be disproportionately targeted for police questioning. How is it for these young men? When was the last time that they were asked? And when was the last time that their experiences were meaningfully considered in policy design?
The mayor generated a deluge of newsworthy headlines that screamed decibels all over the world. But let’s not forget the voices that were silenced in the process. In the course of 2013, our municipal government became less representative when the sole female on the Executive Committee was removed in June after her critique of the Mayor. Ironically, in retrospect, some of the very voices that supported her removal finally conceded in November that the Mayor did not deserve their support. Voting against programs such as the Community Partnership and Investment Program have a similar effect. Governance structures must include voices that are responsive to the needs and priorities of Toronto’s diverse citizens, including those who have been consistently marginalized. As it stands, the existing Executive Committee has no women and there are only 5 city councillors who are from visible minorities, out of a total of 44. This exclusionary structure harms marginalized groups every day.
Leadership, policy goals and policy design should all be representative. Torontonians should demand no less. How do our politics affect each individual’s personhood? This is not simply a matter of municipal politics…it is also a matter that touches real human lives. How will it be for us in 2014? Let’s make the change that we want to see.
