From My Bottom Step

Mayor & Members of City Council
Corporation of the City of London Ontario

November 22, 2009

With respect to the recommendation of ETC that a public participation meeting be held 2009/12/07 to gather response about subsidized public transit options.

This is an issue that is of very high import to London’s most disadvantaged demographic and should not be given such a “bum’s rush.” Many of the individuals who may be most negatively impacted by a decision in this case will undoubtedly not even become aware of the discussion within the proposed time frame, much less have any REASONABLE opportunity for an organized response.

I note with particular interest the position of the London Transportation Commission, as reflected in (LTC Chair) Councillor Winninger’s 2009/10/06 letter to Charles Beer about the AODA Review (http://council.london.ca/meetings/ETC%20Agendas/2009-11-02%20Agenda/I tem%205.pdf):

“…timing of release of meeting agenda and material for review was inadequate to allow committee members time to consult with their respective stakeholders in preparation of Committee deliberations”

The Commission’s stated position reflects the position that I have often made to the City Clerk’s office with respect to the publication of meeting agendas/reports, ie that citizens are not being provided a sufficiently REASONABLE time to become aware of issues and respond to them.

Note also that this important discussion does not appear to have been referred to the London Strengthening Neighbourhoods Residents’ Task Force (http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Community_Vitality/Neighbourhoods/Stre ngthening_Strategy/FAQs.htm) or the Transportation Master Plan review process (http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Transportation_Planning/default.htm) for discussion/feedback.

I request that Council postpone the public participation meeting and that it refer the matter to the aforementioned citizen consultation processes and any others which may be considered appropriate. I also request that extra effort be made to alert affected citizens of the proposals, reminding Council members that this affected demographic is the one which is least likely to have timely access to information.

Respectfully,

Good Morning Mr. Fowler:

I have forwarded your email to Council members for their information.

For your information, this meeting will be held before the Community and Protective Services Committee and not the Environment and Transportation Committee.

I have been advised that the purpose of the December 7, 2009 meeting is to receive information and that no decision will be made at that meeting. It is anticipated that staff will be requested to review the public input received and report back to Committee at a later date.

We are currently monitoring the LTC strike which may result in a rescheduling of the December 7, 2009 Public Meeting regarding this matter. Should the meeting be rescheduled there will be a notice in this Saturday’s paper.

Cathy

Ms Saunders,

I understood that the meeting was to be held before CAPS. Sorry for the typo and thanks for pointing it out.

As for your comment about a notice in the paper, it completely misses the point of my submission to Council. The demographic which most relies upon public transit and which will be most directly impacted by any decision about LTC subsidies also has less access to print and other media and is much less likely to be informed by the “Living In The City” column. As I have previously with other City Clerks, I suggest to you that the Corporation’s reliance upon that primary form of announcement is discriminatory, and it may very well become part of my complaint to the Ontario Ombudsman with respect to public meetings.

Respectfully,