How Government Works

1. How Government Works Cities, Regions and School Boards

2. You Are Here Neighbourhood City Region Ontario Canada

3. Levels of Government

4. Levels of Government - Federal Queen JUDICIAL FEDERAL House Senate Committees Committees P.M. Office Cabinet Prime Minister Governor General Legislature Executive Supreme Federal Ministries

5. Levels of Government JUDICIAL PROVINCIAL FEDERAL Municipal Federal Supreme Provincial Queen Executive Legislature Legislature Executive L.G. Cabinet Cabinet House Senate Comm. P.O P.M.O Comm. L.A.O Comm. P.M. Premier G.G. Ministries Ministries

6. Provincial Government PROVINCIAL • Legislative Assembly • Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) • Committees Legislature Executive L.G. L.A.O Comm. Premier P.O Cabinet Ministries

7. Provincial Government PROVINCIAL • Executive • Premier • Premier’s Office • Cabinet • Ministries Legislature Executive L.G. L.A.O Comm. Premier P.O Cabinet Ministries

8. How a Bill Becomes a Law

9. Local Governments Provincial Ministries Municipal Affairs School Boards Education Municipalities

10. MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

11. Municipal Jeopardy!

12. Municipal Jeopardy!

13. Municipal Councils REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS • The powers of municipal governments are determined by the provincial government. • 3 Types of Municipal Councils • Regional • Counties • Single Tier SINGLE TIER GOVERNMENT

14. Municipal Responsibilities

15. Role of Municipal Council • It is the role of Council, • to represent the public and to consider the well-being and interests of the municipality • to develop and evaluate the policies and programs of the municipality • to determine which services the municipality provides • to ensure that administrative policies, practices and procedures are in place to implement the decisions of council • to ensure the accountability and transparency of the operations of the municipality, including the activities of the senior management of the municipality • to maintain the financial integrity of the municipality and • to carry out the duties assigned to it by law.

16. Who’s on Council? PEEL REGIONAL COUNCIL • Regional Chair • Mayors of Caledon, Brampton, Mississauga • 11 City of Mississauga Council members • 6 City of Brampton Council members • 4 Town of Caledon Council members YORKREGIONAL COUNCIL • Regional Chair and CEO • Mayors of Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Markham, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville • 1 Georgina Regional Council member • 4 Markham Regional Council members • 1 Newmarket Regional Council member • 2 Richmond Hill Regional Council members • 3 Vaughan Regional Council members Municipal Councils are made up of a Head of Council plus Councillors or Aldermen.

17. Who’s on Council? The Head of Council may be called a Warden, Chair, Reeve or Mayor. It is the role of the Head of Council, • To act as the municipality’s chief executive officer • To preside over council meetings (though in Toronto, a “speaker” is named) • To provide the council with leadership and information and recommendations to the council • To represent the municipality at official functions Head of Council

18. Who’s on Council? Councillors have a representative, policy-making and stewardship role in each municipality. Councillors Representative Role • Councillors are elected by constituents to represent their views when dealing with issues at Council. Policy-Making Role • Councillors are expected to provide direction for municipal policies, including administration and guidance for future decisions.

19. Sample Council Meetings

20. Agencies, Boards & Committees • Committees can include but aren’t limited to: • Budget committee • Economic development committee • Community and social services committee • Property standards committee • Audit committee • Public works and infrastructure committee • Public Health committee • Agencies, boards and commissions can include but aren’t limited to: • Police services board • Public library board • Transit commissions (i.e. TTC) • Boards of health

21. How Decisions Get Made

22. York Region Organizational Chart

23. City of Brampton Organizational Chart

24. City of Toronto Organizational Chart

25. Reading Municipal Reports • Introduction This section provides an overview of the issue and the purpose of the report. • Recommendations Reports tend to put recommendations up front. • Background This should explain the reasons for the recommendations and why the matter is an issue of importance. • History of the issue This section will include references to previous reports or decisions. • Structure In reports the most recent information – usually the recommended conclusion is up front but the background discussion that makes it all make sense follows, in reverse chronological order.

26. Role of Staff • Staff have a lot more power in local governments and play a bigger role in decision making. • Develop proposals and recommendations • Support for Mayor and Councillors • Staff outlast elected politicians

27. SCHOOL BOARDS

28. Municipal Jeopardy!

29. School Boards • Education is a provincial government responsibility led by the Minister and Ministry of Education. • Ontario's school boards operate the province's publicly-funded schoolsand administer the funding they receive for their schools.

30. Role of School Boards

31. Who’s part of a School Board? • School Trustees • School Board Trustees are locally elected representatives of the public and they are the community’s advocate for public education • A Trustee’s job is to: • participate in making decisions that benefit the whole board while representing the interests of his or her constituents, and also to • communicate the views and decisions of the school board back to the constituents • identify the needs and priorities of their community and turn them into practical educational opportunities for students.

32. Who’s part of a School Board? • Student Trustees • Student Trustees are elected by students and represent the interests of the student body at meetings of the Board • Fully participate in meetings and have access to Board resources and opportunities • Not members of the Board and are not entitled to vote • Can have their voices reflected in meeting minutes

33. Who’s part of a School Board? Directors are responsible for: • Advising the Board on operational matters • Implementing Board policies • Managing all areas of Board operations • Developing, implementing, monitoring, finding resources for and reporting to the Board on a multi-year plan; • Bringing to the Board’s attention any Board violations of the Education Act or any of its policies, guidelines or regulations. Directors of Education • The Director of Education is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Education Officer of the Board. • All School Board staff report either directly or indirectly to the Director of Education.

34. Who’s part of a School Board? Superintendents (supervisory officers) • Superintendents are accountable to the Director of Education for the implementation, operation, and supervision of educational programs in their schools. Superintendents are responsible for: • Leading and supervising schools and programs • Ensuring that performance appraisals are conducted. • Working with principals and staff to ensure that schools operate according to Ministry and Board policy • Holding schools accountable for student achievement

35. Who’s part of a School Board? School Councils • School Councils advise principals on issues affecting the education programs and operation of individual schools. School Councils may advise on: • Leading and supervising schools and programs • Codes of student behaviour • Curriculum priorities • Programs/strategies to improve school performance on provincial and School Boards tests • Communications with parents • Community use of schools School Councils membership include: • Parents/guardians of students • the principal • A teacher • A student representative • A non-teaching school staff • Members from the community at large

36. Board Committees • Types of Board committees: • Standing or permanent committees generally deal with ongoing or recurring matters, such as those specified in the legislation, and are an integral part of the Board structure. • Ad hoc committees, like task forces or work groups, investigate a specific issue and report to the Board within a stated time frame. • Advisory committees, established on either a short- or long-term basis, provide input into policy development or other areas where the Board would benefit from the experience and expertise of other participants.

39. Municipal Jeopardy!

40. Municipal Websites

41. MUNICIPAL BUDGETS

42. Municipal Budgets • Municipalities go through a process every year that determines the following year’s budget – what each department, division and Council will spend • Unlike other levels of government, municipalities MUST balance their budgets every year • Each municipality has a different budget process • In some municipalities, initial budget discussions begin in the late fall with public consultations beginning early in the new year • In other municipalities, the budget process starts much earlier, in the spring

43. Municipal Budgets • Operating Budgets • Like your food budget • The operating budget pays for things that you use up and don’t have afterward. If you spend more than you have, you run into deficit and eventually go broke. • Capital Budgets • Like a mortgage or car payments • These are debts but they are balanced by things you own that are worth something. You can spend more than you have but need to make payments regularly, and you need enough income to cover the payments.

44. Mississauga’s Budget Process

45. Municipal Budget Consultations • Municipalities use a variety of methods to engage residents in the budget process. • Activities municipalities may use include: • Budget committee deputations, email and mail correspondence • City/Town-wide public meetings • Regional public meetings • Online surveys • Councillor-led public meetings • Public open house

46. MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

47. Elections Elections affect how politicians think about their jobs Politicians have to get elected every 4 years What they need to win colours what they feel they need to do while in office

48. Elections • They know which votes they need, which communities are “swing votes” • They will work to appeal to those swing votes • Issues that affect those groups get a lot of attention – so link your issue to their issue

49. Municipal Elections • Municipal elections happen once every 4 years • A person is entitled to vote in a municipal election if she or he is: • 18 years of age or older • a Canadian citizen; and • either a resident of the municipality or a property owner or tenant or the spouse or same sex partner of an owner or tenant in the municipality during a specified time just before the election • On election day, voters elect representatives for their own Ward including: • 1 Councillor • 1 Mayor • 1 School Board Trustee

50. Provincial & Federal Elections For more information