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 Cabinet House Senate Committees Prime Minister P.M. Office Committees Governor General Legislature Executive Supreme Federal Ministries

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

6. Provincial Government PROVINCIAL • Legislative Assembly • Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) • Committees Legislature Executive L.G. L.A.O Premier P.O Cabinet Comm. 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. Local Governments Provincial Ministries Municipal Affairs School Boards Education Municipalities

9. MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

10. Municipal Jeopardy!

11. Municipal Jeopardy!

12. 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

13. Municipal Responsibilities

14. 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.

15. 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 Vaughn Regional Council members Municipal Councils are made up of a Head of Council plus Councillors or Aldermen.

16. 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

17. 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.

18. TIME FOR A BREAK!

19. Municipal 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

20. How Decisions Get Made

21. City of Toronto Organizational Chart

22. City of Brampton Organizational Chart

23. 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

24. Exercise In groups of 3, pick one City Councillor and report back to the larger group on the following questions: • Who is the Councillor you’ve selected? • What Ward does she/he represent and what are the boundaries? • Does the Councillor sit on any Committees? Which ones and what are they responsible for? • What is one interesting thing you know about the Councillor you’ve selected?

25. Municipal Websites

26. TIME TO EAT!

27. What we’ve covered so far… Provincial Government Federal Government Municipal Affairs School Boards Education Municipalities

28. SCHOOL BOARDS

29. Municipal Jeopardy!

30. 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.

31. Role of School Boards

32. 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.

33. 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

34. 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.

35. 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

36. 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

38. Municipal Jeopardy!

39. ELECTIONS

40. 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

41. 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

42. How many votes do you need? • Barbara Hall • Suzanne Hall • Tony Ianno • Olivia Chow • How many votes, from whom, why?

43. How many votes? • Get the data • Provincial or federal: look at party trends www.elections.on.ca/en-CA/Tools/PastResults.htm www.elections.ca/intro.asp?section=pas&document=index&lang=e • Municipal: find a comparator www.toronto.ca/elections/results/index.htm

44. How many votes? Ward sizes, voter turnouts and the size of field guide how many votes you need Context matters

45. How many votes? How many votes does a Liberal candidate need to win the next election? What is the NDP trend – what affects it? What is the Liberal trend – what affects it?

46. Which votes? • Total numbers tell you too little to plan • Objectives need to be more specific • Where are your votes coming from?

47. Poll by Poll results

48. Poll by Poll results Think of the results by geography Look for outcome changing trends

49. What Matters? 2005 2009

50. Who are your voters? • Once you know where they are, you need to know who they are • What is the demographic makeup of the polls you now know you need to win • What are they likely to care about • What are they likely to want • Look at Ward or Riding profiles for the big picture • Look at the census for the details