City of Ottawa referenced document, ImagineCalgary, on Sustainability

The full document can be accessed at:
http://www.imaginecalgary.ca/imagineCALGARY_plan.php


GOVERNANCE

System Governance Goal Calgary is a city in which individuals have access to all public information when they need it. They can and do participate in decisions that affect their well-being. Decision-making is an inclusive process in which broad-based support is actively sought and contributes to continual improvement in people’s lives. Factors such as language, age, race, culture, gender, sexual orientation, time, finances, ability, knowledge and health are not barriers to public decision-making.

Engagement

• Consult communities in their “places” and within their cultural norms. 
• Continually review and improve The City’s citizen engagement policy. 
• Provide mechanisms that ensure people have equal opportunities to participate in decision-making processes. 
• Clearly inform people at the beginning of the decision-making process about plans and decisions that may affect them; clearly describe constraints, assumptions, uncertainties and risks. 
• Allow enough time for the public to develop solutions to satisfy all interested parties. 
• Develop communications strategies to ensure all residents are informed. 
• Ensure decision-making is geographically appropriate (from neighbourhood to region) for the issue at hand.
• Encourage community associations to play a greater and more representative role in community matters. 
• Initiate “Conversation Calgary,” which will require political and administrative decision makers to “hang out” with formal and informal groups to discuss issues and upcoming decisions. 
• Have The City provide an inclusive media outlet that facilitates effective discussion of the positions and opinions of all significant interest groups in Calgary: civic organizations, business organizations, labour organizations, religious organizations, political parties, environmental organizations, social service organizations, etc.

STRATEGY 1
Ensure campaign finance does not deter people from running for public office. 
• Implement campaign contribution limits. 
• Implement a campaign spending cap. 
• Develop real-time campaign contribution tracking, indicating sources through the open identification of contributors. 
• Use public funding for elections to level the playing field for potential candidates and promote voting campaigns. 
• Candidates would attend “candidate school” to learn about the electoral process, the responsibilities of elected office and the goods and services provided by government. 
• After the election, candidates who attended candidate school would receive funds based on the number of votes received. 
• Use public funding for mandatory all-candidate forums. 
• Conduct a survey to establish a baseline and track the progress toward targets.

STRATEGY 2
Ensure all people have equal opportunities to participate in decision-making processes, before a decision is made, by using timelines and other constraints that are clear, well understood and fair.

Information
• Narrow restrictions on the use of in-camera sessions; all decisions are public. 
• Provide public access to elected officials’ electronic calendars. 
• Fully use Internet technology to disseminate information.  
• Create a “City report card” — executed by elected officials, administration and the public — on City Hall’s decision-making with respect to Council priorities. 
• Strengthen The City’s records management program to ensure residents and City staff have convenient and timely access to public information at minimal cost. 
• Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Personal Information Protection Act for their effects on citizens’ abilities to access information. 
• Provide information that is accurate, timely and in plain language.
 
STRATEGY 3
Ensure City staff prepare all major plans and place priority on advancing the public interest.  
• Prepare multiple alternative plans and detailed analyses of the implications of each alternative. 
• Adopt plans only after they are widely publicized and there is open public discussion that includes representation from all groups affected directly and indirectly. 
 
STRATEGY 4  
Provide all data collected or obtained by The City — or other individuals, institutions and organizations using public funds — to the public free of charge for non-profit activities, unless privacy restrictions apply; develop suitable licensing and royalty arrangements for commercial users.  

STRATEGY 5 
Protect public spaces from privatization and protect the right to peaceful political expression in public spaces.
   
4 8 i m a g i n e C A L G A R Y — J u n e 2 0 0 6
Copyright © 2006, The City of Calgary. All rights reserved.