MAKING A DEPUTATION AT CITY HALL
© 2002 Tanya Gulliver, TNT Consultants -
please copy & distribute with
credit
This is a guide to help you
in making a deputation to one of the City Council Committees. While this
information is particularly designed for deputations during the budget
process the same basic information applies other times as
well.
Background
If you are interested in deputing you must make an
appointment with the City Clerk responsible for each committee. Please refer
to the contact information below.
The clerk will ask for your name,
organization (if applicable), phone number and address. She/he will also tell
you what room the meeting will be held in, and if there is a special time for
deputations that day.
If there isn't an assigned time you should arrive
at 9:30 am at the meeting room. Be prepared that there may be a lengthy
wait.
When you arrive in the room you should be able to get a copy of
the "Deputation List". If this information isn't on one of the side
tables you can ask the clerk. The clerk will be sitting to the left of
the chair of the committee (when you are facing the desks). This list
will tell you the order of the speakers and what issues they are there
to depute on.
Writing the Deputation
Most people find it helpful to
have some notes jotted down before they begin speaking. If you are nervous or
don't want to forget anything write down your whole speech. There is no
problem with reading your deputation.
Remember you only have 5
minutes!! [OR MAYBE ONLY 3!!!]
• Your deputation should start by
thanking the Chair and the Committee.
• Introduce yourself and
explain why you are speaking.
• If you represent a group explain a
little bit about the group and their mandate.
• Make your
deputation as personal as possible. Explain how the proposed cuts or changes
will affect you, your family and your community.
• If you are a
user of a service that is at risk explain what benefits you have gained from
that service, what help an agency gave you, and how the community would
suffer if the program was gone.
• Talk about the staff or
volunteers of the program and what assistance they provided.
•
If you are willing to help City Council lobby the Province or Federal
government to get more money for cities let them know that! (And then
follow-up by writing a letter to your MPP and MP!)
• Deputations
that use statistics to help make a point are good, but prepared to back up
the statistic if asked by a councillor.
• Councillors like to know
their money is doing good work and being used efficiently. Explain to them
the cost-benefit of the program (ie. When you got assistance at a community
centre to learn to speak English you were able to get a better job, buy a
house and start paying property taxes!)
• If you are a homeowner
let Councillors know that you want your taxes to go to support a public and
social infrastructure.
• End by thanking council and remind them
that you will be watching their voting on this issue.
Note: Practice
the deputation at home to make sure it sounds okay. Check the timing to see if
it needs to be shortened.
Making the Deputation
• You will
have up to 5 minutes to make your deputation. If you go over the 5 minutes
the Chair of the Committee will cut you off. Often when there are a lot of
people wanting to make deputations the committee will decide to reduce the
time to 3 or 4 minutes. Be prepared to edit your comments at the last
minute.
• You can make a written copy of your deputation, as well
as provide background material. This should be given to the clerk who
will then distribute it to the members of the Committee.
• When
your name is called you should go forward to the centre table facing the
Chair of the Committee.
• The microphone may or may not be on
already. When it is on a small red light will be visible on the microphone.
If it isn't on press the large button on the base of the microphone. Pull the
microphone close to you or adjust the height as necessary. You need to
speak clearly and into the microphone but you do not need to "eat"
the
mouthpiece!!
• Smile and be friendly! Don't be afraid.
Councillors want to hear what you have to say.
• You may be
asked questions by Councillors after your deputation. If not you are free to
leave or can remain to hear the debate and discussion on the
issue.
Other Information
• Call your local Councillor and
tell them you will be making a deputation. Ask them to come to the meeting
room to hear you.
• Make sure you send your local councillor a copy
of your deputation.
• Follow up and ask your local councillor
whether they support your position.
• A few weeks after the
committee has met you will receive a copy of their decision by mail. This
will also include a list of names of people who deputed.
• If
you are unable to be at City Hall when the deputations are happening send it
in writing. All councillors on the committee will receive a copy of the
written deputation.
• If you are a staff member at an agency it can
be helpful to have a client/service user speak as well. You can either
reserve two back-to-back deputation spots, or share the 5 minutes (but watch
the time).
• If you need translation services that can be
arranged by the clerk, or you may bring your own translator with
you.
For further information:
Clerk's Office
Toronto City Hall, 2nd
Floor, West Tower
100 Queen Street West,
Toronto ON M5H 2N2
Phone:
(416) 392-7039.
Fax: (416) 392-1879
E mail:
clerk@city.toronto.on.ca
Web: www.city.toronto.on.ca