Speakers:
With changing times and a new appreciation for the potential of local action, municipalities and communities have an opportunity to take the lead in developing new policies and building public support for a new way of thinking.
Because municipal governments work closely with the people they serve and their relative flexibility in developing policy, panelists said cities are often capable of experimenting and working closely with citizens in ways central governments cannot.
Caroline Andrew observed "We are observing an increasing polarization in terms of living spaces, increasing numbers of poor living with poor, rich living with rich." Municipalities can mitigate this by giving careful thought to "co-location of services" like transit, child care, education, and public housing in ways that bring people together and maximize use of these resources.
How cities use physical space is important and something they have a lot of say in. She thinks Social Inclusion is a "useful intellectual argument to give municipal governments. It allows people to think in terms that are quite concrete... and to devise ways of measuring inclusiveness. It builds on one part of the tradition of municipal government, which is to see themselves as the voice of the community.
David Miller used the example of the swimming program at his son's school to make a point. In Toronto, swimming lessons at local schools were formerly free, before the Harris government prohibited this practice. "Now all the children using the program are middle class children from ours and from other communities who come there because of the facilities." Poor kids who don't have the $45 for lessons don't learn to swim.
If Social Inclusion isn't done properly, it arouses cynicism, he said. Top-down consultations do just this. On the other hand, in his community of Parkdale, citizens themselves recently created a citizens assembly and made city councillors come and mostly listen to them. "We got 15 minutes to speak, then had to listen to them for two hours. It was tough," he said, but a number of important city initiatives came out of it.
Daniel Drache said Social Inclusion appeals to him because people have become cynical about the old ideologies. "We need a new language," he said, to express social concerns and in which to make plans.
Cities can have a positive impact on social life if they plan and operate public spaces that bring people together and create activity involving a broad range of the public. "Think of a great city and it's not the commercial spaces that leap out at you. It's the meeting places - art galleries, universities, stadiums, transit systems, theatres - that you think of."
"The challenge is to ask ourselves how do we reinforce the public domain and the process of Social Inclusion." He said it is critical to strengthen political will and broaden points of entry by addressing questions of access and removing attitudinal barriers. He too spoke of the need to develop more powerful indicators on issues like income security, health care, education, and housing.
He cautioned that "The idea we can create a totally inclusive society is wrong. There are always insiders and outsiders, but we have to look at the balance of inclusion. How do you shift the balance so inclusionary forces are stronger than exclusionary ones?"
Drache is hopeful that "we have turned the corner from a mood of 'There Is No Alternative' to individualism and market forces to 'There are Plenty of Alternatives.' The September 11 attacks illustrated our dependence on one another and the importance of public services and the public domain, he said.
Barbara Hall told of positive experiences in her Toronto neighbourhood when the community was brought together to help immigrants get settled. "Longtime residents listened to recent newcomers and all of a sudden the concept of Social Inclusion was clear."
A lively discussion period followed the panel presentation, with Ed Broadbent questioning whither Social Inclusion is understandable and useful as a concept. Daniel Drache answered "Inclusion has a utility in raising a whole series of issues and re-invigorating public policy debate for different communities. It's not simply legal, social community concept."
Josephine Grey asked how it applies to alienated and marginalized inner city residents and made a plea for a strong focus on human rights. Caroline Andrew welcomed her point and said that "Large cities like Toronto are going to be increasingly focused around issues of civil liberties and human rights."
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