City hall is bracing for a showdown Monday, when citizens will turn out in droves to tell Rob Ford what they think about his service cuts in round two of “the people’s filibuster.” If you’re planning on addressing the mayor’s executive committee but aren’t sure how to go about it, here are some tips from community organizer Anna Willats on making an effective deputation.
Why is making a deputation at the executive committee important?
When you get a lot of people who feel strongly enough to take the time to go to city hall, I think that sends a message to politicians that people are engaged and they care. We’ve heard this city council write off deputants as “the usual suspects,” but when you have a wide variety of people it’s very hard for them to say that. At least it should be hard for them to say that.
And it is one of the ways that the public can tell councillors directly what they think about the proposals that are being considered.
What makes an effective deputation?
It’s effective if you make all the points that you want in the time that’s allotted.
It’s particularly effective if you’re speaking from a position of lived experience. When talking about the impact of cuts, if you’re somebody who is going to be directly affected I think that’s a powerful thing.
It’s always good to make suggestions about what you want done about the issue you’re talking about, rather than just being angry about it. Otherwise, it’s hard for the people that you’re talking to to take the right action.
What should people do to prepare before their deputation?
It’s a good idea to practice ahead of time because people always feel nervous when talking into a microphone, especially people who haven’t done it very often.
The last couple of times at important meetings, they’ve reduced speaking time from five minutes to three minutes, so you need to be prepared to say what you need to say in less time.
And make sure to write it down and bring copies. That way you can give it to media and to the councillors.
What are things that deputants should avoid?
It’s important to direct your recommendations to the people who actually have the power to do those things. You want to make sure you’re talking to the right people about the issue you’re bringing forward.
And make sure to stay on topic.
Is it okay to be emotional during a deputation, or is it best to stay professional?
As long as you stay to the topic, it’s okay to be emotional. But it’s easy to get carried away, especially when you’re speaking about your own experience and you don’t want to get off topic because you’ll run out of time.
Ultimately I think it’s important for councillors to see that these things are having real impacts on real people’s lives, and if that means that people get a little bit passionate, that’s fine.
At the last executive committee meeting we had all kinds of creative deputations, including songs, short stories, and even a puppet show. Is that kind of thing a good idea?
I think that it’s not a bad idea to be creative. Remember, you’re not just speaking to the councillors, you’re speaking to the media and the other people that are there. I think people can tune out when they just hear people talking time after time.
Any tips to avoid getting nervous?
Mostly practice. The more that you do, the more you’ll feel comfortable.
Also, it’s always good to have a support person with you, maybe even someone to sit beside you as you give your deputation. That can help.
Any other tips?
For people who don’t feel comfortable deputing, it’s still not a bad idea to come down to city hall to observe, so the executive committee can see the support for what people are saying. And it helps people who are giving deputations to feel like part of a community. It’s one of the ways we can demonstrate to city council how much people care about these things.
For more tips on making a deputation, click here.
If you’d like to address the committee but haven’t signed up yet, email your name to the secretariat at exc@toronto.ca, or you can show up at City Hall Monday morning at 9:30 am. But don’t be late. Last time Ford’s committee voted to closing the speaker’s list soon after the meeting started.
As of Friday at 4 pm, over 300 members of the public had signed up to speak.
