Tag Archives: citizen engagement
The Myth of Neutrality
“Do you hear what you’re saying? You’re talking about parity here – in this *?&%@& place?” The words were uttered behind enemy lines in south Sudan, a decade ago, by Barry Came, European Bureau Chief of Maclean’s magazine, who accompanied … Continue reading
Start Living
All that is left is to act. The entire citizen engagement process culminates in this one moment. All the work, the humility, the learned respect of other positions, the toil, the compromise, the eventual landing on solutions – it all … Continue reading
Reconfiguring Our Future
There are only two more steps in the process of engagement that we need to consider (some will see more, others less), but for those willing to stay in conversation and deliberation mode long enough the benefits of the time … Continue reading
The Art of Connecting
Poet Robert Frost used to say, “I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering.” That’s one of the great things about poetry – it registers in the minds and hearts of people … Continue reading
What If Citizens Led Ottawa
Note: The following is the article I wrote for the London Free Press for June 23, 2012, with the illustration by Jane. The headlines came fast and furious once Bob Rae opted to decline the chance at running for official … Continue reading
New Cards
William Greider, an astute chronicler of the American political system, has come to believe that without citizen interaction the United States itself will grow increasingly dysfunctional – as if it isn’t enough already. He admits to certain doubts as to … Continue reading
Expressions of Interest
It wasn’t the usual Twitter exchange for me. A city councilor in Toronto was in a verbal exchange with some folks about the long gun registry, when she said, “I wonder what Glen Pearson in London thinks about it?” Someone … Continue reading
Public Dialogue – Not
To happen upon a discovery of importance has the effect of shaking up everything around it. It gets people to realign thoughts and look at their world a bit differently. Perhaps it even gets them to alter their conduct, especially … Continue reading