The Task Force on Community Access and Equity has not completed its mandate but is no longer active. The following information is provided for archival purposes.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity was absorbed by the Roundtable on Access, Equity and Human Rights.
THE CITY OF TORONTO
Clerk's Department
Minutes
Monday, April 27, 1998.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity met on Monday, April 27, 1998, in Committee Room 304, 3rd Floor, Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, commencing at 5:40 p.m.
Members Present:
Councillor Joe Mihevc, Chair
Sylvia Maracle, Co-Chair
Councillor Peter Li Preti
Councillor Pam McConnell
Dennis Fong
Sonja Greckol
Karen Mock
Charles Ng
Khan Rahi
Duberlis Ramos
Jenny Ratansi-Rodrigues
Al Reeves
Carole Riback
Regrets:
Gloria Fallick, Co-Chair
Councillor Elizabeth Brown
Kenn Richard
Councillor Mihevc in the Chair.
Introductions.
Councillor Mihevc requested the Members of the Task Force to introduce themselves.
Confirmation of Notes.
On motion by Charles Ng, the Notes of the orientation meeting of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity held on April 8, 1998 were confirmed.
1. Business Arising from the Notes of the Orientation Meeting.
The Chair advised that:
(a) the press conference scheduled for Wednesday, April 22, 1998, referred to in Item 2 of the "Notes of the Orientation Meeting" had been cancelled, in view of the fact that the Mayor would like to become familiar with the Task Force and have some knowledge of its activities before appearing at a press conference; and that in the future, the Chair , the two Co-Chairs and the Mayor will meet to establish the agenda for the Task Force on Community Access and Equity; and
(b) a discussion on visioning would take place at the end of the meeting.
On motion by Charles Ng, the Task Force on Community Access and Equity requested the Clerk of the Committee to provide to all Task Force Members prior to the next meeting:
(1) the Council Procedural By-law;
(2) a list of the Members of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity, including their addresses, and phone numbers; and
(3) a list of City staff members dealing with access and equity issues.
(Sent to: Chair and Members, Task Force on Community Access and Equity; c. Task Force Staff Co-ordinating Group - April 28, 1998).
2. Municipal Grants Review.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it, for information, Clause No. 15 of Report No. 3 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, headed "Municipal Grants Review Committee," which was adopted, as amended, by the Council of the City of Toronto on March 4, 5 and 6, 1998.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity also had before it for information, a report (January 2, 1998), addressed to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee from the Acting Executive Commissioner, headed "Administration of Municipal Grants Program."
Mr. Victor Amaechi, Nigerian Canadian Association, appeared before the Task Force on Community Access and Equity in connection with the foregoing matter.
The following persons made a presentation to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity in connection with the foregoing matter:
- Chris Brillinger, Community and Neighbourhood Services;
- Cassandra Fernandes, Access and Equity Centre, Metro Hall; and
- Ceta Ramkhlawansingh, Equal Opportunity, Toronto City Hall.
A. Charles Ng moved that the Executive Commissioner, Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to submit a report to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity on the distribution of grants within all programs in the context of access and equity, such report to list the recipients and the amount of the grants, and the criteria for awarding the grants.
B. Khan Rahi moved that the Executive Commissioner, Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to submit a report to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity on the inequities within the Access and Equity Grants Program, and an analysis of ways in which these inequities can be addressed in the review of the grants program.
Councillor Mihevc appointed Sylvia Maracle as Acting Chair and vacated the Chair.
C. Councillor Mihevc moved that the Executive Commissioner, Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to:
(1) research and conduct an analysis from an access and equity perspective, on the policies that govern the distribution of all City grants for 1999 and beyond; and
(2) include as part of its own consultation process, the issues of policy options for grants in the new City, within the context of access and equity.
Councillor Mihevc resumed the Chair.
Upon the question of the adoption of the foregoing motion A. by Charles Ng, it was carried.
Upon the question of the adoption of the foregoing motion B. by Khan Rahi, it was carried.
Upon the question of the adoption of the foregoing motion C. by Councillor Mihevc, it was carried.
(Sent to: Chief Administrative Officer; Executive Director, Human Resources; Executive Commissioner, Community and Neighbourhood Services; c. Charles Smith, Access and Equity Centre - April 28, 1998.)
3. Development of a Consultation Strategy and Communication Strategy.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it the following items:
(i) "Draft Discussion Guide for Community Consultation Focus Group Process" prepared by Ron Rock, Scarborough Race Relations Committee, outlining a variety of questions to promote discussion in the areas of community partnerships and political and administrative responsibilities; and providing a proposed framework for the community consultation process, including the tasks involved and the proposed time lines; and
(ii) (April 16, 1998) "Draft Communications Strategy" prepared by Corporate Communications, City of Toronto, advising that the goal is to ensure that the Task Force on Community Access and Equity effectively and efficiently communicates with the diverse population it is serving on the goals, objectives, consultations and outcomes of the Task Force's action plan; detailing three levels of communication elements in the form of a two-phase strategy; and attaching a proposed budget and information respecting alternate media formats for the communications strategy.
The following persons made a presentation to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity in connection with the foregoing matter:
- Mr. Ron Rock, Scarborough Race Relations Committee; and
- T-Jay Upper, Manager, Corporate Communications, City of Toronto.
A. Al Reeves moved that Level One, Phase One of the Draft Communications Strategy be approved in principle.
Councillor Mihevc appointed Sylvia Maracle as Acting Chair and vacated the Chair.
B. Councillor Mihevc moved that the draft Discussion Guide for Community Consultation Focus Group Process be amended to provide that sector specific consultation meetings be held relating to the following specific focus groups and facilitated by Members of the Task Force, as follows:
(1) Ethno-racial communities - Dennis Fong, Karen Mock, and Charles Ng;
(2) Disability communities - Charles Ng, Al Reeves and Carole Riback;
(3) Lesbian gay, bisexual and transgender communities - Sylvia Maracle and Charles Ng;
(4) Immigrant and refugee communities - Khan Rahi, and Jenny Ratansi-Rodrigues;
(5) Women - Shaheen Ali, Sonja Greckol, and Jenny Ratansi-Rodrigues; and
(6) Aboriginal communities - Sylvia Maracle and Kenn Richard.
Councillor Mihevc resumed the Chair.
C. Sylvia Maracle moved that:
(1) the Chair and Co-Chairs appoint Members of the Task Force to teams comprised of Co-Chairs Mihevc, Maracle and Fallick to consult with Council/Standing Committees;
(2) Co-Chairs Mihevc and Fallick and Dennis Fong, Khan Rahi and Karen Mock consult with departmental staff;
(3) the team consultations be held at the same time that community consultations take place; and
(4) the appropriate staff be requested to:
(i) meet with Members of the aforementioned teams to make the necessary arrangements for the sectoral consultations; and
(ii) report thereon to the next meeting of the Task Force.
D. Karen Mock moved that the appropriate staff be requested to forward to the Members, prior to the next meeting a draft consultation document for their use at sectoral consultations, such document to include more detailed information relating to Process 8, headed "Consultations with Council Standing Committees and other Task Forces regarding the draft report and preliminary recommendations," contained in the "Proposed Framework for Community Consultation Process"; and to include relevant questions, background and basic structural options.
Upon the question of the adoption of the foregoing motion A. by Al Reeves, it was carried.
Upon the question of the adoption of the foregoing motion B. by Councillor Mihevc, it was carried.
Upon the question of the adoption of the foregoing motion C. by Sylvia Maracle, it was carried.
(Sent to: Chief Administrative Officer; Executive Director of Human Resources; Chair and Members, Task Force on Community Access and Equity; c. Charles Smith, Access and Equity Centre - April 28, 1998.)
4. Schedule of Meetings.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it a communication (April 15, 1998) from the City Clerk, the following schedule of meetings of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity for the balance of the year and noting that the meetings have been tentatively scheduled to take place on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m; that all meetings will take place at Metro Hall, 3rd Floor, 55 John Street, Toronto; and that the meeting in May and June will take place in Committee Room 302, and remainder of the meetings will take place in Room 303, on the following dates:
- May 21;
- June 11;
- July 16;
- September 24;
- October 22;
- November 19; and
- December 3.
Charles Ng moved that the Task Force on Community Access and Equity adopt the following schedule of meetings to be held at Metro Hall, 55 John Street, Toronto, for the balance of the year:
- May 21 at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room 302;
- June 11 at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room 302;
- July 16 at 5:30 p.m. in Committee Room 308;
- September 24 at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room C;
- October 22 at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room C;
- November 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Committee Room 308; and
- December 3 at 9:30 a.m. in Committee Room C.
(Sent to: Chair and Members, Task Force on Community Access and Equity; c. All Interested Parties - April 28, 1998.)
5. Linkages with Other City Council Task Forces.
The Task Force on Community Access had before it a report (April 29, 1998) fromCouncillor Joe Mihevc, Co-Chair respecting the establishment of formal links to all other City Council Task Forces; and recommending that:
(1) the Task Force on Access and Equity request all other Task Forces set up by City Council to liaise with us by:
(i) sharing information on their public consultations and communications;
(ii) sharing minutes of their meetings and any reports that have access and equity implications;
(iv) placing access and equity issues on their agendas and ensuring these issues are included in their deliberations; and
(v) being available to appear before the Task Force on Community Access and Equity on those matters of interest to the Task Force;
(2) all City Council Task Forces be forwarded the minutes of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity;
(3) the appropriate City officials be directed to convey these recommendations on behalf of the Task Force on Community Access and Equity, to all other City Task Forces for their consideration and action; and
(4) this report be forwarded to the Special Committee to Review the Report of the Toronto Transition Team, for information.
On motion by Sylvia Maracle, the Task Force adopted the aforementioned report and requested the appropriate staff of the Access and Equity Centre to submit to the next meeting of the Task Force an updated list of existing Task Forces and any other Task Forces/Committees that existed in the former municipalities and Metropolitan Toronto.
(Sent to: Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team; Chief Administrative Officer; City Clerk; Assessment and Tax Policy Task Force; Children's Action Committee; Council Strategy Committee for People Without Homes; Environmental Task Force; Task Force on Agencies, Boards and Commissions; Task Force on Community Safety; Task Force to Develop a Strategy for Issues of Concern; Task Force to Review the Taxi Industry; Task Force on Seniors Issues; c.Charles Smith, Access and Equity Centre - April 28, 1998)
6. Special Opportunity Programs for People With Disabilities.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it a communication (March 30, 1998) from the City Clerk, advising that the Corporate Services Committee on March 30, 1998, concurred with the following recommendations embodied in the report (March 30, 1998), headed "The Status of Special Opportunity Programs for People with Disabilities in the City of Toronto", from the Executive Director, Human Resources:
(1) the "City of Toronto Task Force on Community Access and Equity" make recommendations to City of Toronto Council for action which would address employment equity, pay equity and the ongoing work of access and equity policies and programs affecting persons with disabilities established by the former municipalities; and
(2) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity commented that it is currently in the process of undertaking the work outlined in the recommendation, as part of the Task Force's mandate, and will be submitting a report to Council in December, 1998.
7. Appointments to the City of Toronto Task Force
on Community Access and Equity.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it a report (April 7, 1998) from Councillor Joe Mihevc, Co-Chair, Task Force on Community Access and Equity, headed "Appointments to the City of Toronto Task Force on Community Access and Equity," recommending that the report be received for information.
Ceta Ramkhlawansingh, Equal Opportunity, Toronto City Hall, made a presentation to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity in connection with the foregoing matter.
On motion by Khan Rahi, the Task Force adopted the aforementioned report.
8. Proposed Research Plan for the City of Toronto
Task Force on Community Access and Equity.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it a joint report (April 1,1998) from the Chief Administrative Officer and the Executive Director of Human Resources, headed "Summary of Input on Access and Equity to the Toronto Transition Team and Proposed Research Plan for the Task Force"; recommending that:
(1) the Task force approve the research plan outlined in the report;
(2) the report be forwarded to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report
of the Toronto Transition Team; and
(3) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to give effect thereto.
On motion by Karen Mock, the Task Force adopted the aforementioned joint report.
(Sent to: Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team; Chief Administrative Officer, Executive Director of Human Resources; c. Charles Smith, Access and Equity Centre - April 28, 1998)
9. Consolidation of Access and Equity Policies
and Practices in the City of Toronto.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it a report (April 24, 1998) from the Executive Director of Human Resources, headed "Consolidation of Access and Equity Policies and Practices in the City of Toronto", advising that an Access and Equity staff working group has identified some of the corporate policies and practices across the former Area Municipalities and Metropolitan Toronto and have identified the need for a more extensive review as well as the development of an implementation process for harmonizing and revising corporate access and equity policies and practices; that Departments and special purpose bodies will embark on a similar exercise to catalogue the policies and practices which existed across the former Area Municipalities and Metropolitan Toronto to provide a comprehensive overview of these for the City of Toronto Task Force on Community Access and Equity; and recommending that the report be received for information./p>
On motion by Jenny Ratansi-Rodrigues, the Task Force received the aforementioned report for information.
(Sent to: Chief Administrative Officer; Executive Director of Human Resources; c. Charles Smith, Access and Equity Centre - April 28, 1998)
10. Committee on the Status of Women Consultation Process.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity had before it a communication (April 24, 1998) from the Committee on the Status of Women advising that the Committee would be pleased to offer its assistance to the Task Force in organizing consultation with women and women's organizations; that the Committee wishes to appear before the Task Force in June 1998 and that the Committee is in the process of reviewing its mandate and that once completed, it will forward its report to the Task Force on Community Access and Equity./
On motion by Sonja Greckol, the Task Force referred the aforementioned communication to the sectoral group for the community consultation process on women's issues, for consideration.
(Sent to: Marbeth Greer, Committee Administrator, Committee on the Status of Women; Catherine Leitch, Co-ordinator, Committee on the Status of Women; Sonja Greckol; Jenny Ratansi-Rodrigues; Shaheen Ali; c. Charles Smith, Access and Equity Centre - May 5, 1998.)
11. Deputations at Meetings of the Task Force on
Community Access and Equity.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity held a brief discussion regarding the process for dealing with deputations at meetings.
On motion by Charles Ng, the Task Force decided to follow the Council Procedural By-law when dealing with deputations at the meeting.
12. Visioning\Team Building Session.
On motion by Karen Mock, the Task Force requested that the appropriate staff arrange a half-day visioning and team building session to be held on Tuesday, May 19, 1998, 6th Floor, Metro Hall at 5:30 p.m.
The Task Force on Community Access and Equity adjourned its meeting at 8:50 p.m.
(signed by)
Chair.
