Other Items Considered by the Committee

 (a)City of Toronto's Children's Advocate - Appointment

to Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee.

 The Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team reports having referred the following communication to the Chief Administrative Officer for consideration in his forthcoming report on the governance structure.

 (February 27, 1998) from Ms. Carolyn Buck, Director of Service, Children=s Aid Society of Metropolitan Toronto, and Ms. Karen Engel, Executive Director, City of York Child and Family Centre, advising that the successful implementation of the Children's strategy requires that the Children's Advocate be a member of the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee as emphasized by the Metro Task Force on Services to Young Children and Families; that it is their belief that without this executive authority, the position of Children=s Advocate lacks the power and influence required to protect the rights of children in the hyper-competitive budgetary context of downloading and threats of increased taxation; and urging the Committee to take this important step to concretely demonstrate the new City's commitment to its children.

 The following persons appeared before the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team in connection with the foregoing matter:

 -Ms. Carolyn Buck, Director of Service, Children's Aid Society of Metropolitan Toronto; and

 -Ms. Karen Engel, Executive Director, City of York Child and Family Centre.

 (b)Existing Environment Committees on

the Environmental Task Force.

 The Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team reports having:

 (1)concurred with Recommendation AA@ embodied in the report (March 10, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, subject to amending Recommendation No. (3) to read as follows:

 "(3)that each Community Council be asked to advise the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team on the ongoing need for a general environmental advisory committee for its Community after receiving comments from the Environmental Task Force;"; and

(2)requested the City Clerk to canvass Members of Council to ascertain whether any additional Members are interested in participating on the Storm Water Group:

(March 25, 1998) from the City Clerk, advising that The Works and Utilities Committee on March 25, 1998, concurred in the recommendations embodied in the report dated March 10, 1998, from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services respecting existing environmental committees and the Environmental Task Force; and further directed that the report be referred to the Environmental Task Force for its consideration and recommendations to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Toronto Transition Team, such report containing the following recommendations:

 "(A)That this report be referred to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team, with the following recommendations:

 (1)that each of the committees listed in Appendix 1 be sent a copy of this report and the terms of reference for the new Environmental Task Force;

 (2)that each of the committees listed in Appendix 1 be asked to advise the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) on its work and potential role in the new City, including such matters as:

 (a)the ongoing need for its work, if any;

 (b)areas of overlap involving its work and that of any other committee;

 (c)the relationship of its work to that of the Environmental Task Force;

 (d)its anticipated ongoing need for staff support from the City; and

 (e)its budget and other resource needs;

 (3)that each Community Council be asked to advise the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team on the ongoing need for a general environmental advisory committee for its Community; and

 (4)that the CAO report back to the Special Committee to Review the Final Report of the Transition Team on the responses to recommendation (2), together with any recommendations he may deem appropriate, and that the responses to recommendation (3) be tabled at the same meeting; and

 (B)that this report be forwarded to the Environmental Task Force, the Urban Environment and Development Committee and the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for information.

     Respectfully submitted,

COUNCILLOR DAVID MILLER

Chair

Toronto, April 24, 1998

 Patsy Morris

Tel. (416) 392-9151