Course:IGS585/OK2023WT2/Todd Pugh - CivicInfo
Todd Pugh - CivicInfo
For your reflection on another class member's reflection, start by typing your name and using the 'Sub-heading 1' style from the pulldown menu
Cole Hooper- Reflection
I really enjoyed our class with Todd, I appreciated the very practical approach that he took during our conversation, and it was very educational. So often for me in the scientific world, and in popular media we focus our attention on our own very narrow niche, or on federal politics. It was a great reminder that the most action is likely happening at the municipal level, where relatively few people are actually engaged.
One of the biggest points that I took away from the class was from our discussion closer to the end of our class about the division of responsibilities between Municipalities and other levels of government. Especially when we began to identify gaps in that division, and how often those are areas where services are needed. I realized that I had seen this myself when I gave my example in class about who deals with Rattlesnakes on private properties. I had been frustrated by this specific issue in the past, but I had never actually tied it to that division of responsibilities, and even the charters themselves that Todd referenced. It was a real learning moment, to see how those (often wildly outdated, and sometimes arbitrarily decided) documents and policies actually affect people and issues in real life. I think this would be a perfect concept to center our sustainability project for this class around. If we could identify a need within the community that is not being currently addressed, and develop a program to help fill that gap.
However, determining what gaps exists in Lake Country is an issue in itself. I am not from Lake Country, nor do I know anyone who has spent extensive time there. I was only able to come up with my Rattlesnake example because I lived in cities such as Oliver or Osoyoos (where that occurrence is common) for long periods of time, and became intimately familiar with that specific issue. I do not have that equivalent experience for our target town of Lake Country. This highlights the importance of place or location and its connection to sustainability and governance. These issues are different at the local scale. That makes it extremely difficult to come into a place as an outsider and "help" their situation. The issues that you perceive may be completely different than those that are viewed as important by a local.
I will try my best during our continued research and field trip next week to keep this in mind. Hopefully our future talks with Lake Country staff and visit to the local museum will give us an opportunity to consult with local residents and determine what sustainability issues are actually of concern in Lake Country.
JAJ: The importance of context, and of having a system in place that results in the 'best' solutions for our global and local problems that reflect that context. Local policies and projects have impacts beyond the local area, while common policies across larger areas may not fit the local context. This is a huge challenge, reflected in some of the polarization we see. Those who advocate for maximum power at the local level tend to minimize the things that don't remain local, such as biodiversity, GHGs, etc. Those who advocate for provincial or national level programs tend to focus on issues with widely dispersed effects, and fear that local autonomy will mean these issues are ignored. Do you think there is a bias in our electoral system in this local vs global focus?
Amir Rahsaz-Reflection on Reflection
Cole is a researcher deeply concerned about the issue under investigation, and it can be said that his literacy is intricately connected to his life and environments (Rocks and mountains). His thesis subject is clearly indicating a commitment to something he is capable of practically addressing. This serves as evidence of how insufficient policy advocacy and environmental support can be. Cole's reflection on Todd's lecture demonstrates how much importance he places on finding a new approach to addressing the problem and issues that concern him. Although he may view politics as a somewhat faint tool based on previous experience, he remains flexible enough to revisit it. Most students tend to separate their literacy from their practical lives, while the goal of science is to find practical solutions to real issues. Perhaps this reflection serves not only as Cole's reflection but also as a recognition of what I have learned from him during two classes. An interesting point I gleaned from reading Cole's reflection was that contrary to Todd's assumption that some were dissatisfied with the day's discussion (He assumed that Cole's posture suggests dissatisfaction). However, his reflection text entirely discredited Todd's judgment and once again reminded me that the appearance and form of something should never lead me to a definitive conclusion😊
JAJ: Thanks for the reflection about checking one's initial assumptions.
Amir Rahsaz- Reflection
Todd started his lecture in an engaging manner, urging everyone to gather in a circle and not only permitted but welcomed any questions or interruptions during his talk. He emphasized the desirability of our conversation being two-way rather than one-sided, inviting participation whenever desired. I appreciated Todd's approach, as it stresses the tendency among politicians to make sure on how to influence the audience initially and then pondering the content they convey. Coming from a unitary system country and having witnessed injustices therein, I was eager for a federalist perspective regarding my assumption that each province's unique circumstances call for exclusive laws while adhering to a common federal policy. Todd's discussions about a federal country like Canada with provincial laws were quite engaging for me. However, Todd also shed light on the drawbacks and weaknesses of such a system. The fundamental question he posed was: who does what? Answering this question will enlighten me on which level of government I need to engage with, and which department or individual is most relevant to my concern.
The overlaps among various levels of government in Canada, such as municipal, electoral, regional, provincial, and federal, make it challenging to choose the appropriate authority, yet it provides a certain degree of freedom and broader options for the audience. If one avenue of government does not yield results, leveraging its overlap with another unit may prove beneficial in achieving the intended outcome.
Regarding complex issues like sustainability, Todd advocated for a primary issue named as generalization among public and politicians that might contributes to dangerous consequences. For instance, while vineyards pose a serious threat to biodiversity in the Okanagan region, politicians often propose it as a nature-friendly approach or encourage economic growth through tourism, which may harm the environment's sustainability. Even though a subtle difference between ecotourism and luxury tourism has immensely different consequences for the region. Todd's opinion boiled down to three fundamental components that ends to a politician’s decision :1- what the public wants, 2-which political party the politician belongs to, and finally, what science dictates. As a researcher, I sometimes overlook the complexity faced by politicians who must consider all three factors simultaneously in decision-making while, I am concerned only about one of them (what science says)
Todd pragmatically explained that events typically unfold at the local level, yet citizens mistakenly hold higher-level politicians responsible and often become disillusioned due to the difficulty in accessing them.
JAJ: If I have not said it yet in this class, your reflection reminds me of my statement to many of my classes, "politics trumps everything". If it doesn't pass the political test, no matter how clear the science is or how fair or just something is, it isn't going anywhere. Building or appealing to either the politics of the decision maker or building an appropriate political coalition is central to getting things done.
Armita Tehranchi - Reflection
This was a full of point class as I came on September to Canada and this is my fifth month in here, I really don’t have that much idea from the place that I live in. As a newcomer to Canada, I have found the experience of attending this lecture to be incredibly eye-opening. When Todd asked about the politician that we know from Canada, it was like a shock to me because I’m living in a place that I only knew Justion Trudo as someone important that I really had no idea about even who he is! I realized that my knowledge of the country, particularly its governance and environmental management, was quite limited. This was a moment that I felt so engaged in class. I wanted to know more! I mean I’m not even interested in Iran’s politicians, but I know who is the president! This moment served as a catalyst for my desire to delve deeper into understanding the Canadian political landscape.
The discussion about the Canadian federal system and the roles of different levels of government was particularly intriguing to me. It offered a unique opportunity to compare and contrast how each country chooses to govern its people. The emphasis on the roles of different levels of government and their impact on local communities highlighted the importance of effective governance and community engagement, which is a perspective I had not fully considered before.
The evolving definition of sustainability and the challenges associated with government resource allocation also caught my attention. The question raised by Amir about whether the current environmental issues represent progress or setbacks was thought-provoking. It made me ponder whether the significant challenges we face today are actually solvable, especially considering the tendency of each government level to pass them on to another due to limited resources. This reminded me of a previous lecture that discussed the conflict between research and sustainability.
Reading through various government rules and regulations was surprisingly enjoyable for me. Every time that I want to read rules, I think like I can’t understand them, and because of that I never have tried it. Reading in this class showed me it’s not that much hard to focus on rules and who is responsible for which part. It demystified the process, and I was fascinated to discover certain aspects that were entirely new to me, such as the government's role in marriage and the allocation of special lands for Indian peoples. These insights have significantly broadened my understanding of the Canadian governance system.
Despite being a newcomer in Canada, this lecture has provided me with a more comprehensive understanding of the country and how I can contribute to making my surroundings more sustainable. The discussions have ignited a newfound curiosity within me, prompting me to explore and engage with the local governance and environmental initiatives in a more meaningful way. Hope I can gain a better insight about lake country by visiting the local museum too.
JAJ: The presentation did provide a lot of local content, and as a Canadian, most of it was not surprising to me. Thanks for reminding me how new this material is for a newcomer. I expect that some of the same issues exist everywhere, but how the governance is organized, and therefore the appropriate levers to affect change, will differ. I expect politics matters everywhere, but that the pathways through which that influence occurs are substantially different.
Jared Brown - Reflection on Armita's Reflection
Armita’s perspective. As someone who has resided in Canada for my entire life, it is interesting to see her thoughts and viewpoints of this lecture from her position of being new to Canada, its politics, and its level of governments, especially considering how different the Canadian political system is from the one in Iran. I particularly agree with her on the importance of understanding the levels of government in the country you are in to make your surroundings more sustainable and resilient. After all, we can come up with solutions to sustainability, but it is the appropriate level of government that puts those solutions into action. Seeing how she wants to learn more and engage with about the politics and levels of government in this country in order to help contribute to sustainability has inspired me to do the same. I think it is also important to have a general understanding of levels of government in other countries too, given that many of the sustainability issues we face must be addressed at the global scale and will require international collaboration across all levels of government.
I was also surprised to see that she enjoyed reading through the government rules and regulations that we went through. She makes an excellent point that in the outside, they do not seem understandable, but when you actually go through them you realize they are relatively simple to understand and can easily be traced to the level of government that is respectively involved. Her realization of this offers an important message to citizens who are not familiar with politics and law, who may be intimidated by learning about how government works. It is not as difficult as one might think, even if you are new to a country’s politics. It is also important too, after all in Canada, it is the people in this who make democracy work, so it is crucial that people understand how our governments work so that democracy can continue to remain strong.
JAJ: My challenge with reading the rules and laws is how much of it is required legal 'stage setting' before getting to some small section that sets out things, like those divisions of power, which we looked at. The 'meat' can be hard to find.
Jared Brown
Todd was very nice to have for our class this week. His presentation and brainstorming exercises he used to articulate important lessons clearly demonstrated his expertise and experience in the field. It was also nice to have a guest speaker that can help us relate to sustainability policy challenges in communities from more of an inside perspective as opposed to more of an academic perspective.
I particularly found his exercise on naming politicians and what government services are handled by what levels of government to be an important takeaway. Until now, I have only voted in federal and provincial elections because I thought municipal governments did not have much as much involvement in addressing issues like emergency response, the opioid crisis, and the housing crisis. But his exercise on naming politicians and what government services are handled by what levels of government helped show me that many of the services we care about and think about first are handled by politicians most of us don’t know. It goes to show that it is important to participate in all levels of voting where possible, and to get to know your municipal politicians along with your provincial and federal politicians. I will definitely be paying more attention to our municipal politicians and will certainly be voting in the next municipal election after this guest lecture.
Todd’s articulation of Indigenous knowledge was also an important takeaway for me. I found his use of getting us in a circle for our discussion that he learned from Indigenous communities to be a lot more engaging compared to sitting at our desks, and I intend to use that for my in-person meetings in the future. I wouldn’t have minded looking more into the relationship between Indigenous governments and the other levels of government we discussed. While this guest lecture helped me learn how much Indigenous governments have to interact with other levels of government in Canada, but I would have liked to see more of what sorts of issues each level of government collaborates with Indigenous governments on. Nonetheless, Todd’s use of gathering us in a circle for our discussion and his mention of some Indigenous oral histories going back 9000+ years in British Columbia helped show me that it is important to collaborate with and involve Indigenous communities from more than just a reconciliation perspective. Their cultures and their extensive history of the environment of this province is vital in helping us come up with sustainable solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, drought, and other extreme events on our communities. It would be interesting to see how much the various levels of government are collaborating with Indigenous communities, along with how much they are converting that collaboration into action. I hope that we can get a speaker from the Sylix Nation in a future guest lecture, as their knowledge is clearly important to consider going forward
JAJ: Collaboration with Indigenous communities is a central challenge for Canada, particularly here in BC. The jurisdictional issues that plague the relationship between different levels of settler government have tendrils of Aboriginal Rights and Title (as in our constitution) interspersed throughout. I tried to find a member of the Syilx nation to speak with us, but to no avail.
Cole Hooper- Reflection on Reflection
Jared seems to have focused on two major takeaways; the seemingly under appreciated importance of municipal government, and the integration of indigenous perspectives and methods for gathering as well as government. While I focused on something else for my own reflection, being able to read Jared's thoughts has provided me another chance to return to the ideas and concepts from that class, and focus my own thoughts on these other two areas.
I think I fully agree to his first point, I too am guilty of ignoring and failing to participate in the sphere of municipal politics. Being able to look at the charter of community rights, and seeing who is responsible for what is a poignant exercise in making us re-evaluate who is actually responsible for managing important elements of our societies. Like Jared, I will certainly be paying more attention during the next municipal election cycle, and turning out to vote.
Jared was certainly right when he said of indigenous peoples: "Their cultures and their extensive history of the environment of this province is vital in helping us come up with sustainable solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change, drought, and other extreme events on our communities.". Todd himself said as much, but also acknowledged that he was not an expert and that the impact and influence of indigenous governments is an emerging field. I too am certain of this, as I am already seeing how the increasing element of indigenous self-determination is impacting the sectors which I work in. I think in the future we will see indigenous governments playing a larger role in the management of protected areas, and natural resources. Already in an area that is relevant to my thesis work, the BC Ministry of the Environment is now co-managing a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) with the Penticton Indian Band. As young researchers, especially those like myself from a settler background, it will be critical for us to stay educated on these issues, and consider how we can incorporate indigenous government and community into our own work.
Emma Carey
Listening to Todd’s talk, I realized how little I paid attention in civics class in high school. From our activity of naming Canadian politicians, I found it interesting the trend that emerged of people being more familiar with federal politicians than local. This was quite interesting given Todd’s point that local politicians are the ones that influence our daily lives the most. I was also a bit ashamed how little I’ve been paying attention to politics, perhaps I need to watch more news. I really enjoyed Todd’s interactive style of discussing with us the ways that division of powers between different government levels works in Canada.
The way that responsibilities are devolved from the province to the municipality was particularly startling. Given the complex wicked problems society is facing, with climate change, the housing crisis, affordability, and other issues, I wonder how smaller municipalities will fare if they are not given appropriate provincial and federal support. If the responsibility is put on small towns with low resources and low funds to solve complex issues, the issues that are farther ahead in the future will be put lower on the priority list. Now that municipalities are expected to deal with larger problems, things are more likely to fall through the cracks. Cole’s rattlesnake example in class was demonstrative of this, no one is trained and able to remove rattlesnakes from people’s homes yet they are a protected species so this is a needed service to prevent people from killing the snake they don’t want in their home. Indigenous issues very typically become prey to this issue of responsibility between the divisions of power. The federal and the provincial governments pass the responsibility back and forth, neither of them taking the necessary responsibility. This area if becoming even more important with the advent of modern treaties like Nisga’a and larger social impetus for reconciliation as evidenced by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Back to overburdened municipalities, how can these cities work towards solutions to these complex problems? And if they are so overburdened, what issues are falling through the cracks? This really emphasizes the need to do your research on a municipalities stated priorities before proposing a project to them. If you can say, in the municipal plan of 2018 council stated they aim to fund climate change mitigation projects, while you are proposing a climate mitigation project, this will greatly increase the chances of the project being approved. I also think the fiscal prudence of a given project needs to be highlighted since municipalities have limited funds. If provincial funds are available through grants, then this makes a project more attractive to a municipality. I wonder what role that can play in our pitches, would it be beneficial to research current provincial grant programs and pitch a project that fits within one? This could increase the chances of success.
JAJ: Local decisions do have the biggest impact on our daily lives, yet local government often gets the least attention. I wonder how much of a role the media plays in this. Local media is only interesting to local people. A small market. National media is a much larger market. It takes a lot more work to keep abreast of local issues than it does to stay informed about national issues.
I like your point about grants. Certainly if there is a funding pot, it would be of more interest to the decision maker.
Leandro reflection on reflection
The reflections of Todd's talk by Emma offer valuable insights into the complexities of local governance and the challenges faced by municipalities. Interestingly, she felt uninformed at a certain level about her own country, which made me comfortable because I know much less and would be worried if everybody here understood all the details Todd gave us.
In contrast, she highlights the disparity between the attention given to federal versus local politicians and the problems' importance for the population. Questions about the adequacy of support for smaller municipalities grappling with multifaceted challenges like climate change and housing affordability got the attention of everybody in the discussion.
Emma also identifies the intersectionality of Indigenous issues within the context of governmental responsibilities, emphasizing the need for meaningful reconciliation efforts. That is between the most relevant issues overseen in the past and that many nations are learning to deal with. Overall, she highlights insightful suggestions for addressing the challenges faced by overburdened municipalities.
Leandro Biondo
I had a great time comparing Todd's talk with what I have experienced myself. I relate profoundly with his work as a government worker, although in another country. There are apparent differences between Canada's and Brazil's administrative and political historical perspectives, but even more exciting and surprising is how many similarities exist.
I find it sad that some obstacles in public policy are not easy to manage compared to how simple they look from the outside; we sure all need water, housing and food, but there are so many other issues to consider until we can act on the basics.
As a young democracy, Canada's territorial organization seems well thought out and organized if you take a photograph at any given time in recent history. But then, with Todd, you see that there is constant conflict between the people's needs and their representatives on top of human populations that have been around for thousands of years. The changing perception of who is responsible for what, the oscillation of essential questions for society and evolving global problems are to be taken care of by someone, and there is no easy solution.
It may look complex for someone outside the government's routine, and it really is, but it looks just as messy and efficient as other countries! It is not the best, but it could be so much worse!
Some of the curiosities about laws and rulings I am taking with me for life, like the "natural person" approach for a municipality and the importance of getting heard by land owners' representatives at some point as, like in most places, they are always involved in politics for protecting the most their rights. Suppose we are to participate in the political and social network, even with more prominent positions in the news. In that case, the local legislators and managers are the actual connection to our friends and family's well-being.
JAJ: I like how you highlight the differences between Brazil and Canada. Here your focus is on Canada. In class you often share your Brazilian examples. I would be happy to read more of how what is presented by our guests contrasts with your experience and/or expectations coming from Brazil.
Armita Reflection on Reflection
It is interesting to see that other people from other parts of the world also compare their political history. That was the same thing that I did at first. It means despite the geographical differences we all have common laws. I like his positive views about how worse it could be! Because most of the time we only think how things could be improved. I myself just considered the negative side of the policies and how it could be improved. However, I think some rules are really easy to be put in place but maybe the responsible department doesn’t want to concern on those issues.
It is really sad to think about how easy we can live but how hard it can be to manage that and make rules for that. But as it is really hard to be heard from upper levels it is good to have a local legislator who can connect us to them so we can ask for our initial rights from them! At least there is a way that we can talk about our basic needs like water and food! And it is true that from the outside it all sounds perfect but when you get more familiar with the rules and government and the participation of duties you get lost in all of this paperwork. It's a stark reminder that simplicity in governance is often elusive. Thank you Leonard for being so optimistic! His perspective prompts reflection on my own approach, emphasizing the need to recognize both challenges and opportunities in political systems. Coming from a country with strict and unreasonable rules can influence your perspective!