Backroom Briefing Q: Is It On Purpose That The Mayor Seems To Show Up At Every Event Where The Media Is?

Note: This is the 2nd column of David Goyette's "Backroom Briefing" for PTBOCanada. For more info on it, click here.

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Q. It may just be me, but the Mayor seems to show up at almost every event where the media is present. Is this on purpose? How does it work? –Steve, East City

Goyette:  Politicians trade in a different currency than the rest of us, and self promotion is a part of it. While everyone enjoys basking in the glow that comes from the acclaim of others, most people in political life view this as a job requirement. This has a great deal to do with the reasons that people get into politics in the first place, but that's a topic for another day. 

In the political trade, there are many opportunities for self-promotion by politicians as a result of relations with an individual constituent; the neighbourhood or community or group; the associations, advocates and lobbyists; the political party or leader; and the media. Although relations with these individuals and groups wears a legitimate face of public service, they will be supplemented by a desire to secure the personal recognition that translates into public acclaim, status within the political community of which the politician is a part and electoral votes. This should come as no surprise. It is the system we have created for politicians, and they respond and compete accordingly.

When it comes to political self promotion, the bigger the group the better the prospects. With its ability to reach an entire voting community, the media is the preferred target. It must also be said that the media is more than just a target for politicians; the media targets them as well in order to generate the news that translates into advertising and revenues. Practical politics is all about this kind of symbiosis.

Here are some of the mechanics of making this work in a political office. While there are far more opportunities for a parliamentary politician serving in government than in opposition, the principles are the same. We call the activity “scheduling” and there are two types of events to be considered: those that are invitations from others—by far the most common—and those that we create ourselves.

In the case of the former, the invitations to attend an event are collected and reviewed by staff at a weekly scheduling meeting. Recommendations are put to the politician on a weekly basis, typically a Thursday or Friday, in order to prepare for the following week.  The politician decides and staff work is assigned accordingly. That work might include the preparation of briefing notes, speeches, visual presentations, proclamations, certificates, letters, mementos or thank you cards; the securing of a lectern, a sound system, screens, lighting and backdrops or props; security; and transportation. 

The promotional events that we create for ourselves are fewer in number and might include a newsletter or “householder,” event sponsorship, paid advertising, or a major speech delivered to an audience on a day before an important debate or vote. Technology has played a big role in extending the reach of these events. In Peterborough, Councillors now have $1,000 to spend on these activities as they see fit.

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David Goyette is the Executive Assistant to Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett. For more on his Backroom Briefing column, click here. Email your burning questions for David about City Hall to feedback@ptbocanada.com.

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Live: PCVS Public Meeting At Evinrude Centre

We are live from the public meeting regarding PCVS's future at the Evinrude Centre. 

7:00 - It's now standing room only in this room at Evinrude Centre. About 300 people expected for PCVS public meeting.

 

 

7:05 - Meeting now underway, Joan Green being introduced. Then speakers will have 5 minutes each to address her. Joan Green was originally to be in Peterborough Monday through Thursday but is now staying through Friday to allow time to review process.

7:10 - 1st speaker is now up of 45, Krista Macklin. Parent of PCVS student in arts program. Explaining how this process was flawed.

 

 

7:20 - The timer, which is set up to make sure each speaker does not go over their allotted time of 5:00 minutes. Speakers addressing Green are articulate, well informed, calm. Speaking to policies which weren't followed by KPR.

7:30 - Facilitator Joan Green, who will be writing report to ministry, is taking lots of notes during the presentations.

7:40 - Erica Cherney chair of Peterborough Downtown Business Association talking PCVS enormous impact on downtown. Peterborough is a cultural hub, says Cherney. PCVS arts school needs downtown, downtown needs PCVS.

 

7:45 - Michael Fox speaks about the missed opportunity of partnerships with the Catholic board.

7:50 - City Councillor Dean Pappas, owner of Pappas Billiards downtown, now speaking. He spoke at KPR meeting as well. Pappas arguing that the ARC process from the very beginning was flawed.

 

8:10 - Isabel Henniger "alarmed and frustrated" by ARC process.

8:20 - Di Farquhar who spoke so passionately about PCVS, that her mouth went dry

8:30 - PCVS student council president Matthew Finlan, saying PCVS can't just be moved or manufactured somewhere else. Isn't so simple. This inner city hub is needed.

8:40 - Otis Newport says that the PCVS projected enrollment was largely off

8:50 - 7th Inning Stretch. Meeting has been extended to 10 p.m.

9:10 - Back to the speakers, starting with Renata Spasov.

9:15 - PCVS student Riley Severin.

9:25 - "Only those with money are important" is the message being given. "Should have consulted with poverty groups during the ARC process".

9:30 - Graduating student Kirsten Bruce just gave impassioned speech about respectful, fostering PCVS environment. She finished with saying "The ARC process was flawed in every way", which was followed by a standing ovation.

9:35 - Barbra gave a heartfelt talk about the statistics that were overlooked for Native students and was followed by a standing ovation.

9:50 - Nancy Jackson called the ARC meeting a "disgrace" and was tearful when reflecting on Central P.S. which was promised to stay open, however now is apartments.

10:00 - Kathy Blackwood speaks about her daughter's dilemma, as to which courses are available to take at other schools if PCVS were to close. She might have to attend two schools to meet her curriculum needs.

10:10 - Maryam Monsef says that after moving here from Afghanistan and the bullying she went through, PCVS "Saved her life".

10:20 - Christina Adams spoke about how the teachers could not discuss the process during the ARC process (for fear of loosing their jobs) and how that made it hard for the students.

 

10:40 - Bill Templeton added some humour and findings along with his slideshow of why "our students, community and ministry of education all deserve better". He found oddities such as "a gap between 40 minutes to an hour exists when the minutes of the May 12th meeting are compared with the recordings of the proceeding".

10:57 - Another break. "14th inning"

11:05 - Round three, we are on the home stretch.

 

11:15 - Mark, an Urban Planner feels that schools play a functional role and a symbolic role in a city.

11:20 - Jeff Cox, president at Brant Office Supply with his own thorough look at the process.

 

11:25 - Another speaker comes well prepared, but summarizes her speech to save time.

11:30 - Heather Ballarin says her daughter was embarrassed to have volunteered on ARC committee. Was "great theatre" and a waste of time.

 

11:45 - The final speaker Chelce Lavoie a student at PCVS.

11:50 - Facilitator Joan Green was thanked by students. She will deliver the report to the Ministry of Education in four to six weeks.

[Photos by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

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PtboPics: Save PCVS Support Can Be Seen Throughout The City

The next public meeting regarding PCVS's future is tonight at the Evinrude Centre starting at 7 p.m.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]

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A Primer On The History Of Economics In Peterborough (And What's Driving It Now)

At this time of year, we often reflect on where we've been and look to where we may go. In economic terms where we have been is a lot clearer than where we might go.  However, taking a longer term view there are some hints about where we could go, if we chose to go there.

Peterborough, in general terms, has seen two quite different economic eras—an era when natural resources and agriculture dominated—the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and a manufacturing era that was at its peak in the middle of the last century. Between these two eras was a period of transformation. In this period new ways of doing business began to emerge, new roles for government became clearer, even the roles within families and families themselves changed to take advantage of the new opportunities of the manufacturing era.

For the sake of perspective, if we were to think of the age of transformation being five years before the beginning of WWI (1909) and five years after the end of WWII (1950), we can see an era of enormous development technologically that was accompanied by unprecedented changes in social roles. In the forty-one years from 1909 to 1950, Peterborough was transformed. In that transformation, the fundamental functioning of the Peterborough economy changed. In effect, the two eras are two very different economies with very different economic relationships.

As much as many mainstream economists—the ones who led us into the current economic mess—would like us to believe that the fundamentals of economies are not subject to history, politics, or culture, the reality is they are. Separating fact from myth reveals very different economic characteristics in different technological and socioeconomic eras—not common underlying behaviours. What can we learn from this?

It has been forty-one years since what could be considered the beginning of the end of the era dominated by manufacturing. 1971 was just prior to the OPEC oil crisis that signalled the beginning of a long struggle with inflation that was combined with high rates of unemployment, and difficult economic times. Peterborough was not immune to this economic disease, and for those who went through it, it was clear that things would never be the way they were no matter how much we wished they could be. Like it or not, another era of transformation began in the early 1970s and we continue to find ourselves in it today.

In the tranformation, old ways of doing many things were left behind—technologically and socially—and new, creative opportunities were pursued. Change was embraced rather than seen as a threat. Of course, in an era of transformation that included two World Wars separated by the Great Depression is a very different circumstance than we face today. 

The lesson from history—not from economics—is that the foundations of economic growth in the past are not sufficient to support the prosperity we are capable of in the future. The longer it takes for us to figure out how to build the new foundation, the more difficult the transition will be. It is time to get on with creative change in the way we do things right here in Peterborough.

Thankfully, we have within the community what it takes to move forward. To support the transition, we have a large creative class that will provide news ways to get things done. This class according to Richard Florida’s work, and a recent description of it by Dan Taylor, CEO of the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation and the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster, show that not only does the creative class drive innovation, it is also an economic driver onto itself. 

Thirty percent of the population belongs to the creative class. Those in the creative class earn significantly more than average and possess seventy percent of total disposable income. In a time of transformation the creative class is where the jobs are, and the results of their work will bring more jobs across the whole community.

All indications are that we have all the pieces in place that can lead to a new era of prosperity here in Peterborough. We have a creative class that can lead innovation. We have the resources—people, money, and technologies—necessary to move forward. The question is: Do we have the will to embrace new ways of doing business, new roles for government, new approaches to education, etc., so that we can use the resources we have at hand to their best advantage? How can we combine and integrate what we do have in creative, productive ways.

Rest assured that if we cling to the ways of an older era, communities less well blessed with resources will embrace new, productive ways. Their success will make ours that much longer and more difficult to achieve. This could be the time for us to take the leap—including a leap of faith—into a new era of creativity, opportunity, and prosperity.

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Contributed by PtboCanada's Tom Phillips Ph. D. Phillips is Economist & Sustainability Director - Greater Ptbo Innovation Cluster.

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Two New Shows Opened This Weekend At Art Gallery Of Peterborough & Artspace

Opening this past Friday evening were shows at Artspace and the Art Gallery of Peterborough. Artspace presents Are We There Yet, a group show, presenting with diverse work of Lauren Hall, Gareth Lichty and Sam Mogelonsky.

The large front space features a playful "rug" woven of garden hose. It's fun, plastic nature is a poke at our collected yerning for the perfect outdoor space. It's an interesting piece to walk around.

Also featured are interesting colourful channelled landscapes from Hall, who uses clear corregate and coloured powders to create "perfect sunsets" with parallel gradients of colour. Mogelonsky pieces these diverse works together with his neon title piece, "Wish You Were Here".

The show runs January 13th, 2012 to February 25th, 2012.   

See Artspace-arc.org for more information.

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At The Art Gallery of Peterborough, opening on Friday evening was a range of work connected throughout the public spaces. Titled Steaming Alterity, this presentation brings together the diverse work of artists Rebecca Belmore, Natalie Wood, Christina Zeidler, Emelie Chhangur and Johanna Householder.

The work these women make draws from themes of activism, places, internal context and self within a wider world. Using photography, video, collage and physical still-life, an adventure awaits the visitor. Plan on being generous with your time here.

The show runs January 13th to March 4th.

See Agp.on.ca for more information.

[Text and pic by PtboCanada's Jeffrey Macklin]

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Backroom Briefing Q: Is It True City Hall Used To Serve As Home To Mayor Of Peterborough?

Note: This is the debut of David Goyette's "Backroom Briefing" for PTBOCanada. For more info on it, click here.

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Q: I think it would be cool if the Mayor lived in City Hall kind of like the White House. Are there still living conditions on the top level and is it true it was once used to house a Mayor of Peterborough? —Pete Dalliday

Goyette: It may be that you have your tongue firmly planted in your cheek, but the issue is a good one. When Peterborough City Hall opened in October of 1951, with Ottawa Mayor Charlotte Whitton and Peterborough (England) Mayor Chamberlain officiating, there was an apartment on the third floor for the building’s stationary engineer and his family, who also functioned as a caretaker and had a wonderful habit of keeping detailed weather reports. As it happens, he was a relative of local drummer boy and jazz aficionado Verne Hope. The apartment is now reused for other purposes, as are the former courts and the Justice of the Peace offices.

There is no Canadian tradition of cities providing housing for Mayors. MPs and MPPs receive housing allowances to pay for apartments when they are away from their constituencies, and there is a time honoured practice of the overnight “coucher” by senior politicians dealing with emergencies or deadlines. There have been a handful of occasions when I nodded off with a team of political types in an overnighter to get something important ready for the next morning.

Americans do it differently, and a good example is Gracie Mansion at East End Avenue and 88^th on the East River in Manhattan, which is the official residence of the Mayor of New York. I spent some cherished time there with former Mayor Ed Koch -- one of my favourite people -- who actually eschewed the Mansion as a residence in favour of a more comfortable and downscale apartment in Greenwich Village.

In the early 80s, we mulled over the idea with Toronto Mayor Eggleton of designating Spadina House as the Mayor’s residence -- a stately pile on the escarpment that was willed to the City and had become vacant, and whose big time neighbours included Casa Loma and “Arwold” -- the former Eaton estate. The potential downside turned out to be too large and it was dropped. The house reopened in 2010 as a City museum.

Would a taxpayer funded Mayor’s residence work here? Can’t see it. We are a community that wants to keep our politicians’ feet on the ground, and there is a very healthy cultural attitude that reminds all elected officials not to get too big for your britches. 

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David Goyette is the Executive Assistant to Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett. For more on his Backroom Briefing column, click here. Email your burning questions for David about City Hall to feedback@ptbocanada.com.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

Video About Rock Camp For Girls & Women's Rock Weekend In Peterborough

[YouTube]

Watch the full episode on Focus this Wednesday on TV Cogeco.

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

Remember That Christmas Tree Pickup Continues This Week

The City of Peterborough is continuing their Christmas Tree Pickup.

Just leave your tree at the sidewalk (minus the decorations!) and it will be picked up before the end of January (weather permitting).

Do not leave them on top of snowbanks.

[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]

Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada.

What Peterborough Needs To Do To Solve The Productivity Puzzle

With Canada suffering less than most industrial nations from the global economic malaise, we tend to think that we are ahead in the economic "game".  In fact, for more than a decade we have lagged behind in productivity—e.g. production of goods and services per worker—than most industrial nations. 

Each year, the gap between us and other more productive nations gets bigger. We talk—more like whisper—about this, but we rarely do anything concrete about it. We wait for something to happen that will turn us around. Maybe a decade of waiting is long enough. It is time to act.

In 2012, let's stop waiting for big government, bigger corporations, the rest of the world, or the "universe" to do it for us and do what it takes, right here in Peterborough, to become more productive.

Think of it this way. We, in Peterborough, have received a Christmas present—a new jigsaw puzzle. In its sturdy box, the puzzle contains all the pieces we need to solve the productivity puzzle. We've unwrapped the puzzle, looked at the picture on the front of the box, but we have not yet opened the box. Between Christmas and New Years, we've talked to family and friends about the picture on the box (no one seems to know exactly what it is—kind of abstract, it seems), so we still haven’t opened it. 

According to the instructions, there are pieces that represent aspects of the work being done at Fleming College, Trent University, PRHC, OMNR, GE, Siemens, SGS Lakefield Research, Rolls Royce, QTG Pepsico-Frito Lay, Operitel, McColl Turner, LLF, Merit Precision, Steel Works, Page Design, the City and County of Peterborough, a vibrant and creative downtown, talented and ambitious people, and enough technology to sustain much larger communities than Peterborough. 

Still, we’re talking more about putting the pieces together than actually trying to do it. We are not alone in this. Many communities are in the same situation. The competitive reality is that the community that puts the puzzle together first will reap the greatest economic benefit.

When we finally open the box and spread the pieces on the table, there is one thing we can be sure of: The puzzle will not be put together by the invisible hand of the market. It will only come together from our will to act, and the action itself.

We, in Peterborough, have all the pieces—resources—we need but we need to complete it, but we need a new way to put this difficult puzzle together. Old ways of putting puzzles together simply will not work. We need to creatively and collectively find new ways to solve the puzzle; news ways to benefit from the resources available for us to use.

And we need to do it right here in Peterborough.    

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[Contributed by PtboCanada's Tom Phillips Ph. D. Phillips is Economist & Sustainability Director - Greater Ptbo Innovation Cluster.]

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PTBOCanada Introducing New Q & A City Hall Column "Backroom Briefing" By David Goyette

GOYETTE'S BACKROOM BRIEFINGPTBOCanada is excited to be introducing a new reader-driven Q & A column by David Goyette called "Goyette's Backroom Briefing", which will take you into the inner workings of City Hall.

Goyette is the Executive Assistant to Peterborough Mayor Daryl Bennett (see our Day In The Life Of Mayor Bennett, which includes pictures of the two of them together).

One of Canada's most experienced strategic communication and political consultants, Goyette has provided services to 12 municipalities; 17 Ontario Deputy Ministers; 32 Offices of the Government of Ontario; 90 Canadian politicians including Mayors, Cabinet Ministers and Premiers; and the leadership of all the major Canadian banks. He has received 11 political appointments and had management roles in 12 election campaigns.

Readers of PtboCanada are invited to put questions to David about the skinny at City Hall. Not rumour or gossip or when your local pothole is going to be fixed, but how things really work—how decisions get made or don’t get made, and the stories behind the stories. Consider it your backroom briefing.

Email your burning questions for David about City Hall to feedback@ptbocanada.com.

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