FORT FRANCES -- As the only non-retiree on the town council in Fort Frances, Ont., Coun. Douglas Judson has some ideas about how to make it easier for younger people to get involved.
He says he’s disappointed his council colleagues opted not to take a closer look at those ideas when he presented them in a memo last week.
Suggestions included requiring council meetings take place after 5:30 p.m., enshrining the ability to participate virtually, and adding citizen members to executive committees to provide more opportunities for involvement.
His motion to refer the ideas to committee for review, and possible implementation before the municipal election in October, died on the floor after it failed to find a seconder.
For Judson, that sends a disappointing message on an urgent issue.
“We know there’s a diversity crisis in municipal politics in Ontario,” he said. “Our municipal councils are largely white, male, straight, and frankly largely [middle and upper class]. It’s an issue when we’re trying to make decisions in the public interest and we don’t have people around the table who can articulate the lived experience of everyone in our community.”
Among the figures Judson’s memo highlighted: women occupy just two of seven council seats; 71 per cent of council is 60 or older, while three-quarters of the population is under 60; no council members live in households with young children, compared to 34 per cent of the population; and no councillors are Indigenous, compared to about a quarter of the population.
Other councillors agreed there’s a problem, but questioned Judson’s timing and methods. Many argued the issues should be addressed in a broader governance review that will take place after the election.
“There are some really great ideas in here,” said Coun. Wendy Brunetta. “I do think, though, this is putting the cart before the horse a bit.”
The current council shouldn’t “dictate” when the next one meets, she added.
Coun. Andrew Hallikas applauded Judson for bringing the memo forward.
“I agree with almost every point in there,” he said.
However, he agreed a governance review should come first, and said it would make more sense for the new council to address the issue.
“He’s got some great points,” agreed Mayor June Caul in an interview. “He isn’t the only person on council hoping we can get a more diverse audience to start joining council and being part of town committees and boards. We all feel the same way as he does.”
However, she said Judson had given short thrift to existing progress, noting she’s serving as the town’s first-ever female mayor, that the total of two women was likely the most there had ever been, and that council includes a younger adult and a member of the LGBTQ community.
“I feel we have a fairly diverse council at this point, more so than ever at any time in the history of the Town of Fort Frances council,” she said.
She’s also skeptical the proposed reforms would be effective, saying she wouldn’t necessarily have preferred evening meetings during her time as a parent of young children.
“I think there’s barriers for everyone – it doesn’t matter what age you are, there’s barriers of some kind,” she said. “I don’t believe there’s necessarily specific barriers just relating to young people.”
Caul also opposes continuing to allow virtual council meetings, saying it raises concerns about private, in camera sessions (she has no problems with committees and boards meeting virtually).
She also believes changes to council should be driven by a “neutral body” like a consultant during the governance review, rather than councillors themselves.
Judson rejected his colleagues’ objections in typically blunt fashion.
“If you care about diversity, let’s do something about it,” he told council. “You have a chance tonight to refer this to committee and have that discussion. If none of you want to do that, I’m sorry, then these are just platitudes and they mean nothing.”
“While I appreciate the general support that this initiative’s getting, I think to the passing observer, it sounds like none of you want to run against young people… and none of you want any diversity at this table for another four-and-a-half years. That’s what I hear.”
It’s a stance that earned blowback from his colleagues.
“I get quite upset when people kind of put words in my mouth,” said Brunetta. “I’m not against diversity, I’m not against running against anyone who puts their name forward – young, old, Black, white, whatever.”
“I feel very disappointed that one of our councillors would talk about the rest of council in that [way],” Caul said. “It makes me sad to see my council has to face these accusations. I’m disappointed they’re made to look as though they don’t care, when they really do care.”
Asked what she’d like to see the town do to better engage youth, Caul said it needs to boost its presence on social media. But it’s a difficult question to answer, she said.
“You can spread the word as much as you want. It’s ultimately an individual’s decision.”
Judson fears the rejection of his motion will only further entrench cynicism.
“I think a lot of young people and younger families feel council doesn’t really hear them, and when they hear them, it’s on a very tokenistic level,” he said.
