INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE

M I N U T E S  IRAC-2011-3

The Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee (IRAC) met on July 7, 2011, at 4:10 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 5th Floor, Regional Administrative Headquarters, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Suite A, Brampton.

Members:	P . Foley; E. Kolb; G. Miles; E. Moore; R. Paterak; P Saito; J. Sanderson; A. Thompson
Members Absent:	S. Hames, due to other municipal business; R. Starr, due to other municipal business; J. Tovey
Also Present:	S. Fennell, Regional Councillor; J. Sprovieri, Regional Councillor; R. K. Gillespie, Acting Chief Administrative Officer; N. Trim, Chief Financial Officer and Commissioner of Corporate Services; J. Smith, Commissioner of Health Services; D. Labrecque, Commissioner of Public Works ; C. Reid, Regional Clerk and Director of Clerk’s; S. Mistry, Senior Policy Advisor; L. Rubin, Intergovernmental Relations Advisor; C. Thomson , Committee Clerk

Chaired by Councillor Thompson.

1. DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST - Nil

2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

RECOMMENDATION IRAC-7-2011:

That the agenda for the July 7, 2011 Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee meeting, be amended to include an additional delegation from Fair Share Task Force for Peel to be dealt with under Delegations/Presentations – Item 3b;

And further, that the agenda for the July 7, 2011 Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee meeting be approved, as amended.

3. DELEGATIONS

a) Stella Ambler, Member of Parliament, Mississauga South, Regarding Opportunities for Collaboration on Issues within the Mississauga South Riding

Received

Councillor Moore departed at 4:13 p.m.

Stella Ambler, Member of Parliament (MP), Mississauga South stated that she will be a strong advocate for Mississauga South and the Region of Peel and encouraged members of the Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee to contact her office regarding federal issues affecting the Region.

Regional Chair Kolb noted that 2011 is the final year of the five-year federal commitment to fund 50 per cent of the cost of 2,500 first class police officers across Canada and requested the assistance of all Peel-area MPs to work with other MPs to advocate for the continuation of the program as part of the federal commitment to national security and safety.

Stella Ambler undertook to look into the issue and to keep Regional Chair Kolb advised of any updates.

Councillor Saito expressed her appreciation to Stella Ambler for demonstrating her commitment to developing a good working relationship with the Region of Peel, noting that the assistance of all Peel’s federal representatives is needed on issues such as establishing a national transportation strategy; social housing strategy; national day care strategy; and to recognize that these strategies cannot and should not be funded from the property tax base.

In response to a question from Councillor Sanderson, Stella Ambler advised that the placement of cell towers is determined by Industry Canada and that petitions submitted from residents to Industry Canada do have an impact on its decisions.

Councillor Fennell noted that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has a well defined position on cell towers and a copy of the FCM resolution was distributed. She encouraged Stella Ambler to keep abreast of FCM resolutions, noting that they are passed subsequent to significant research and consensus building. She further noted that with respect to federal gas tax funds, the FCM position is that it should be amended to grow with the economy.

Councillor Fennell expressed frustration that residents of Brampton must drive to another city or town to access federal services and stated that there should be a federal office in the City of Brampton.

Additional Item – Item 3b:

b) Keith Ward, and Ron Lenyk, Co-chairs, Fair Share Task Force For Peel, Introducing the “Act Now For Peel” Campaign

Received

A copy of the presentation is available from the Office of the Regional Clerk.

Keith Ward and Ron Lenyk, Co-Chairs, Fair Share Task Force for Peel, provided an overview of the key messages that have been developed by the Fair Share Task Force to highlight awareness of significant underfunding issues to be addressed by candidates in the upcoming provincial election. The theme of the messages is “Act Now for Peel” and Peel residents are encouraged to “Act Now” for themselves, their family and for their future by calling, emailing or writing provincial election candidates to ask them “Will you Act for Peel? The Fair Share Task Force website includes detailed information on the issues as well as information on how residents may get involved. It can be accessed via www.fairsharetaskforce.ca.

Councillor Saito suggested that the questions for provincial election candidates be re-worded to reduce the likelihood of receiving non-committing answers.

Keith Ward noted that consideration was given to the phrasing of the questions and it was determined that simple messaging is appropriate for raising general awareness however, the Fair Share Task Force is also looking for champions who will ask direct questions at all-candidates meetings and other election forums.

Regional Chair Kolb highlighted issues impacting the Peel Regional Police services, including a lack of provincial funding to monitor identified sex offenders.

Janet Menard, Commissioner of Human Services, suggested that the Fair Share Task Force should be prepared to address the issue of recent investments in the education systems and not just early learning.

4. REPORTS

Deferred to the August 11, 2011 meeting of the IRAC

RECOMMENDATION IRAC-8-2011:

That the public policy issues identified in the report of the Chair of the Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee dated June 25, 2011, titled “2011 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Annual Conference”, be endorsed;

And further, that staff develop briefing notes on the identified public policy issues to support discussions with various Ministry representatives at the 2011 AMO conference.

Councillor Paterak encouraged the inclusion of waste issues as a topic of discussion at the upcoming Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Annual Conference, specifically, the need for a more open approach to incineration and the acceptance of bottom ash as an aggregate for road paving.

Councillor Paterak departed at 5:16 p.m.
Councillor Miles departed at 5:17 p.m.

Received

Lowell Rubin-Vaughan, Senior Advisor, Government Relations, advised that based on discussion from the last IRAC meeting, staff developed the website called “peelaskswhy.ca”, as part of its coordinated, multi-media provincial election strategy, which is now live and, he undertook to provide Committee members with a link to the site. The website is designed to inform residents, businesses and community organizations that people in Peel wait much too long for critical social and community health services and the site creates an accessible platform to enable them to have a voice.

Lowell Rubin-Vaughan advised that he would be contacting IRAC members in the coming weeks to film a short video clip to be posted to the “peelaskswhy.ca” website to help raise awareness of the issue of Peel’s lack of access to important community services.

He also encouraged Members to link the website to their Facebook and Twitter accounts to help promote the messages throughout the community.

a) Federal News
b) Provincial News
c) Local News

Received

6. COMMUNICATIONS

a) Allan Thompson, Chair, Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee (IRAC), Letter dated June 10, 2011 to the Nine Recently Elected Peel-area Members of Parliament, Inviting them to Participate in a Future Meeting of the IRAC

Received

7.IN CAMERA MATTERS – Nil

8. OTHER BUSINESS - Nil

9. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, August 11, 2011, immediately following Regional Council, in the Council Chamber, 5th floor, Regional Administrative Headquarters, Suite A, 10 Peel Centre Drive, Brampton, Ontario.

Please forward regrets to Christine Thomson, Committee Clerk, (905) 791-7800, ext. 4582 or at christine.thomson@peelregion.ca.

10. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 5:19 p.m.