During Monday night's council meeting, Councilor Kristen Walliser presented a plan to enhance inclusion across city operations. Walliser proposed integrating key questions about who is included or excluded in city policies, bylaws, and funding requests. She also recommended that all city managers and council members complete the Measuring Inclusion Tool for Municipal Governments to establish a baseline for future assessments.
Walliser emphasized the importance of ensuring equity-seeking groups are considered. “Based on the recommendations on the final page of the report, I think it's very important that this Council makes the decision, because that will create a platform for the next Council to take follow-up steps,” said Walliser.
The council supported Walliser’s recommendations, although there were concerns about the added complexity and timing. Mayor Roy Ludwig voiced his concerns, stating, “I see this taking a lot of time and energy and time being money... I do not feel that us in the dying days of our tenure should be forcing this on the new council.” Ludwig also questioned, “Are you suggesting we incorporate this as this Council or are you suggesting that perhaps the next Council you would like to see that come in front of them? I don't know that we should be making this decision tonight and moving it forward and we only have a few meetings left.”
Councillor Shelly Veroba was in agreement with the recommendations, saying, “I agree with you 110 per cent. I don't think that we have to wait for a new Council to do something. I agree with your worship if you're on your way out, you don't plan on running again, probably no sense in taking this, but for anyone who is planning on running again for anyone who is in the current management, I see value in this and so I appreciate your work you put into this report.”
Councilor Lindsay Clarke thanked Walliser for her perspective, stating, “I want to thank Councillor Walliser for this. I think she comes from a perspective sometimes, that people haven't walked her in her shoes. So, we don't understand what the problem is with how we do things. It's all about cost and so often that's not the case.”
Councillor Rebecca Foord noted that the recommendations would benefit the next council, saying, “I think recommendation #1 is really, really important as we're moving from this Council to a new Council because it sets the new Council up to be able to ask those questions during budget time.”
Councillor Foord supported the recommendations, adding, “I do support this, I think this is really important. I do know that there is a cost to this but the two 8 hours per employee to participate is not a big ask when it comes to deciding how we include people in our community. We have a lot of different people in this community from all walks of life, and I think it's really important that we take the steps to include everybody, whether it be this council or next Council or 10 Councils from now.”
Walliser added, “I think Council's response tonight does highlight some of the inherent challenges in bringing diversity, inclusion, and equity conversations forward that when you're in a group. That's been historically supported by institutions. It's very easy to not realize that there are systemic barriers in place for other people who have different lived experiences than yourself.”
The motion to adopt both recommendations was approved by the council, with Councillor Tony Sernick abstaining from the vote citing he was neither for nor against the project but didn't feel there was adequate time to make the decision
