How do municipal mayors and councillors communicate with other levels of government? Evidence from a multi-level survey of Canadian elected officials

While past research suggests that informal processes of dialogue play an important role in municipal intergovernmental relations in Canada, we currently know very little about their character and frequency. Who do local elected officials communicate with, and through which channels? And which municipal voices carry the most weight in these conversations? This article answers these questions from the perspective of elected politicians themselves, using a pan-Canadian survey of municipal, provincial, and federal elected representatives. Our findings confirm that municipal intergovernmental relations depend heavily on informal institutions and personal relationships and highlight the key role of municipal mayors as spokespersons and advocates for municipalities in Canadian federalism.     

我国地方政府绩效评估指标数据仓库的代表性对象选取和构建——以江苏四市为研究点

在中国这样的大国,各个地区之间在自然、地理、历史、社会等很多方面千差万别,由于这种异质性的存在,地方政府绩效评估指标的设计是一项噪音很多的系统工程,利用数据挖掘技术建设绩效指标数据仓库并进行挖掘可以有效解决这种异质性问题。论文首先通过标准比的形式,探讨了如何在我国筛选研究对象问题,然后通过将数据挖掘引入政府绩效评估指标设计研究,并以Microsoft SQL Server 2005作为数据挖掘软件,以江苏四市(苏州、南京、盐城、徐州)作为研究对象,在处理国家统计年鉴、地方统计年鉴、部门统计年鉴、政府及其各部门的工作计划与方案、工作记录等海量信息的基础上建立了四市的数据仓库,为进一步进行指标挖掘打下了基础。     

Multilevel policy from the municipal perspective: A pan‐Canadian survey

Building on in‐depth case studies and extensive theory‐building by Canadian multilevel governance scholars, this article identifies and describes multilevel policy involvement by federal, provincial, municipal, private, and NGO actors in three policy phases and eighteen policy domains that specifically involve local governments in Canada. Drawing from an original pan‐Canadian survey of municipal mayors and councillors, we show that municipal politicians see multilevel policy involvement as remarkably prevalent across many policy domains. Using an original measure of multilevel policy involvement, we identify the policy domains in which policy involvement is most concentrated or fragmented and then describe the correlates of this measure. Multilevel policy involvement, we argue, is more clearly associated with policy phase and policy domain than with municipal population or region. We conclude with a discussion of implications for future research.     

Volatilité dans l'utilisation des indicateurs de performance municipale : Bilan et nouvelle perspective d'analyse

The provinces and cities in Canada, like in several other countries, are studying the indicators of municipal performance with a renewed interest. Based on a review of published studies, this article expands on the existing literature in two areas. It establishes a record of their use, taking into account the diversity of indicators used. It proposes also an analytical framework of the local, political and administrative interface that helps in the understanding of the variability and the volatility in the various uses of indicators. This new perspective allows a better understanding of the reason why the use of performance indicators by elected officials and administrators is limited.     

Preparedness and crisis-driven policy change: COVID-19, digital readiness,and information technology professionals in Canadian local government

This article explores the pandemic-induced transition to electronic municipal council meetings in Ontario, Canada as an instance of crisis-driven policy change. Employing survey data of information technology (IT) professionals and a critical case study, this research probes the notion that crises, like pandemics, can not only create windows for policy change, but also draw attention to the many often overlooked operational elements of government, including the increasingly important policy role played by IT professionals.     

Municipal consolidation in the 1990s: an analysis of British Columbia,New Brunswick,and Nova Scotia

Abstract: This article examines the transitional and short-term impacts of consolidation in three Canadian municipalities - the City of Abbotsford (British Columbia), the City of Miramichi (New Brunswick), and the Halifax Regional Municipality (Nova Scotia). The study involves an analysis of the administrative, financial and political impacts of the restructuring in these three urban regions, as well as the provinces' roles in the reform process. The analysis of the transition period identifies the many municipal functions and local services that must be considered in a restructuring initiative. The reorganization of intricate administrative and political structures that sustain municipal functions is a complex task and will be unique to each region considering reform. The complexity of municipal restructuring allows no easy answer as to whether consolidation will lead to effectiveness and efficiency improvements in service delivery or municipal governance. Ultimately, the success of consolidation in achieving greater efficiency and effectiveness will depend on the specific circumstances of the municipalities considering reform. Sommaire: Dans cet article, on examine les répercussions transitoires et à court terme de la consolidation dans trois municipalités canadiennes, la ville d'Abbotsford (Colombie-Britannique), la ville de Miramichi (Nouveau-Brunswick) et la municipalitb régionale d'Halifax (Nouvelle-Écosse). L'étude comprend une analyse des répercussions administratives, financières et politiques de la restructuration dans ces trois régions urbaines ainsi qu'une analyse du rôle des provinces dans le processus de réforme. L'analyse de la période de transition ceme les nombreux services locaux et les fonctions municipales dont on doit tenir compte dans toute initiative de restructuration. La réorganisation des structures administratives et politiques corn-pliquées qui sous-tendent les fonctions municipales est me tâche complexe qui est particulière à chaque région. Face à la complexité de la restructuration municipale, il n'y a pas de réponse facile pour savoir si la consolidation permettra d'améliorer l'efficacité de la prestation des services ou de la gestion municipale. Finalement, pour obtenir une plus grande efficacité, la consolidation devra tenir compte des circon-stances particulières des municipalités qui envisagent une réforme.     

农村党建工作与经济发展和社会管理的互动——广西北流市村级党建运行模式及其启示

建设社会主义新农村任务的提出,使农村基层党组织在带领群众共同致富和进行良好的社会管理等方面面临新的挑战和问题。广西玉林北流市委积极正视这一问题,在探索农村基层党组织建设中,将地方经济发展和促进社会管理创新结合起来,带动了地方经济发展和社会管理水平的提升,同时也在这一过程中提高了基层党组织服务群众的能力,实现了农村基层党建工作与农村经济发展和社会管理的良性互动。     

作用于新弱势人群的社区服务初探

新弱势人群(NewVulnerableGroups)是在我国社会转型期出现的特殊群体,其性质、地位的特殊性以及数量上在整个弱势群体所占比重之大,都应使我们认真对待。社区服务的实施对新弱势人群有着独特的作用。我们只有认真研究当前社区服务作用于新弱势群体的现状,作好现阶段社区服务,强化社区服务的功能,构建完备社区保障体系,构筑社区综合救助机构,才能最终实现对新弱势人群的社区保障福利和社区服务的作用最大化和最优化的目标。     

建立系统化青年民警培育机制的探索——以上海市公安局金山分局为例

青年民警是公安队伍的新鲜血液,是公安事业的生力军和先锋队,青年民警的成长不仅关系到公安队伍建设的根基,更决定了公安事业的长远发展。各级公安政工部门应高度重视并加强青年民警培育工作,坚持教育、管理、培养、引导并重,逐步探索出一系列加强青年民警培育工作的有效措施,带出一支有魂、有力、有激情的青年民警队伍。     

日照市实施经济适用住房“货币直补”改革的案例研究

日照市委、市政府以创新的理念、改革的精神,积极探索经济适用房“货币直补”的新路子,坚持用地市场化、补贴货币化、购房自主化、运作透明化、管理动态化,收到了住房困难户、房地产开发商和社会各界多方满意的良好成效。总结日照市实施经济适用房“货币直补”改革的政府管理案例,对于在市场经济条件下地方政府如何克服改革过程中出现的问题和弊端,如何定位自己的角色和职能,如何创造性地贯彻执行党和国家的政策,如何树立以人为本、执政为民、公正廉洁的政府良好形象等,具有政府管理方法论上的参考借鉴意义。     

Governing the multicultural city‐region

Abstract: This article reports on a study that identified the challenges posed by large immigrant populations for the governments of eleven Greater Toronto Area municipalities and the way those challenges were being addressed by municipal agencies that provided nine local services: government‐assisted housing, land‐use planning, policing, public education, public health, public libraries, public recreation, public transit, and social services. Many of the agencies were trying to accommodate their multicultural clienteles in a variety of ways. There were large differences in agency responses, however, not only among municipalities but also among agencies providing different services within the same municipality, and even among district offices of the same municipal agencies. Moreover, municipal agencies often found it difficult or impossible to adapt to new clienteles, even when they were seriously committed to doing so, in the face of provincial government indifference, cuts in provincial and local funding, and community ambivalence or antagonism. The study concluded that municipal agencies are unlikely to devote many resources to helping the immigrant settlement process without financial and legislative support from central governments. Sommaire: Le présent article porte sur une étude qui a cerné les défis que posent d'importantes populations d'immigrants aux gouvemements de ome municipalités de la Région du Grand Toronto, et sur la manière dont ces défis ont été relevés par des organismes municipaux assurant neuf services locaux: logement subventionné par le gouvernement, aménagement du territoire, services de police, enseignement public, santé publique, bibliothèques publiques, loisirs publics, transport en com‐mun et services sociaux. Un grand nombre de ces organismes ont essayé de répondre aux besoins de leurs clientèles multiculturelles par différents moyens. Cependant, les écarts étaient grands dans la manière d'y parvenir, non seulement parmi les municipalités mais également parmi les organismes foumissant différents services au sein de la même municipalité, et même parmi les bureaux de districts des mêmes organimes municipaux. En outre, les organismes municipaux trouvent souvent qu'il est difficile, voire même impossible, de s'adapter à de nouvelles clientèles, même lorsqu'ils se sont sérieusement engagés à le faire, face à l'indifférence du gouvemement provincial, aux compressions budgétaires à I'échelle provinciale et locale, et face à I'ambivalence ou à I'antagonisme de la colledivité. L'étude a conclu qu'il y avait de fortes chances que les organismes municipaux ne consacrent pas d'énormes ressources à I'aide au processus d'établissement des immigrants s'ils ne reçoivent pas un appui financier et législatif des gouvernements centraux.     

The leadership role of the municipal chief administrative officer

Abstract: A great deal has been written about leadership, but not much of it focuses on the unique role of the municipal chief administrative officer (CAO). This article argues that the complexity of the position of municipal CAO comes about because the incumbent must lead in three different directions simultaneously: down (dealing with subordinates), out (dealing with residents' groups, media, and other governments), and up (dealing with the mayor and council). Leading in each of those directions requires a different skill set such that the effective CAO must be able to wear a variety of hats and must be able to switch those hats very quickly. The suggestion is made that we need to re-consider the ethics and values associated with the position to update our thinking about the expectations of the position.     

从实然庙会到应然庙会——传统庙会与庙会文化的现代转型

庙会文化是一种复合形态的文化,常常是民间艺术精粹与封建迷信糟粕交织在一起,整体性地影响着广大人民群众。以文化经贸为主题的庙会活动是一种文化交流和商业活动,对促进民族文化与地区经济繁荣是有益的。而以迷信为主题的庙会活动却会对我们事业的发展产生很大危害。现实中的庙会形式及其内容并非完全适应改革开放和现代化建设的需要。既要保留传统庙会的精华并注入新的有益成分,又要去除夹杂在其中的迷信内容,使庙会发展与社会主义现代化建设相协调,就需要我们实现庙会从实然状态到应然状态的转变,实现传统庙会的现代转型。     

关于盗窃市政公共设施行为的刑法规则探析

盗窃市政公共设施,足以使不特定多数人的生命健康、不特定车辆的安全处于危险状态,其行为已触犯了以危险方法危害公共安全罪。对此,市政部门建议应当使用法律制裁手段,特别是用比较严厉的刑罚来预防和惩治盗窃市政公共设施的行为,以此来维护市政公共设施的正常运行,保护市民生命财产安全。     

The composition of municipal associations and policy requests to provincial governments: Selected cases

Municipal associations lobby senior levels of government for legislative changes. This article tests how the composition and size of municipal associations affects such policy requests for provincial programs or funding transfers by examining four Canadian associations in BC, Nova Scotia and two in Alberta between 1999 and 2013. The findings suggest that associations with more homogeneous member populations lobby primarily for provincial programs; those with more heterogeneous member populations are more likely to lobby for funds to enact municipal programs. This suggests that the collective intergovernmental lobbying of local government associations is influenced by the internal composition of members as well as the political norms and the external environment.     

What is a meeting? Municipal councils and the Ontario ombudsman

In recent decisions, the Ontario ombudsman has developed his own definition of a “meeting” of a municipal council. The definition derives more from American statutes and judicial decisions than from any prior interpretation of Ontario (or other Canadian) law. The ombudsman's rulings claim that the law prevents municipal councillors from meeting together informally “to lay the groundwork necessary” for the council to exercise its authority. He mistakenly suggests that the policy‐making process is much more open at the federal and provincial levels of government. His rulings unduly restrain groups of municipal councillors from organizing themselves to promote policy change.     

浅谈如何进一步提高巡视工作质量

巡视工作对于促进党委决策部署的贯彻落实,促进党风廉政建设和反腐败工作,促进领导班子和干部队伍建设,起到了积极推动作用。党的十八大提出,巡视工作要紧紧围绕党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争,着力发现问题。面对巡视工作面临的新要求、新任务,要充分发挥巡视干部主观能动性,优化创新巡视工作方式方法,强化对巡视成果的综合运用,提高巡视工作规范化水平,加强巡视工作组织领导和统筹协调,进一步提高巡视工作质量。     

群体性治安事件处置的组织指挥亟待完善

群体性治安事件处置的组织指挥工作事关处置的成败 ,必须予以高度重视。但是 ,当前存在组织指挥领导班子成员结构不合理、搭配不科学 ,指挥工作缺乏规范性 ,组织指挥人员对处置措施、手段不熟悉 ,现场应变能力差 ,使用警力不科学等问题。因此 ,处置事件的领导班子的成员必须优化组合 ,增加权威 ,要加强事件的情报信息工作 ,按照正确的程序进行指挥 ,完善处置工作预案。     

高校基层党支部书记工作方法探讨

高校基层党支部书记应按照科学发展观的要求,通过典型示范、多办实事、抓中心、协调支部班子、掌握思想工作艺术、运用"弹钢琴"以及用人技巧等手段,不断改进工作方法,提高领导艺术,就能在中国特色社会主义理论体系指导下,全面贯彻落实科学发展观,率领广大师生为夺取全面建设小康社会新胜利,推进中国特色社会主义伟大事业做出更大贡献。     

Administering elections in a digital age: Online voting in Ontario municipalities

To date, online voting studies have focused on impacts on political behaviour and voting security. Analyses of impacts on administrators and electoral governance remain sparse internationally and are relegated to overviews in technical reports in Canada (Pammett and Goodman 2013; Goodman and Pyman 2016). Drawing on an original survey of local administrators in Ontario following the 2014 municipal elections, this article explores how online voting impacts election administration. Findings suggest strong satisfaction with online voting, citizen‐centered rationales for adoption, and key differences in challenges and cost based on municipal size. We conclude with implications for the local governance of elections as technology plays a greater role in voting processes.