Special Committee of the Whole called for Nov. 25
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Many
ways citizens can speak to Council live and help advance Vaughan’s anti-racism
initiatives
A Special Committee of the Whole meeting is taking place on Wednesday,
Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. to address issues of racism and further advance the City of
Vaughan’s diversity, inclusion and anti-racism efforts. The City is encouraging
residents to participate in the virtual meeting by sharing suggestions or ideas
that can help shape these initiatives. There are many ways individuals can get
involved, including by phone, teleconference or email methods. Learn more at vaughan.ca/HaveYourSay.
Public
consultation is vital to the development and success of these initiatives. As a
result, the meeting will include a large agenda with presentations by staff and
stakeholders. While City Hall remains closed to the public, there are many ways
citizens can participate and have their voices heard during this virtual
meeting, including:
- speaking live via teleconference to Mayor Bevilacqua and Members of Council during the meeting. To pre-register to be an electronic speaker, send a completed form (PDF) to clerks@vaughan.ca or call Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281. Participants will be provided instructions on how to connect to the meeting. A test meeting will also be held before every electronic-participation meeting to allow participants to test their connection and software. Members of the public can connect through their own computer, smartphone or tablet.
- speaking live from a telephone (regular landline or cellphone) during the meeting. To pre-register to be a telephone speaker, please contact the Office of the City Clerk at clerks@vaughan.ca or call Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281.
- submitting a written communication for review by Members of Council as part of an agenda item. All written communications can be emailed to the Office of the City Clerk at clerks@vaughan.ca.
- Watch a live broadcast of the meeting at vaughan.ca/LiveCouncil. A feed will become available at the start of the meeting.
All speaker requests and written
submissions must be received by noon on the last business day before each meeting.
In addition, they must relate to a matter on the agenda, clearly state the
request or message trying to be conveyed and include the name and contact
information of the participant. The name and address for any citizens
submitting a communication – written, electronic or by telephone – will appear
in the public record and will be posted online following the meeting. For
additional details about submitting a communication or being a live speaker,
visit vaughan.ca/HaveYourSay. A
meeting agenda can also be viewed at vaughan.ca/CouncilMeetings.
The Special Committee of the Whole meeting
coincides with several initiatives currently underway, including Council’s
decision to establish the Diversity and Inclusion
Task Force. This new working group has a mandate
to guide the development of policies that promote fairness, mutual respect and
inclusion. Public recruitment was recently completed for community
representatives to serve alongside Members of Council.
To receive the City’s latest updates on COVID-19, check vaughan.ca/ReopeningVaughan, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram channels.
Those who feel unwell, and believe they have symptoms related to
COVID-19, should contact York Region Public Health
at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For
additional information and resources on COVID-19, including physical distancing
tips and advice from Public Health officials, visit York Region's website
at york.ca/COVID19.
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