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How to Find Opportunities to Have a Say
Governments ask citizens to help them in two ways:- Public Consultations (such as town hall meetings and surveys)
- Advisory Committees (groups that meet to discuss issues and advise government)
Public Consultations
To find out about public consultations you can be part of, check these web pages:Canadian Government: http://www.consultingcanadians.gc.ca/hm.jspx?lang=eng
You
can find out what they want to know about by searching the list of public
consultations by Subject (in the column on the left). They
are not in plain words, so you may want to look them over with someone else.
The website will tell you how you can have a say. Most you can do from home with a letter or online survey. You do not have to go to Ottawa to have a say.
You can find out which ones are happening now, and which ones are coming up.
City Government: The City of Calgary has a place on its website where it lists current and past public consultations - http://www.calgary.ca/getinvolved/pages/home.aspx
or click "Get Involved" on the black bar at the bottom of any page on the City of Calgary website. You can also speak at Calgary City Council Committee meetings and City Council Public Hearings if you live in Calgary. The agenda will tell you their topic that day.
Here is a video about how to speak at a City of Calgary meeting.
To find out about public consultations in other cities, type public consultations into the "search" box on their website.
The website will tell you how you can have a say. Most you can do from home with a letter or online survey. You do not have to go to Ottawa to have a say.
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Alberta Government: http://alberta.ca/publicconsultations.cfmCity Government: The City of Calgary has a place on its website where it lists current and past public consultations - http://www.calgary.ca/getinvolved/pages/home.aspx
Here is a video about how to speak at a City of Calgary meeting.
To find out about public consultations in other cities, type public consultations into the "search" box on their website.
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Advisory Committees
To find out about Government Advisory Committees that you can join...- Type Advisory Committee in the "search" box at the top of the Alberta government website www.alberta.ca
- Pages about different committees will be in a Results List.
- Click on one that interests you and see if you can join.
- The Advisory Committee meetings may be in Edmonton.
- Look on your City website for City committees that residents can join.
- In Calgary, they are listed on http://www.calgary.ca/CA/city-clerks/Pages/Legislative-services/Boards-commissions-and-committees-of-council/Boards-Commissions-and-Committees.aspx/li>
- The website says how you can join.
- In Edmonton, you must search for committees that interest you.
- Here is one that may interest Edmontonians http://www.edmonton.ca/for_residents/programs/advisory-board-on-services-for-persons-with-disabilities-description.aspx
