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January13,2013

AnopenlettertoMayorBratinaandMembersofHamiltonCityCouncil,

WeunderstandyoumaybeconsideringtheOurVoice.OurHamilton.projectattheGeneralIssues

CommitteemeetingonJanuary14,2013.Werespectfullysubmitthislettertoprovidesomeinformationforyourconsiderationoftheissue,alongwitharequesttospeakasadelegation.

TogetherwiththeCityofHamilton,wechosetobesilentthelastfewdaysandlistentothecomments

thathavebeenmade.Wenowknowthissilencewasamistake.Webelieveinhavingconversations

eventhoughattimestheymaybedifficult.Webelieveininclusion,diversityofopinionandrespectfor

all.Thesearevaluesweholddearandoursilencehasbeencontrarytothosevalues.Ourjobistobe

guardianoftheprocess,andtoensureallvoicesarevaluedandheard.Throughthisletter,and

anotheronetothecitizensofHamilton,wearespeakingupsothattheconversationcanbefuller,

richerandopen.

Tostart,wewouldliketotakeresponsibilityformanyoftheeventsthathavetranspiredsinceJanuary

7th.Specifically,wearesorryforaskingforclarificationaboutwhatHSRis,andforplanninganevent

onJanuary17thwhichconflictswithanothercommunityevent.Wetakeresponsibilityforthesecurity

breachesonourwebsitethatallowedavirustobeinsertedandfornotbeingmorerigidwiththe

moderationofourCommunityPrioritiessurvey.WecreatedthePinterestpageandthereforetake

responsibilityfortheimagesthatappearedthere.Forthiswearesorry.

Therehavebeensomewhohaveappearedtobemorevocalandpassionatethisweek.Theloudest

voicesdonotrepresentallandbehindthoseloudvoiceshavebeenmanyotherswhohavenotbeen

heard.Itseasytolosesightofthosewhowanttoparticipatewhenallyouhearisnegativity,orwhen

thereareveryloudvoicesspeaking.Weknowfromexperienceitishardertogivevoicetowhatyoudowant,andeasiertocriticizeandsaywhatyoudonotwant.Hundredsofpeoplehaveaskedtobe

signedupforthenewsletterandhavealreadyparticipatedintheonlineopportunities.Thereare

differentvoicessayingverydifferentthings.Wewanttobeclearitdoesntmeantheloudvoices

arentimportantandwedefinitelywanttohearfromthem.Werespecttheimportantissuesthey

haveraised.ButtheydontspeakforallHamiltonians,andtheloudnessanddisrespectofsomehave

silencedthevoicesofothers.

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Importantissueshavebeenraisedthatrequiremoreconversation.DistrustintheCitysdecision-

makingandspendingchoices,DialoguePartnersandtheCityscredibility,useoftheinputfromthis

conversationandotherengagementprocesses,respectandinclusionofallvoicesinCitygovernance,

someparticipantsexperienceofCityhostedpublicengagementprocesses,andthesubstantiveissue

athandCityservices.Thereisapassion,interestanddesireinthecommunitytotalkaboutthesethings.

Itshardtoconveyrespect,openness,curiosityandtrustworthinessin140charactersorless.Were

stillfiguringoutwhatthismeansfortheuseofTwitterinsituationsofmistrustandemotion.Weknow

fromexperienceyoucantresolveconflictinshortburstsofopinion,anditrequiresindepth

conversation.Youalsocanthaveafullandthoughtfulconversationinsoundbites,andyoucantsolve

complexproblemsthatwayeither.

Neverunderestimatethepowerofagroup.Wevealwaysknown,respected,andadvocatedforthe

powerofpeoplesvoices.WethinkTwitterusersaskedimportantquestionsabouttheproject,our

role,ourpayment,andourknowledge.However,somewhereinthetweetingfrenzyonMondayand

TuesdaythetonebecameabouttakingdownDialoguePartnersinsteadoftalkingaboutCityservices,

Cityneeds,orbuildingacommunity.

Ameaningful,inclusiveprocessiscritical.TheprocesswehavedesignedforOurVoice.OurHamilton.

isinclusive,focusedonarichandthoughtfulconversationaboutCityservicesdesignedtogatherinput

inwaysthatworksforallHamiltonians.Westandbytheprocesswehavedesignedandbelieveitisthe

rightonefortheCity.WebelieveitiscriticallyimportantthattheprocessengagewithALL

Hamiltoniansfromallwalksoflife,andfrommanydifferentexperiencesanddemographics.Our

processwilldothat.Weknowagrouphasorganizedovertheuseofadifferentonlinetoolwere

veryfamiliarwiththistoolbutweknowthatonecooltooldoesntreacheveryone,allowforrespectfuldiscourse,taketheconversationbeyondasurfacelevelorincreaseunderstanding.Oneonlinetool

isntareplacementtoameaningfulconversationwithallHamiltonians.

Publicengagementcanbeemotional,controversialanddoesntflowinastraightline.Wevealways

knownthat,andwevealwaysexpectedtohavetoadaptandbeflexibleinaprocesssowecanbe

responsivetowhatemergesandtopeoplesneeds.IttakescouragetoNOTjumptojudgmentor

conclusionwhenvoicesgetloudandtoallowspaceforadiversityofviewsinafullconversation.

Therearereasonstohirefirmsfromoutsidethecommunitythatdonthaveabias,opinionorstake

intheconversation.HavingastatedopiniononCityservices,aviewonCityHall,advocatingforyourownservicestoberetained,belittlingthosewhohavedifferentviewsthatyoudothesekindsof

thingswouldimpacttheengagementprocesssignificantlyandwouldnotservetheneedsofall

Hamiltonians.Hiringsomeonefromoutsidethecommunitymeanstheyneedtolearnmoreaboutthe

community,butitalsomeanstheydonthaveastakeintheoutcomeoftheconversation.

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Wearenotastrangertocompetence.DialoguePartnersisknowninternationallyforourgood

workinpublicengagementoncomplexandcomplicatedissues.Wespecializeincivicengagementin

situationsofhighemotion,conflictorcontroversy.Weveworkedonissuessuchasnuclearwaste,

inner-cityschoolclosures,spendingprioritiesformunicipalservicesandbudgets,healingand

reconciliationforInuitpeople,environmentaljustice,decadeslongconflictswiththreatsofblockades

andbombingstohydrostations,communityconflictinrecoveryfrommassivebushfiresandflooding,waterasahumanright,timedeferralsforblooddonationbymenwhohavesexwithmenandmore.

Thesekindsofissuestypifytheworkwedohighemotionandhighstakes.

WevewonawardsfromtheCanadianAssociationforMunicipalAdministratorsininnovationfor

citizenengagementandanumberofawardsfromtheInternationalAssociationofPublicParticipation

(IAP2)forethicalandintegralprojectsthatalignwiththeverybestpublicengagementstandards,Core

Valuesandbestpractices.

Wehonourallvoices,andhelpeveryonefindapathforwardtheycanlivewith.Weareethicalinour

practiceandrespectandreflecttheviewsofallequally,andwehaveextensiveexperiencedealingwith

issuesofpower,equityandinclusion.

Wedliketosettherecordstraight.Therehasbeenalotofmisinformationandinaccuracyinthelast

week,andwedliketoprovideafullanswertosomeofthoseissues.Wehaveattachedasettingthe

recordstraightdocumentforyourconsideration.

Wearehumbled.Bythepowerofpeoplesvoice,theiremotionandpassionfortheirCity.Weve

alwayssaidpeoplecandoanythingiftheycometogetherwithintentiontomaketheirvoicesheard.

Werespectthepowerandpassionoftheirvoices.WerespectallHamiltoniansthosewhohave

spokenoutloudly,thosewhohavespokentous,andthosewhoaresilentontheissue.Wethinkevery

Hamiltoniandeservesarighttoavoiceinthisimportantconversation,inanenvironmentofrespect,inclusionandcaring.

WehaveheardthatHamiltonianswanttotalkaboutCityservicesandmore.Wehavereceivedrich

andthoughtfulcommentssofarthathavenotreceivedthesameattentionastheissuescoveredinthe

media.HundredsofpeopleprovidedinputonCityservicesinthefirstthreedaysoftheproject.We

encouragetheCitytocontinuethisimportantdiscussion.

Sincerely,

StephaniRoyMcCallum

ManagingDirector

DialoguePartners