The document proposes establishing a Centre for Civic Engagement (CCE) that would serve as an online hub aggregating various social engagement initiatives and connecting partners to collaborate on addressing societal challenges. It notes trends of increasing societal polarization, voter disengagement, and ideological policymaking. In contrast, it sees opportunities in social entrepreneurship, grassroots democracy renewal efforts, and use of social media to promote transparency and collaboration. The CCE would list partner websites, events, biographies and studies to act as a knowledge base, while proactively connecting partners to break down silos and foster advocacy and project-based partnerships for social transformation.

1. The Centre for Civic Engagement
Stone Soup: An Action Plan for
Toronto

2. “We will continue looking for additional savings across government
while providing quality public services for Ontario families.
“And we welcome good ideas — from people, business owners,
economists and the Opposition — on how to best find those
savings.
- Dwight Duncan, Ontario Minister of Finance
“We can perhaps shoot for a grander goal – a province that
provides the best public services, delivered in the most
efficient manner in the world.
If this sounds impossibly ambitious, put the question another
way: Why not?
- The Drummond Report
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3. Stone Soup: A Story
Some travelers come to a village, carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot.
Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the
hungry travelers. Then the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a
large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks
what they are doing.
The travellers answer that they are making "stone soup”, which tastes wonderful,
although it still needs a little bit of garnish to improve the flavour, which they are
missing. The villager does not mind parting with a few carrots to help them out, so
that gets added to the soup.
Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travellers again mention
their stone soup which has not reached its full potential yet. The villager hands them a
little bit of seasoning to help them out. More and more villagers walk by, each adding
another ingredient.
Finally, a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all.
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4. Two Emerging Trends
• Endings
– Existing service delivery model under significant strain
– Society is increasingly polarized
– Voter disengagement resulting in decreasing electoral turnout
– Increasingly ideological policy development and implementation
– Politics is becoming increasingly secretive
– A dearth of high-level creative solutions for our social problems
– An emerging riot culture (Occupy, Quebec, G20)
• … and Beginnings
– The emergence of Social Entrepreneurship and Conscious Capitalism as forces of social good
– Concerned citizens starting grassroots democracy renewal/civic engagement initiatives
– Social media fostering increased transparency and promoting collaboration
– Aggregates/networks gaining traction as tools of efficiency and innovation
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5. The Big Picture
• Governments and Businesses
built on 20th (or in some cases,
17th) Century models are at a
loss on how to build and
succeed in the 21st Century
• The public is increasingly
disenfranchised with business
as usual
• A new class of socially-minded
leaders is developing
opportunities to respond to
today’s challenges
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Centre for
Civic
Engagement

6. The Opportunity – and the Need
• The different threads of social activity are all part
of an emerging picture of social transformation
• What is needed now is a tool that aggregates and
connects these initiatives into a cohesive whole
that allows for cross-pollination and advocacy
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7. What the Centre of Civic Engagement
Would Look Like:
• Providing the Stone in the Stone Soup that is
society, the Centre for Civic Engagement (CCE)
would serve as an online aggregate for social
engagement initiatives:
– List websites
– List upcoming events
– Provide bios, blogs, histories
– Podcasts
– Have an “e-library” of papers and studies relevant to
the topics and trends emerging
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8. Value-Add
• More than just a hub, the CCE would proactively
connect partners (WSIC, CSI, Democracy Renewal,
New Sabbath Project, Canadian Club, etc.) with
each other, seeking opportunities for
collaboration and breaking down systematic silos.
– Advocacy (to government, but equally between
partners)
– Discussion forums and action plans
– Foster project-based partnerships between partners
– Constantly seek new partners to grow the network
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9. DISCUSSION
Notes
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