Taking back the city: local solutions to local problems

The thrust of the discussions was clear: find grass-root solutions to various problems such as malnutrition, inadequate public transit and too few cycling/walking/roller-blading facilities, the environment, and integration of immigrants – problems which were brought forth at local public hearings conducted last autumn.

The forum, which attracted 500 participants, was deemed a great success by organizers. "We showed that when we join forces, we are strong," summed up Manon Massé, president of the Corporation de developpement communautaire de Laval (CDCL), the organization responsible for the preliminary local forums and the Forum social.

According to Mrs. Massé the participants, of various origins, ages, and cultural groups dispelled prejudices that characterized Laval residents as socially uninvolved. They came out in large numbers despite the pleasant weather.

Among the huge turnout were elected representatives of the federal and provincial governments and of local school boards, but at the request of the organizers they kept their interventions to a minimum.

"We can only deplore the absence of elected representatives from the municipal level. Mr. Vaillancourt and his team missed a rendez-vous with a large number of people who happily came to have their say in changing the world," Mrs. Massé noted.

The most dynamic initiatives were those with direct links to a specific group," Mrs. Massé said. "When they're backed by an organization, citizens can have access to meeting halls and resources such as fax machines or photocopiers. They start way ahead of the process."

The regional think tanks were the highpoints of the forum. In discussions, participants identified specific problematic situations and used their imagination to propose concrete measures to resolve them. These discussions were generously laced with spirited comments and the process produced several concrete steps toward solutions.

At the workshops held Saturday morning, information which shed light on proposed themes was provided for the benefit of participants, helping them get a better grasp of the issues in preparation for the second part of the forum, the afternoon think tanks.

CDCL coordinator Maxime Bergeron-Laurencelle said his agency will offer support to these emerging groups, adding that he hopes to see other Laval organizations come forward with support of their own. "The load is already heavy for our organization, which is currently under-funded."

Between workshops and think tank sessions, 24 booths offered information about services that are already available throughout Laval island. Groups circulating the information included les Jardins de la famille de Saint-François and Dimension Travail; other groups sought out signatures on petitions regarding the abolition of puppy mills in Laval and the saving of the Saint-François archipelago.

Anyone interested in being part of the citizen initiatives launched at the Forum social de Laval can obtain more information from the CDCL, at 450-978-2388 or at www.forumsocialdelaval.com