Encourage and post all feedback even if it might be critical of city services
Democracy supports uncensored debate among its members. This site should not filter or moderate submissions from its citizens even if they are critical of city services or staff. How else can the city improve unless it removes its hands from its ears. How else can we admit to what needs improvement and seek suggestions and alternatives from an educated and involved public? Don't let this site become just a PR vehicle. If that is all that it is, there will be no compelling reason to come back to it.
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nochance commented
City does NOT openly permit criticism. So many things are very well done, shut some are ridiculous. As someone who has only once criticized this city, I was absolutely horror red at the way I was treated. This city need to listen.
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Benton commented
Almost everybody would agree that a frank airing of issues, with criticism that is deserved and suggestions that are insightful, is a good thing. However, I suspect that the acid test for the conviction that open dialogue deserves support will come once somebody makes a critical remark of city staff or a councillor. I can imagine that the reaction may be "We cannot allow city resources to be used to promote attacks on the city" or "We will never allow identified individuals to be subject to criticism." Such censure is what I expect to see in totalitarian regimes overseas that stifle criticism. I would like to see that the City of Waterloo and its individual leaders have the strength of character and the confidence in open democracy to be able to weather such honest feedback from its citizens and to be able to answer back in kind, without disallowing dissent.
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Totally agree Bobby. We want the feedback. Positive or negative...let us know. That is the intent, and will alsways be the intent of this site.