The administrative impact of international municipal cooperation on Canadian cities and towns: An assessment

Canadian Public Administration

Volumn 42, Issue 3, 1999, Pages 312-330

  Hewitt, W E ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN ONTARIO   (Canada)

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EID: 0346303951     PISSN: 00084840     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1754-7121.1999.tb01553.x     Document Type: Article

References (70)

1. This global push towards municipal internationalism was clearly expressed at the World Assembly of Cities and Local Authorities, held in Istanbul prior to the June 1996 UN-sponsored Habitat II Conference on Human Settlements. Here, in no uncertain terms, mayors and representatives from some of the world's largest urban agglomerations declared their collective intention to seek a greater voice for their municipalities in international affairs. Habitat II, "Habitat II Report A/CONF.165/14, Chapter V - Report of Committee II" (New York: United Nations, 1996); "Prefeitos querem ter voz na ONU," Folha de São Paulo (31 May 1996).
2. This global push towards municipal internationalism was clearly expressed at the World Assembly of Cities and Local Authorities, held in Istanbul prior to the June 1996 UN- sponsored Habitat II Conference on Human Settlements. Here, in no uncertain terms, mayors and representatives from some of the world's largest urban agglomerations declared their collective intention to seek a greater voice for their municipalities in international affairs. Habitat II, "Habitat II Report A/CONF.165/14, Chapter V - Report of Committee II" (New York: United Nations, 1996); "Prefeitos querem ter voz na ONU," Folha de São Paulo (31 May 1996).
3. Andrew Kirby, Sallie Marston and Kenneth Seasholes, "World Cities and Global Communities: The Municipal Foreign Policy Movement and New Roles for Cities," in Paul Knox and Peter Taylor, eds., World Cities in a World System (London: Cambridge University Press, 1995), pp. 268, 272.
4. Manuel Castells, The Rise of the Network Society (Cambridge: Blackwell, 1996), pp. 52-60, 200, 272.
5. Heidi Hobbs, City Hall Goes Abroad (Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1994), pp. 8-9; Michael Shuman, Towards a Global Village: International Community Development Initiatives (London: Pluto, 1994), p. 5.
6. Heidi Hobbs, City Hall Goes Abroad (Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1994), pp. 8-9; Michael Shuman, Towards a Global Village: International Community Development Initiatives (London: Pluto, 1994), p. 5.
7. Some of the earliest twinning initiatives appeared in Europe in the immediate aftermath of World War II, as part of an attempt both to consolidate previous alliances and to reconcile differences between former enemies. In the United States, twinning efforts began in earnest somewhat later, in the 1950s, as successive U.S. administrations attempted to win the "Cold War" by promoting the values of capitalism and democracy overseas. Similar initiatives developed in Japan after 1960 are often attributed to that country's perceived need to enhance its international image and boost foreign trade. See Shuman, Towards a Global Village; Wilbur Zelinsky, "The Twinning of the World: Sister Cities in Geographical and Historical Perspective," Annals of the Association of American Geographers 81, no. 1 (1991), pp. 1-31.
8. Some of the earliest twinning initiatives appeared in Europe in the immediate aftermath of World War II, as part of an attempt both to consolidate previous alliances and to reconcile differences between former enemies. In the United States, twinning efforts began in earnest somewhat later, in the 1950s, as successive U.S. administrations attempted to win the "Cold War" by promoting the values of capitalism and democracy overseas. Similar initiatives developed in Japan after 1960 are often attributed to that country's perceived need to enhance its international image and boost foreign trade. See Shuman, Towards a Global Village; Wilbur Zelinsky, "The Twinning of the World: Sister Cities in Geographical and Historical Perspective," Annals of the Association of American Geographers 81, no. 1 (1991), pp. 1-31.
9. Of the world's 11-12,000 linkages, the majority still originate in Europe, North America and Japan. Overall, France and Germany are the two countries with the largest number of inter-municipal linkages, at 3753 and 3229, respectively. These are followed by the United States (1859), the United Kingdom (1563), Italy (900), Japan (900), and Denmark (654). See Zelinsky, "The Twinning," Annals, p. 12.
10. Along with the "push" factors cited above, the rise of this type of international cooperation has been a response to increasingly vocal calls for assistance on the part of cash-strapped developing-world cities and towns suffering under the weight of unrestrained urban growth. For information on the problems of urban growth in developing areas, see T. L. Blair, Urban Innovation Abroad (New York: Plenum, 1984); A. Gilbert, The Latin American City (Nottingham: Russel Press, 1994); John D. Herbert, Urban Development in the Third World: Policy Guidelines (New York: Praeger, 1979); Robert B. Potter, Urbanization and Planning in the 3rd World (London: Croom Helm, 1985); D. A. Rondinelli and G.S. Cheema, eds., Urban Services in Developing Countries (London: Macmillan, 1988).
11. Along with the "push" factors cited above, the rise of this type of international cooperation has been a response to increasingly vocal calls for assistance on the part of cash-strapped developing-world cities and towns suffering under the weight of unrestrained urban growth. For information on the problems of urban growth in developing areas, see T. L. Blair, Urban Innovation Abroad (New York: Plenum, 1984); A. Gilbert, The Latin American City (Nottingham: Russel Press, 1994); John D. Herbert, Urban Development in the Third World: Policy Guidelines (New York: Praeger, 1979); Robert B. Potter, Urbanization and Planning in the 3rd World (London: Croom Helm, 1985); D. A. Rondinelli and G.S. Cheema, eds., Urban Services in Developing Countries (London: Macmillan, 1988).
12. Along with the "push" factors cited above, the rise of this type of international cooperation has been a response to increasingly vocal calls for assistance on the part of cash-strapped developing-world cities and towns suffering under the weight of unrestrained urban growth. For information on the problems of urban growth in developing areas, see T. L. Blair, Urban Innovation Abroad (New York: Plenum, 1984); A. Gilbert, The Latin American City (Nottingham: Russel Press, 1994); John D. Herbert, Urban Development in the Third World: Policy Guidelines (New York: Praeger, 1979); Robert B. Potter, Urbanization and Planning in the 3rd World (London: Croom Helm, 1985); D. A. Rondinelli and G.S. Cheema, eds., Urban Services in Developing Countries (London: Macmillan, 1988).
13. Along with the "push" factors cited above, the rise of this type of international cooperation has been a response to increasingly vocal calls for assistance on the part of cash-strapped developing-world cities and towns suffering under the weight of unrestrained urban growth. For information on the problems of urban growth in developing areas, see T. L. Blair, Urban Innovation Abroad (New York: Plenum, 1984); A. Gilbert, The Latin American City (Nottingham: Russel Press, 1994); John D. Herbert, Urban Development in the Third World: Policy Guidelines (New York: Praeger, 1979); Robert B. Potter, Urbanization and Planning in the 3rd World (London: Croom Helm, 1985); D. A. Rondinelli and G.S. Cheema, eds., Urban Services in Developing Countries (London: Macmillan, 1988).
14. Along with the "push" factors cited above, the rise of this type of international cooperation has been a response to increasingly vocal calls for assistance on the part of cash-strapped developing-world cities and towns suffering under the weight of unrestrained urban growth. For information on the problems of urban growth in developing areas, see T. L. Blair, Urban Innovation Abroad (New York: Plenum, 1984); A. Gilbert, The Latin American City (Nottingham: Russel Press, 1994); John D. Herbert, Urban Development in the Third World: Policy Guidelines (New York: Praeger, 1979); Robert B. Potter, Urbanization and Planning in the 3rd World (London: Croom Helm, 1985); D. A. Rondinelli and G.S. Cheema, eds., Urban Services in Developing Countries (London: Macmillan, 1988).
15. Some ventures operate on a large scale. One good example is the Mega-Cities project, which links eighteen of the world's largest metropolitan areas as part of a cooperative effort to promote the exchange of ideas and innovative practices. See A. Badshah, "Sharing Approaches that Work: Transfer and Adaptation of Urban Innovations," Cooperation South (May 1995), pp. 29-33. Another is the "Best Practices" program established through the United Nations Center for Human Settlements. Since at least 1995, organizers have begun to collect detailed information on how cities and towns have successfully managed to deal with specific problems of urban development. These have been posted on a UN-related home page on the World Wide Web and are freely available for downloading by municipal administrators and planners from around the globe.
16. Shuman, Towards a Global Village, pp. 24-5.
17. See Gerit Schep et al., Local Challenges for Global Change (The Hague: Sdu Publishers, 1995), pp. 97-9; W.E. Hewitt, "Canada-Latin America Municipal Exchange as a Strategy for Regional Development: Some Observations on the Cost-Benefit Balance Sheet," Journal of Developing Areas 30, no. 4 (July 1996), pp. 447-62.
18. See Gerit Schep et al., Local Challenges for Global Change (The Hague: Sdu Publishers, 1995), pp. 97-9; W.E. Hewitt, "Canada-Latin America Municipal Exchange as a Strategy for Regional Development: Some Observations on the Cost-Benefit Balance Sheet," Journal of Developing Areas 30, no. 4 (July 1996), pp. 447-62.
19. For a rare exception, see W.E. Hewitt, "International Municipal Exchange as a Catalyst for South-North Technology and Information Transfer: A Case Study from the Americas," Canadian Journal of Development Studies 27, no. 2 (1996), pp. 293-311.
20. See Schep et al., Local Challenges.
21. As an example, see Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Benefits of International Partnerships for Canadian Municipalities (Ottawa: FCM, 1993); Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Two-Way Street: How International Municipal Cooperation Benefits Canadian Municipalities (Ottawa: FCM, 1996). In those rare academic studies that have dealt at some level with the issue, analysis of the administrative effects of international municipal involvement has tended to reinforce the "stakeholder" line. For example, one assessment by Patricia McCarney essentially reaffirms the positive portrait developed by IMC-sponsoring agencies such as the FCM. McCarney posits that involvement with IMC has a very positive impact on professional growth and leads to an improvement in the morale of municipal staff. Similarly, she notes that participants develop a broader perspective on managing their own city and develop a new interpretation of how well their own city or town functions relative to others in poorer parts of the world. See Patricia McCarney, "Decentralized Cooperation: Experience with International Municipal Assistance Programmes," in Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), ed., Together We Can Change Our World (Ottawa: Runge Press, 1993).
22. As an example, see Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Benefits of International Partnerships for Canadian Municipalities (Ottawa: FCM, 1993); Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Two-Way Street: How International Municipal Cooperation Benefits Canadian Municipalities (Ottawa: FCM, 1996). In those rare academic studies that have dealt at some level with the issue, analysis of the administrative effects of international municipal involvement has tended to reinforce the "stakeholder" line. For example, one assessment by Patricia McCarney essentially reaffirms the positive portrait developed by IMC-sponsoring agencies such as the FCM. McCarney posits that involvement with IMC has a very positive impact on professional growth and leads to an improvement in the morale of municipal staff. Similarly, she notes that participants develop a broader perspective on managing their own city and develop a new interpretation of how well their own city or town functions relative to others in poorer parts of the world. See Patricia McCarney, "Decentralized Cooperation: Experience with International Municipal Assistance Programmes," in Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), ed., Together We Can Change Our World (Ottawa: Runge Press, 1993).
23. As an example, see Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Benefits of International Partnerships for Canadian Municipalities (Ottawa: FCM, 1993); Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Two-Way Street: How International Municipal Cooperation Benefits Canadian Municipalities (Ottawa: FCM, 1996). In those rare academic studies that have dealt at some level with the issue, analysis of the administrative effects of international municipal involvement has tended to reinforce the "stakeholder" line. For example, one assessment by Patricia McCarney essentially reaffirms the positive portrait developed by IMC-sponsoring agencies such as the FCM. McCarney posits that involvement with IMC has a very positive impact on professional growth and leads to an improvement in the morale of municipal staff. Similarly, she notes that participants develop a broader perspective on managing their own city and develop a new interpretation of how well their own city or town functions relative to others in poorer parts of the world. See Patricia McCarney, "Decentralized Cooperation: Experience with International Municipal Assistance Programmes," in Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), ed., Together We Can Change Our World (Ottawa: Runge Press, 1993).
24. Heidi Hobbs also relates that municipal officials have been criticized by both municipal staff and ratepayers for travelling abroad in pursuit of international goals and, thus, according to some quarters, ignoring their duties at home. See Hobbs, City Hall Goes Abroad, pp. 72-7.
25. In some cases, claims Michael Shuman, municipalities have actually been taken to court by federal prosecutors over such "discrepencies." Local administrations have also been roundly criticized by the state or federal governments for spending taxpayer money abroad or simply for meddling in issues that are best left to the "experts" in Washington. See Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 65 (Winter 1986-87), pp. 154-74; Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Courts vs. Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 86 (Spring 1992), pp. 158-77; Shuman, Towards a Global Village, pp. 65-7. On public concerns about municipal international adventures, see J. Kincaid, "Rain Clouds over Municipal Diplomacy: Dimensions and Possible Sources of Negative Public Opinion," in Earl Fry, Lee Radebaugh and Panayotis Soldatos, eds., The New International Cities Era: The Global Activities of North American Municipal Governments (Provo, Utah: Kennedy Center for International Studies, 1989).
26. In some cases, claims Michael Shuman, municipalities have actually been taken to court by federal prosecutors over such "discrepencies." Local administrations have also been roundly criticized by the state or federal governments for spending taxpayer money abroad or simply for meddling in issues that are best left to the "experts" in Washington. See Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 65 (Winter 1986-87), pp. 154-74; Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Courts vs. Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 86 (Spring 1992), pp. 158-77; Shuman, Towards a Global Village, pp. 65-7. On public concerns about municipal international adventures, see J. Kincaid, "Rain Clouds over Municipal Diplomacy: Dimensions and Possible Sources of Negative Public Opinion," in Earl Fry, Lee Radebaugh and Panayotis Soldatos, eds., The New International Cities Era: The Global Activities of North American Municipal Governments (Provo, Utah: Kennedy Center for International Studies, 1989).
27. In some cases, claims Michael Shuman, municipalities have actually been taken to court by federal prosecutors over such "discrepencies." Local administrations have also been roundly criticized by the state or federal governments for spending taxpayer money abroad or simply for meddling in issues that are best left to the "experts" in Washington. See Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 65 (Winter 1986-87), pp. 154-74; Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Courts vs. Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 86 (Spring 1992), pp. 158-77; Shuman, Towards a Global Village, pp. 65-7. On public concerns about municipal international adventures, see J. Kincaid, "Rain Clouds over Municipal Diplomacy: Dimensions and Possible Sources of Negative Public Opinion," in Earl Fry, Lee Radebaugh and Panayotis Soldatos, eds., The New International Cities Era: The Global Activities of North American Municipal Governments (Provo, Utah: Kennedy Center for International Studies, 1989).
28. In some cases, claims Michael Shuman, municipalities have actually been taken to court by federal prosecutors over such "discrepencies." Local administrations have also been roundly criticized by the state or federal governments for spending taxpayer money abroad or simply for meddling in issues that are best left to the "experts" in Washington. See Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 65 (Winter 1986-87), pp. 154-74; Michael Shuman, "Dateline Main Street: Courts vs. Local Foreign Policies," Foreign Policy no. 86 (Spring 1992), pp. 158-77; Shuman, Towards a Global Village, pp. 65-7. On public concerns about municipal international adventures, see J. Kincaid, "Rain Clouds over Municipal Diplomacy: Dimensions and Possible Sources of Negative Public Opinion," in Earl Fry, Lee Radebaugh and Panayotis Soldatos, eds., The New International Cities Era: The Global Activities of North American Municipal Governments (Provo, Utah: Kennedy Center for International Studies, 1989).
29. Zelinsky, "The Twinning" Annals, p. 12.
30. Shuman, Towards a Global Village, p. 27.
31. See Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Annual Review (Ottawa: FCM, for the years 1993 to 1998).
32. For more information on the process, see W.E. Hewitt, "Partnerships that Work: Canada-Latin America International Municipal Exchange." FOCAL Paper Series (Ottawa: Canadian Foundation for the Americas, 1995).
33. Federation of Canadian Municipalities (International Office), Annual Review, 1997-98 (Ottawa: FCM, 1998), p. 14.
34. Population figures taken from District of Kitimat, Kitimat: Port City on the Move (Kitimat: District of Kitimat, 1998), p. 3; District of Kitimat, "Partnership Program, Initial Visit to Riobamba, Ecuador." Report, 1 February 1995, p. 1; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Rapport de la Délégation Charlesbourgeoise à la Fédération Canadienne des Municipalités." Report, April 1994, p. 6; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Profil Socio-Économique." Report, January 1995, p. 2.
35. Population figures taken from District of Kitimat, Kitimat: Port City on the Move (Kitimat: District of Kitimat, 1998), p. 3; District of Kitimat, "Partnership Program, Initial Visit to Riobamba, Ecuador." Report, 1 February 1995, p. 1; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Rapport de la Délégation Charlesbourgeoise à la Fédération Canadienne des Municipalités." Report, April 1994, p. 6; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Profil Socio-Économique." Report, January 1995, p. 2.
36. Population figures taken from District of Kitimat, Kitimat: Port City on the Move (Kitimat: District of Kitimat, 1998), p. 3; District of Kitimat, "Partnership Program, Initial Visit to Riobamba, Ecuador." Report, 1 February 1995, p. 1; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Rapport de la Délégation Charlesbourgeoise à la Fédération Canadienne des Municipalités." Report, April 1994, p. 6; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Profil Socio-Économique." Report, January 1995, p. 2.
37. Population figures taken from District of Kitimat, Kitimat: Port City on the Move (Kitimat: District of Kitimat, 1998), p. 3; District of Kitimat, "Partnership Program, Initial Visit to Riobamba, Ecuador." Report, 1 February 1995, p. 1; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Rapport de la Délégation Charlesbourgeoise à la Fédération Canadienne des Municipalités." Report, April 1994, p. 6; Ville de Charlesbourg, "Profil Socio-Économique." Report, January 1995, p. 2.
38. Currently, no municipalities in the Atlantic provinces are partnered with Latin American cities or towns.
39. For a preliminary analysis of such commonalities, see Hewitt, "Canada-Latin America Municipal Exchange." FOCAL Paper Series. In fact, any of the cases subject to more intensive scrutiny as part of the larger SSHRCC study could have been used in this analysis.
40. District of Kitimat, "Protocol Agreement between the Municipality of Riobamba, Ecuador and the District of Kitimat, Canada." Report, June 1995; Trafford Hall, municipal manager, District of Kimitat. Interviews, 4 January 1997, 19 June 1997, and 14 April 1998.
41. District of Kitimat, "Protocol Agreement between the Municipality of Riobamba, Ecuador and the District of Kitimat, Canada." Report, June 1995; Trafford Hall, municipal manager, District of Kimitat. Interviews, 4 January 1997, 19 June 1997, and 14 April 1998.
42. Interviews.
43. Interview, 14 April 1998.
44. Steve Lawson, purchasing agent, District of Kitimat. Interview, 15 April 1998.
45. Lawson, interview.
46. Hall, interview, 14 April 1998.
47. Joanne Monaghan, municipal councillor, District of Kitimat. Interview, 14 April 1998.
48. Richard Wozney, mayor, District of Kitimat. Interview, 15 April 1998.
49. Wozney, interview.
50. Hall, interview, 14 April 1998.
51. Lawson, interview.
52. Lawson, interview.
53. Hall, interview, 14 April 1998.
54. Lawson, interview.
55. City of Charlesbourg, "Rapport concernant une mission d'évaluation dans le cadre du programme de partenariat entre les villes de Charlesbourg (Canada) et la ville d'Ovalle (Chili)." Report, October 1996, pp. 2-3.
56. Ibid., pp. 2-3, 10-22.
57. Michel Lavoie, city administrator, City of Charlesbourg. Interview, 19 June 1998.
58. Lavoie, interview.
59. Lavoie, interview.
60. Ralph Mercier, mayor, City of Charlesbourg. Interview, 19 June 1998.
61. Fabienne Mathieu, urban planner, City of Charlesbourg. Interview, 19 June 1998.
62. Richard Sévigny, information officer, City of Charlesbourg. Interview, 19 June 1998.
63. Peter Murphy, urban planner, City of Charlesbourg. Interview, 19 June 1998.
64. Murphy, interview.
65. Lavoie, interview.
66. Mathieu, interview.
67. Sévigny, interview.
68. Peter Murphy, interview.
69. Murphy, interview.
70. Municipality of Ovalle, "Informe programa de intercambio chileno canadiense." Report, July 1997.