With humour and humanity Surviving City Hall reveals the workings of the municipal world based on author Donna Macdonalds nineteen years as a city councillor. Wrestling with ground squirrels dealing with dogs and grappling with the Three Bears of Governance Macdonald offers an insiders view into how things work at city hall in a call to citizens in communities of all shapes and sizes. From the table where council members make decisionsto lock out city workers detoxify a workplace issue permit high density development and ban dogs downtownto the richness of community life including meetings memorials meat banquets and rallies for the protection of endangered animals this book is a bighearted take on smalltown politics. Its also a reflection on leadership and on democracy and how we could do both better. Macdonald ponders womens participation in local governance why its critical and what the barriers are that can dissuade women from engaging more fully in the governance of their communities. show more