{"id":346,"date":"2014-12-24T12:59:00","date_gmt":"2014-12-24T12:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rf.podcastfixit.com\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/"},"modified":"2015-06-01T19:40:41","modified_gmt":"2015-06-01T19:40:41","slug":"citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/","title":{"rendered":"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Tracey Arial<\/b>
www.thesuburban.com<\/a><\/p>\n

People have been asking LaSalle resident Joseph Pugliese where he\u2019s been lately. The active citizen and new media film-maker has missed two LaSalle borough council meetings in a row, something that hasn\u2019t happened in about three years. <\/p>\n

Pugliese regularly asks borough councillors about anything he takes seriously, including public expense accounts, the treatment of the Legion and toxic waste on public and private land. In addition to asking pointed entertaining questions at council, he\u2019s been known to put up public posters around town. He\u2019s also recently started creating films and publishing them on his website, democratique.ca<\/a>. When he takes an issue in hand, situations resolve. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey keep telling me that there\u2019s no toxic waste anywhere in LaSalle,\u201d said Pugliese. \u201cThen I read about all the contaminated materials they\u2019ve been dumping, treating and burying here and I don\u2019t believe them. If they had told me that they know it\u2019s here, but it\u2019s being stored properly and people are keeping an eye on it, I could stop worrying. What are their denials hiding?\u201d <\/p>\n

Pugliese really cares about exposures to toxins. Earlier this year, he noticed a pile of sand contaminated with toxins next to a park on the Allion school yard and made sure it got cleaned up fast. <\/p>\n

As a cancer survivor at only 36-years-old, he wonders whether living close to the CINTEC waste site may have hurt his health. That site is now closed, thanks in part to his activism prior to last year\u2019s election. He still doesn\u2019t like the fact that such a large repertoire of toxins remains near his home, but recognizes that no one has the money to clean the site up for now. <\/p>\n

Pugliese isn\u2019t the only volunteer keeping elected politicians on their toes. Every borough meeting in LaSalle, Verdun and elsewhere has regular observers who ask pointed important questions. Many, including Sonja Susnjar, Louise Cyr and Louise Constantin, have led campaigns to prevent or achieve particular projects. Others, like Andr\u00e9 Julien and Steven Laperri\u00e8re, are in charge of political parties opposing those in power. They also ask good questions about errors or miscommunication, but sometimes also ask questions to point out differences in platforms and approach. Many of them have spent years serving as regular democracy watchdogs, which brought them into politics in the first place. <\/p>\n

Everyone volunteering to keep citizens informed should be thanked for their efforts.
\n (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i[‘GoogleAnalyticsObject’]=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
\n (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
\n m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
\n })(window,document,’script’,’\/\/www.google-analytics.com\/analytics.js’,’ga’);<\/p>\n

ga(‘create’, ‘UA-45892555-1’, ‘auto’);
\n ga(‘send’, ‘pageview’);<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Tracey Arialwww.thesuburban.com People have been asking LaSalle resident Joseph Pugliese where he\u2019s been lately. The active citizen and new media film-maker has missed two LaSalle borough council meetings in a row, something that hasn\u2019t happened in about three years. Pugliese regularly asks borough councillors about anything he takes seriously, including public expense accounts, the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-346","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nCitizen engagement keeps democracy strong - Newscoverage<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong - Newscoverage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Tracey Arialwww.thesuburban.com People have been asking LaSalle resident Joseph Pugliese where he\u2019s been lately. The active citizen and new media film-maker has missed two LaSalle borough council meetings in a row, something that hasn\u2019t happened in about three years. Pugliese regularly asks borough councillors about anything he takes seriously, including public expense accounts, the\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Newscoverage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/robert.frank.90834\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-12-24T12:59:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-06-01T19:40:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"editor robert\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"editor robert\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"editor robert\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/fc82a2a747f4a72f7a4833658ab077a3\"},\"headline\":\"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-12-24T12:59:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-06-01T19:40:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":484,\"commentCount\":0,\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/\",\"name\":\"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong - Newscoverage\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2014-12-24T12:59:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-06-01T19:40:41+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/fc82a2a747f4a72f7a4833658ab077a3\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/2014\\\/12\\\/24\\\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/\",\"name\":\"Newscoverage\",\"description\":\"newscoverage.org\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/fc82a2a747f4a72f7a4833658ab077a3\",\"name\":\"editor robert\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-CA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8218f97425a88f0212b8636d21d09c56391445f892db32b08ed4f8e5613c37ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8218f97425a88f0212b8636d21d09c56391445f892db32b08ed4f8e5613c37ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8218f97425a88f0212b8636d21d09c56391445f892db32b08ed4f8e5613c37ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"editor robert\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/robert.frank.90834\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/newscoverage.org\\\/index.php\\\/author\\\/editor-robert\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong - Newscoverage","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong - Newscoverage","og_description":"By Tracey Arialwww.thesuburban.com People have been asking LaSalle resident Joseph Pugliese where he\u2019s been lately. The active citizen and new media film-maker has missed two LaSalle borough council meetings in a row, something that hasn\u2019t happened in about three years. Pugliese regularly asks borough councillors about anything he takes seriously, including public expense accounts, the","og_url":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/","og_site_name":"Newscoverage","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/robert.frank.90834","article_published_time":"2014-12-24T12:59:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2015-06-01T19:40:41+00:00","author":"editor robert","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"editor robert","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/"},"author":{"name":"editor robert","@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/#\/schema\/person\/fc82a2a747f4a72f7a4833658ab077a3"},"headline":"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong","datePublished":"2014-12-24T12:59:00+00:00","dateModified":"2015-06-01T19:40:41+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/"},"wordCount":484,"commentCount":0,"inLanguage":"en-CA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/","url":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/","name":"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong - Newscoverage","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/#website"},"datePublished":"2014-12-24T12:59:00+00:00","dateModified":"2015-06-01T19:40:41+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/#\/schema\/person\/fc82a2a747f4a72f7a4833658ab077a3"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-CA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/2014\/12\/24\/citizen-engagement-keeps-democracy\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Citizen engagement keeps democracy strong"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/#website","url":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/","name":"Newscoverage","description":"newscoverage.org","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-CA"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/#\/schema\/person\/fc82a2a747f4a72f7a4833658ab077a3","name":"editor robert","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-CA","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8218f97425a88f0212b8636d21d09c56391445f892db32b08ed4f8e5613c37ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8218f97425a88f0212b8636d21d09c56391445f892db32b08ed4f8e5613c37ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8218f97425a88f0212b8636d21d09c56391445f892db32b08ed4f8e5613c37ac?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"editor robert"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/robert.frank.90834"],"url":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/author\/editor-robert\/"}]}},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=346"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2965,"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/346\/revisions\/2965"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=346"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=346"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newscoverage.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=346"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}