Local governance is executed in a diverse range of settings, from formal councils to informal settings in the voluntary and private sectors. Determining action in these settings, however, requires discussion and debate before decisions are taken and executed. Using discourse analysis, this paper analyzes citizen-populated committees of council in an Ontario municipality to highlight the conversational strategies used to reach decisions. Up to now, the large body of governance literature has typically focused on how we ought to reach decisions rather than how we actually do reach them. Understanding existing practice points to more effective strategies for collective decision making.
