最近, 因为门前街道两旁的椴树修剪问题我与选区的市/郡议员及市政有关人员杠上了, 对加拿大的市政官僚作风有进一步的了解。

我家门前沿街两旁长着很多二、三十米高的美洲椴树, 不少树干基部长出了大堆粗壮的"根蘖"(root sucker）。驾车从房前进出车道时, 尤其在街道转弯时,茂密的"根蘖"往往挡住视线, 带来行车安全隐患。

沿街的树皆为市政部门种植管理, 属城市财产, 但市政部门已经多年没来我们街修剪树木。有些居民自己动手将门前碍眼的根蘖剪除, 不少人家似乎无动于衷。

5月28日, 我在市政府的网上服务平台填表递交了Service Request, 希望尽快派人来修剪这条街的所有根蘖, 并强调了它涉及到居民的行车安全。递交完毕,平台自动回复了一个带"服务要求"登记号的电子邮件, 以便跟进查询。

然而, 泥牛入海, 杳无音信；一个半月后上网查询, 也只见Service Request递交日期, 却无任何进展更新。

7月13日上午, 我再次递交了两份"服务要求"和实拍照片, 并询问了此前"服务要求"的进展。

4小时后, 市公园和森林管理部一位女士打来电话, 希望我同意他们删除当天递交的"repeated Service Request"。而当我问到一个月前递交的服务要求时, 她却以十分含糊的口吻回答：Sorry for not replying earlier. Because we serve a large area with so many trees, the request must be approved by the City Council with allocated budget。It will take time.

显然, 她给我打电话的唯一目的是希望获得授权以便删除我再次递交的资料 (会影响他们工作评估的KPI?), 至于其它, 她则以行政程序为借口轻描淡写地推诿责任, 不屑一顾。

我同意她删除最近递交的文字资料, 但要求保留所附照片。君子成人之美, 她也不过是个照章办事的职员！事实上, 我还保留着每次递交资料后市府平台回复的电子确认邮件呢。

一周后, 我在附近(另一条街)饭后散步时恰巧碰到了正挨家挨户散发竞选传单, 争取再次当选市议员的Mr. R, 安省四年一次的市政投票选举将于11月举行。我趁机简单地向Mr. R介绍了相关问题, 期盼他作为选区议员帮助解决。Mr. R明确告诉我: 所提服务事项根本不需要市议会讨论批准, 他家街道附近的树木都会被定期修剪。随即, 他递给我一份有联系信息的竞选传单, 要我将有关要求写下直接寄给他, 明天帮助解决。

选战在即, 候选人要最大限度地争取选票, 关键时刻, 对选民的合理诉求必须应承解决。

当晚, 我给Mr. R发了封电子邮件, 详细叙述了我们街道面临的问题, 并就纳税人与政府之间的权力与义务质询：

• If the city does not care about our service request, should we pay property tax each year? Will the city staff like to see their salary payment delayed by a single day, a few months, or even longer? 
• I am a property owner of this city for 29 years. I have ALWAYS paid my property tax ON TIME, never ever delayed a single day! While I have exercised my citizenship right/obligation to vote in all the municipal, provincial and federal elections for over 30 years, I am wondering if our elected politician can do something practically for the voters in return (e.g. solve this safety problem)! We deserve to get better services from our city with all our hard-earned tax dollars! Otherwise, we have all the legitimate reasons to request for postponing city staff's salary payment. Let all the staff involved see how bureaucracy works for themselves! 
• Do we have any accountability system in our municipal government? 

7月21日上午, Mr.R的行政助理Ms. C给我发来了电子邮件：

• I spoke with City staff regarding your concern about tree pruning on xxx Drive.
• They have informed me that there is an existing case in the system that was inspected last month and is in the queue for completion within our standard service level thresholds. 

显然，Ms. C已经例行公事地询问了有关部门。从表面上看, 议员办公室收到抱怨后努力办事并及时回复了, 但实际上是典型的官样搪塞, 缺乏实质性内容！

我随即给Ms. C回复了一份并不十分客气的电邮：

• Will you be able to let me know exactly what the "standard service level thresholds"are? A week? A month? One year? 
• Based on my brief conversation with Mr. R last night, he indicated that the problem should be resolved immediately. IT HAS NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE ON THE STREET IN HIS RESIDENCE AREA. 

很快地, Ms. C的电邮回复来了：

• Forestry service levels provide up to approximately 8 months from the inspection date to complete the work, depending on workload, seasonality, and prioritization. 

哪一天是"检查日期"？网上查无记录; 工作将在什么时候完成? 更是一个未知数!

没办法, 我只好下午给Mr. R的手机连发几个短信并附两张所拍的街道照片,坦诚指出:

• Obviously, 1. You have not got a chance to read my email yet; and 2. I have hit another bureaucratic block. 
• As a taxpayer, I don't think we should tolerate elected politicians making empty promises without solving practical problems! Your personal attention to the matter and solution will be fully appreciated. 
• You may personally drive through our street to see the problem please. 
• My neighbourers and I have been patiently waiting for city's own & proper action for years before submitting my Service Request last May. 
• We expect concrete timeframe, action, and, most importantly, the result. Whenever I receive my Property Tax Bill, I know when it's due and how much I have to pay, nothing more or less. 

毫无疑问, 我的几次质询涉及到了一些根本性的问题, 从政几十年的Mr. R当然清楚这些质询词的份量。次日上午, 他给我发了手机短信回复和承诺：

• I appreciate your feelings on this issue. As I told you, I will look into it & let you know. My office provided you what it was told. I have placed a call & will update you shortly.

下午3点, Ms. C的电子邮件来了：

• I have some good news. City staff have agreed to expedite the tree pruning on your street and expect the work to be completed by August 14^th。

我们夫妇到门外一看, 我家附近椴树的根蘖和大树低矮处的树枝都已经被修剪得干干净净,从我家车库和车道开车出来, 终于可以一目了然地看清附近是否有正在行驶靠近的车辆或行人。显然, 他们优先解决了我家开车进出的安全问题, 而整条街的大树修剪也列入了市政相关部门的工作议程,将在3周内全部完成。

我即刻给Mr. R和Ms. C分别寄发了感谢性的电子邮件：

• Great news, indeed! Thanks for the update and your help to accelerate the process. I am sure it will make our street safer for all the drivers and pedestrians.  
• "Thank you" also goes to all the involved staff in the Forest Department. 
• Looking forward to work completed on time and on schedule.

第二天一早，我收到了Mr. R的手机短信：

• Happy that you are happy. 
• Sometime the general rules are not in the best interest of the people, that is when elected officials get involved.  

市选在即, Mr. R趁机强调了他作为民选议员的作用。

从根本上, 政府机构的官僚作风, 是官僚体系和人类某些弱点或劣性本能的产物。由于政府机构理事的繁杂, 管理机制的失灵和本本主义观念的作祟 ...... 无论在任何国家或社会, 官僚作风都难以避免, 尽管各自的表现方式和程度不一。民主制度本身并不能根除官僚主义, 现实生活中, 西方国家(尤其是政府机构)的官僚作风到处可见, 比比皆是。

民选官员也的确不可能时时处处地了解和掌控一切, 在很多情况下, 官僚们首先由办公室行政下属出面应付普通民众是其上策, 明哲保身, 尽量避雷是他们的立身法则。

但是, 民主制度具有透明性, 它也赋予了人们选举权和问责权。通过选举,问责和积极参与等途径, 纳税人在一定范围内和一定程度上可以限制政府机构官僚作风的泛滥, 维护纳税人的利益。且不论Mr. R是否称职, 但今年恰逢市政选举, 面对市民不懈的问责，争取连任的他别无选择, 只能也必须践行许诺, 帮助解决实际问题。而市政相关部门的官僚们，在议员关注和市民追问的双重压力下, 不得不最终正视现实, 作出合理且切实可行的安排。

8月4-5日, 市府的工程车与工作人员将我家所在的整条街两旁树木都修剪完毕。尽管相邻的另一条街情况类似, 但无人问津, 修剪树木的工程车扬长而过, 市政工作人员大概是依工作安排单完成任务而已。

想起了一句中国民间俗话: "会哭的孩子有奶吃"。大声表达诉求、积极争取的人必然首先引发关注, 得到资源支配者应有的重视和"优先照顾"。公平合理吗? 这就是当今官僚们践行的规则！