Wesley Petite

Wesley holds a PhD in Political Science with a specialization in political economy. Beyond his studies, Wesley also has in-depth experience in consulting on and organizing dialogues over the allocation of public resources. His work is driven by questions of how the experiential knowledge of Canadian residents can be better integrated into dialogues with government decision-makers. He uses qualitative research techniques to investigate how calls for the "democratization of democracy" are articulated and responded to, focusing specifically on opportunities on the municipal level of government. His doctoral research investigated how the participatory turn in urban planning supported new, albeit limited, dialogues between the City of Toronto and residents seeking to participate in the allocation of public funds. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wesley has been focused on how community-led initiatives make emergency responses more comprehensive, sustainable, and effective. Wesley joins the TRRU team with an interest in developing research on how transparency, dialogue, and trust are necessary elements of effective immunization strategies.