Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies Minutes of the Annual General Meeting June 9, 2012 Toronto, Ontario

Transcription

1 Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies Minutes of the Annual General Meeting June 9, 2012 Toronto, Ontario 1. Identification of Participants a) Voting Members Sue Dunlop, President Cathie Penny, Treasurer Monique Bois, Sudbury Judy Genest, South Cariboo Aimee Thompson, Central Okanagan Toni Sinclair, Edmonton Bonnie Parker, Edmonton Berna Godzinski, Edmonton Leanne Kilby, Hamilton Jo-Anne Wemmers, Quebec Darlene MacEachern, Cape Breton Dawn Kuehn, Central Okanagan Deanna Jinjoe, Vernon Ruth Gagnon, Quebec Chantal Surgeson, Ottawa Denise Durette, Saint John Elaine McLaughlin, Saint John Marilyn Bennett, Manitoba Wanda Mallows, Nova Scotia Erin Hallock, Hamilton Erin Bellavance, Thunder Bay Judy Garneau, Kitchener-Waterloo Rosemary Rowlands, Yukon Barbara Hagen, Calgary Monique Bois, Sudbury Maureen Schizkoske, Sudbury Lucie Joncas, Past President Nancy Poon, Secretary Mollie Both, Kamloops Terri Soukup, Simcoe County Tracy Booth, Manitoba Louise Richards, Kamloops Linda Slavin, Peterborough Patricia Zimmer, Peterborough Cheryl Stapleton, Manitoba Jennie Cunningham, Yukon Mollie Both, Kamloops Jeannette Milley, Nova Scotia Jacki Alto, Thunder Bay Bryonie Baxter, Ottawa Kathi Heim, Prince George Victoria Reeves, Toronto Gillian Gough, Saskatchewan Michelle Coombs, Toronto Nicole Farmer, Nova Scotia Diane Bergeron, Quebec Paula King, Simcoe County Candace Pitvor, Kitchener-Waterloo Debby Hamilton, Vernon Virginia Ashley, Calgary Elisa McFarlane, Toronto b) Regrets Diana Majury, Ottawa Deborah Riddle, Peel-Halton Page 1 of 6

2 Shawn Bayes, Vancouver Bernice Perkins, OOHL Representative c) Staff Kim Pate, Executive Director Candice Pilgrim, Executive Assistant Catherine Karubin, Administrative Assistant d) Observers Mary Young, Mainland Nova Scotia Lynn Yetman, Mainland Nova Scotia Samantha Anderson, Toronto 2. Reading of Mission Statement Kim Pate read out the Mission Statement of CAEFS in English and Lucie Joncas la lit en français. 3. Motion to Approve the Agenda Appendix I That the agenda of the Annual General Meeting be accepted with the addition of a discussion of the recent closure of some of the local Elizabeth Fry Societies. Moved by Erin Bellavance; seconded by Leanne Kilby; carried unanimously. 4. Motion to Approve the Minutes of the June 4, 2011 AGM Appendix II That the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on June 4, 2011, in the Grand Valley Institution, Kitchener, Ontario, be adopted with the correction of the spelling of Jo-Anne Wemmer s name and independent. Moved by Paula King; seconded by Aimee Thompson; carried unanimously. 5. Annual Report Appendix III a) President s Report Sue Dunlop welcomed and acknowledged the AGM participants and thanked the Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto for hosting the CAEFS AGM. Sue also identified some of the awards received by the Executive Director this year. Page 2 of 6

3 b) Treasurer s Report Cathie reviewed her written report and the audited financial statements for CAEFS with the membership. i) Approval of Financial Decisions and Payments of the Past Fiscal Year That the membership accept the Treasurer s Report, including confirmation and approval of all financial decisions and payments made on behalf of CAEFS over the past fiscal year Moved by Cathie Penny; seconded by Terri Soukup; carried unanimously. ii) Budget That the budget for CAEFS for the fiscal year, April 1, 2012 March 31, 2013, be approved as tabled. Moved by Cathie Penny; seconded by Nicole Farmer; carried unanimously. iii) Audited Financial Statements That the membership accept the Treasurer s Report, including confirmation and approval of all financial decisions and payments made on behalf of CAEFS over the past fiscal year, and the audited financial statements, for CAEFS for the fiscal year Moved by Cathie Penny; seconded by Terri Soukup; carried unanimously. iv) Appointment of Auditors That Moore Vallance Chartered Accountants be appointed as the auditors for CAEFS for the fiscal year, April 1, 2012 March 31, Moved by Cathie Penny; seconded by Denise Durette; carried unanimously. c) Executive Director s Report In addition to her written report, Kim thanked the CAEFS Regional Advocates, Board, membership, and staff and indicated that all honours belong to the collective Elizabeth Fry network, as they recognized the work of all of CAEFS membership. Kim also thanked Michelle Coombs, the Executive Director of Elizabeth Fry Society of Toronto, and her staff and volunteers for hosting the CAEFS AGM. Kim gave various examples of the strength and leadership of the women and our membership, and encouraged all to continue to take strong, positive positions and to hold accountable the politicians who are making short-sighted and irresponsible decisions. Page 3 of 6

4 Kim thanked and recognized the particular contributions of the Regional Advocacy Teams. The 18 Regional Advocates all do the advocacy work off the sides of their desks. They make monthly visits to the regional prisons, in addition to the follow up with the women and staff in the prisons. d) Regional Reports Appendix IV i) Pacific Regional Report Louise Richards, Kathi Heim and Mollie Both reported on behalf of the Regional Advocate Team for the Pacific Region. ii) Prairie Regional and Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge Report Toni Sinclair reported on behalf of the Prairie Regional Advocate Team. They are doing their best to assist all of the women in their Region while EFS Saskatchewan is currently unable to assist. iii) Ontario Regional Report Leanne Kilby and Bryonie Baxter reported on behalf of the Regional Advocate Team for the Ontario Region. iv) Quebec Regional Report Ruth Gagnon presented her report in English. v) Atlantic Regional Report Darlene MacEachern presented the Atlantic report on behalf of the Atlantic Regional Advocate Team, the Atlantic Advocacy Committee. e) Committee Reports Appendix V i) Social Action Jo-Anne Wemmers, chairs of the Social Action Committee, reviewed the work of the Committee over the past year and the work plan. ii) Diversity Concerns Bernice Perkins, chair of the Diversity Concerns Committee, was unable to attend the meeting. iii) Regionalization Diana Majury, chair of the Regionalization Committee, was unable to attend, but circulated her report. Page 4 of 6

5 iv) Housing Committee Paula King, reported on the success of the Expanding the Space workshop with the YWCA in March 2012, as well as plans for the housing committee in the future. v) Membership, AGM and Bursary Candace Pitvor, chair of the Membership, AGM and Bursary Committee, announced that the following women were selected to receive Elizabeth Fry Memorial bursaries: Pacific Prairie Ontario Quebec Atlantic Laila Sorenson Junette Jobin Renee Acoby Diane Robertson Marcel Lambert Sylvie Verville Ann-Marie Trepanier Mary Young That the President s, Treasurer s, Executive Director s, Regional and Committee Reports be accepted as tabled and presented. Moved by Virginia Ashley; seconded by Darlene MacEachern; carried unanimously. 6. Resolutions Plenary Appendix VI a) The President of CAEFS presented the following resolution: Whereas in keeping with routine administrative practices, the By-Laws of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies require updating; Therefore be it Resolved That the proposed changes to sections 5.03, 5.07, 5.09, 5.10, 6.11, 8.02, 8.03, 9.02, 9.11, 13.01, and of the By-Laws be accepted as proposed. Moved by Kathi Heim; seconded by Nancy Poon; carried unanimously. b) The Executive Committee of CAEFS presented the following resolution: Whereas the Justice for Indigenous Women Campaign ( the Campaign ) will help right the injustice of the number and proportion of Indigenous women in prison; and, Page 5 of 6

6 Whereas the Campaign is consistent with, and advances the Mission and Principles of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS); therefore, Therefore be it Resolved That CAEFS: support the Campaign in principle; promote the Campaign through CAEFS ongoing work; enable donations to the Campaign to be made to CAEFS, identifying the funds as earmarked for the Campaign; and, designate the CAEFS Executive Director and a Board member to sit on the Campaign s Executive. Moved by Nancy Poon; seconded by Kathi Heim; carried unanimously. 7. Ten Year Volunteer and Staff Announcements Appendix VII The names of volunteers and staff listed were read out and certificates were distributed. 8. Board of Directors for Appendix VIII The CAEFS Board bid farewell to Mollie Both, Louise Richards, Bonnie Parker and Carley Parish; and welcomed Cheryl Stapleton, Nicole Farmer, Kathi Heim, Judy Connors and Candace Pitvor (Interim Board Representative) to the Board. 9. Date and Location of Annual General Meeting The CAEFS membership welcomed the offer of the Pacific Region of Elizabeth Fry Societies to host the next AGM. 10. Closure of Member Offices Appendix IX Nancy Poon clarified that the Elizabeth Fry Society of Saskatchewan is only temporarily closed, due to a lack of funding. She advised that she will draft a letter and requested that letters of support be sent to EFS Saskatchewan. The Elizabeth Fry Society of New Brunswick announced the closure of its office due to a lack of financial resources to continue operations. CAEFS sent the attached letter to the Board at the last known address, urging the President not to rescind their society registration, nor cancel their charitable status. To date, we have not received a response to that correspondence. 11. Adjournment That the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies be adjourned at 1:40 p.m. Ontario time. Moved by Patricia Zimmer; seconded by Judy Garneau; Celebrated unanimously. Page 6 of 6