FairvoteWRC AGM 2017-06-21

Minutes of Fair Vote Waterloo Region Chapter Annual General Meeting

Date

12 June 21 2017, 7:00pm

Location

Egg Roll King Restaurant

Present

Dave Arthur, Jay Judkowitz, David Dolson, Cathy Scott, David Dirks, Bob Jonkman, Jennifer Ross, Jonathan Cassels, Sharon Sommerville, Donald Fraser, Jim Sannes, Kevin Smith.

Meeting Announcement

http://www.fairvotewrc.ca/event/fair-vote-waterloo-annual-general-meeting-for-2017/

Review and acceptance of minutes from 2016 AGM

• moved David Dirks, seconded by Jennifer Ross
• all in favour of approval

Report from the Co-Chair and Chapter Co-ordinator, Sharon Sommerville

• 12 community festivals, 3 of them in 2 days
• submitted 22 community dialogues
• hosted Jean-Pierre Kingsley
• monthly discussions
• backyard discussion
• high schools
• National Day of Action - Feb 11
• pop up protest at Liberal event
• Nathan Cullen's tour
• 48 letters to the editor on electoral reform
• doubling our media presence every year for four years
• 37000 people visiting website in 2017
• 27 pages of petitions this year
• only 3 buttons left from order
• 3 runs of postcards - passionately received
• Tri-Pride and Labour Picnic have the highest proportion of interest
• Not much presence in Cambridge
• best response is to the fairness issue

• accepted: moved by Don, seconded by Cathy - ALL IN FAVOUR

Treasurer's Report

(Treasurer's Reports are not available online, but can be requested from the Secretary or Treasurer)

• Donations from events
• Expenses for events (eg. Kingsley)

• accepted: moved by Sharon, seconded by Dave - ALL IN FAVOUR

Old Business

Outreach Team

• David Dirks and Cathy Scott approached groups who may be interested in prop rep
• targeted income inequality groups
• low income voices, basic income interested, living wage group will spread the word
• looking for joining our list, endorsements, joint events.
• social action in churches, women's groups, climate change groups
• suggestion of approaching women's business groups
• coalition of causes that would benefit
• PIRGs suggested - haven't had a lot of luck
• approaching young party members can generate some discussion
• approaching young, minorities, non-Christian faith groups

Report from Letter Writing Team (Don Fraser)

• wrote to Record, Star, National Post, Maclean's
• also wrote to Prime Minister
• 3 times to every Liberal MP
• registered letters to cabinet
• emails to others
• Jen and Sharon wrote to Justin to have a conversation, since they wrote the platform -- no response (would get more from Pierre)
• letter writing mailing list can use more people
• need people to submit letters by others on blackout.
• should comment on issues that could be improved by PR
• Twitter responses can be effective

Election of Fair Vote Waterloo Executive Board

• Shannon Adshade, Don Fraser, Mo Markham, Cathy Scott, Kevin Smith, and Sharon Sommerville will stand
• A vote was held -- STV two rounds - all elected but Shannon Adshade.
• Sharon Sommerville co-chair; Kevin Smith secretary.

New Business

• Wording on buttons and orders
  • 250 or 500 buttons 2-1/4 inch
  • $108.74 and $209.99
  • Do 250 now, and we will discuss a new message
• Approved by Financial agent of Fair Vote

• Anniversary (have an event year after significant date) - to be considered
• some discussion about forming a fundraising committee

• Promo Wheel
  • People will spin wheel with numbers
  • matches with countries who have PR or not - guess

• Digital outreach (Jonathan)
  • web design: input who you voted for, and whether you're represented or not
  • could take tablets to festival
  • volunteers for committee: Jonathan Cassels, Bob Jonkman, David Dolson, and Jay Judkowitz

• NDP Approach (Jonathan)
  • has approached leaders
  • mixed response
  • should we target NDP leaders over summer?
  • Anita from Fair Vote Canada is on board with this
  • motion to focus on NDP leadership campaign with policy platform for proportional representation
    • moved by Jennifer Ross, seconded by Jonathan Cassels
    • one abstention, rest in favour.

• Summer Festivals - Volunteers
  • Handle by email - Jay suggested Google Forms
  • special request for organizer Sat Jul 8 at Kultrun (Sharon is away).

Motion to adjourn

• moved by Donald Fraser, Jonathan Cassels - 9:15pm.

Minutes taken by Kevin Smith.