The Venture Association
2007 “Electronic” Annual General Meeting
(2007 eAGM)
Item 1 - Intro
Gentlemen -
In 2007 we had difficulty obtaining an AGM venue except for the Thanksgiving weekend in spite of Phil Johnston’s excellent effort. Hence we could not get a quorum. We decided to try an eAGM and I asked for items by Dec 15. I was not overwhelmed. However, note we had 45 members in attendance at our AGM in 2006 because it was combined with the opening of the Welland Room - see minutes below for other information on that event.
Membership.
We had a discussion on this issue at the last AGM and the results are recorded very well in the Addendum 2 to the minutes below. Since then I have not received any comments and feel very comfortable with the decision.
Association Activities
· In line with our Constitution we are an Association of “Fellowship” remembering the “Good Times.” The membership appears to be happy with the Reunion every five years. In the intervening years the Directors at Large organize a gathering in Victoria, Ottawa, and Halifax. This is very pleasant and appropriate.
· We maintain contact through our excellent publication The Signal, superbly edited and issued with thanks to Gordon Longmuir and through our excellent and ever useful Web Site maintained with great care by Harley Kieran.
· We maintain contact with “HMCS Venture” now the Naval Officers Training Centre, and present an award to a deserving member of each graduating class.
· Other activities only happen when proposed by and worked on by willing members – such as The Welland Room at Venture – proposed and executed by our willing Historian Wilf Lund and his team, most notably Marilyn & Joe Cunningham, Graeme Evans and others; again see Addendum 1 to the minutes below. See also the proposal for a Remembrance Book by the class of 66 below.
· What we do not do is “lobby” for defence and service issues and instead leave that to other groups such as the NOA. We are neither empowered to do this in our Constitution nor are we organized for it. That does not mean we don’t have opinions as individuals – it is just that it has not been the business of our Association.
Reunion 2009.
An update is not available at this moment – however my year rep on the Reunion 2009 group chaired by Ted Kelly in Halifax has given us an update and reunion agenda. All seems well and it promises to be an excellent event. I suggest you go to your Reunion Committee member for more information.
Nomination for Executive 2009.
Jean Veronneau has consented to be chairman of a nominating committee – see Item 3 below.
Item 2 - Minutes of the AGM 2006 – 30 September 2006
1. The 2006 Annual General Meeting was preceded by the Commissioning of the Welland Room and an excellent lunch.
2. The President, Ken Scotten, opened the meeting at 1320. 45 members were in attendance.
3. Ken welcomed everyone and thanked them for turning out for the meeting. He also thanked Wilf Lund, Graeme Evans, Tony Smith, and Joe and Marilyn Cunningham for their many hours of hard work in decorating and refurbishing the Welland Room. Gordon Oakley was thanked for organizing the lunch today and Phil Johnston was thanked for organizing the dinner tonight.
4. The Minutes of the AGM 2005 were read by the Secretary, John Carruthers. It was noted that the Battle Honours for HMCS Oriole should read “Dunkirk – 1940”, not “Dunkirk – 1944”. Moved by Doug Henderson, Seconded by Bud Rocheleau, that the Minutes be adopted, with the above change. Carried.
5. The Treasurer, Ron McLean, gave a Financial Report. We have a Net Balance of $8,413.42 as of this date. Ron reminded us that the Association had previously budgeted $5,000 as seed money for the 2009 Reunion. This money will be available to the Reunion Committee for expenses expected to be incurred prior to the actual reunion. The Association will be reimbursed after the 2009 Reunion. Ted Kelly has been given signing authority on the Association bank account to facilitate the transfer of money and to keep the bookkeeping simple. Moved by Doug McClean and seconded by Eric Nielsen that the Financial Report be accepted. Carried.
6. Wilf Lund, Venture Association Historian, gave a comprehensive report on the Venture History Project. A copy of his report
is attached as
addendum 1 to these minutes.7. Tony Smith announced that he was the OPI for the production of an audio-video collection for the Venture History Project. He requested that we send him photographs and/or films of our time in Venture. Further details about this sub-project are in the September 2006 edition of the Signal.
8. The President presented a brief update on the plans for the 2009 Reunion. He mentioned that the East Coast planning group have been very active. Dates, times, and places have been finalized for many of the events. Further information is contained in the last edition of the Signal.
9. Ken then spoke about the Canadian Naval Centennial Project (CNCP). This project was created to plan special activities and events to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the birth of the Naval Service of Canada. Our History Project and our 2009 Reunion are considered an integral part of the CNCP. Ken announced that Tim Porter, and other Ottawa area Venturians, will be assisting John Pickford, the leader of the CNCP, in whatever capacity they can as the Association’s contribution to the Centennial by Ottawa and area members. This format may be suitable to members in smaller areas throughout the country.
10. A lengthy and lively discussion was held on the question of membership policy. A summary of the discussion and the subsequent motion
are attached as Addendum 2 to these minutes, .11. Doug McClean gave a report on our Awards Program. He reminded us that we give a copy of “No Higher Purpose – A History of the Canadian Navy” to the person who is judged to have the best leadership skills and OLQs in each Graduating Class in NOTC Venture. Doug recommended that the name of the person receiving the award should be inscribed on a shield or trophy as a permanent reminder of past winners. It was moved by Bud Rocheleau and seconded by Doug Henderson that we provide a shield or trophy for “The Venture Association Award for the MARS IV Graduate displaying the best leadership skills and OLQs.” Carried. (PS: The Pullen Trophy that currently exists and is not being used will be remounted and used for this purpose. It used to be given for just this purpose in the past.)
12. Gordon Longmuir reported that the latest edition of the Signal was now on the Venture website. He mentioned that 170 printed copies of the last edition had been mailed out to those members who preferred a printed copy over the electronic version. He also expressed his appreciation for the many submissions he had received from the members of the Association.
13. The meeting was adjourned at 1515.
Item 3 - New Executive
Executive.
I have asked Jean Veronneau to take on the task of Executive nominating committee chairman for a slate of officers to be voted on at the 2009 Reunion. He has accepted and has started. I will personally be submitting to the membership my resignation as President at that time. Given our pattern of activities, and the state of modern technology, I submit that the executive need not come just from just Victoria which seems to be the history. I invite all to consider doing their bit – noting that the functions have not been onerous.
ACTION: All who have comments or a desire to serve in some capacity are invited to contact Jean.
Item 4 - HMCS Venture - Book of Rememberance
It is proposed that the Venture Association establish a Book of Remembrance to honour all Association members who are deceased. Each class could have two pages of the book dedicated to the members of that class. The first page would list all members of the class. A second page would then reflect those who are deceased, rank attained, honours, and special mention of those who died in the service of our country. A separate page should be reserved for former members of HMCS Venture staff with names added as they are made known to the association. The book would be displayed in a case or stand in the Adm. Welland room and be accessible to all members for viewing when visiting. Responsibility for the upkeep of the book would rest with the Venture Association Executive.
Proposed by Graeme Evans Class Rep 65
Seconded by Matt Durnford Class of 65
DISCUSSION
The requirement for the book was identified because the only time that the deceased members are currently identified is in the signal at the time of death and at the church service held at each reunion once every five years. Class representatives are tasked to inform the Association of the deaths of class members. Consequently, it follows that a member of the executive be tasked with the upkeep of the book of remembrance. .
We looked at the possibility of having a list of each member with space beside each name to note when each member died, thus reducing the amount of effort required to upkeep the book. This was rejected because we will not necessarily be informed when all members pass away.
A permanent memorial in the form of a book of remembrance would seem to be a fitting memorial for Venture Association members
Graeme Evans will undertake the construction of an appropriate display case/stand for the cost of materials, and Wilf Lund has volunteered to work on the Remembrance Book when he returns from Arizona.
Comment by President 13 January 2008 I support this item as it is in line with the conduct of our Association. Note we have willing hands who have volunteered to do it – one from each coast. The Welland Room is also a convenient place for such a display as it contains the Venture History in one location. However, our members do not usually go to the Welland room and access by Association members is not easy. I would like to see the Remembrance Book also placed where all members may gain access to it – and our Web Site comes to mind. Graeme/Matt had you considered this? There is the start of a book recording the Naval Air deaths that was found amongst artifacts that will be given to Graeme and Matt if we proceed with this item. The Association has it in its possession.
ACTION: Comment to Pres and Yea or Nay by Jan 31
Item 5 – Association Position on Pension Clawback
This item is from Allen Callard, a member of class of 66. It was forwarded and presumed seconded by the Class rep with the following comment. “I will, of course, put this forward but if you are looking for an association with a little influence, the VENTURE Association has as little as any! Also, while I wouldn't refuse the money if the rules changed, it has been absolutely clear from the git-go that we are now getting exactly what we paid for, and the likelihood of any government giving us more is, in my view, absolutely zero. The only MP who seems to think our CPP is being clawed back is Mr. Stauffer (apologies if I have misspelled his name) an NDP from Nova Scotia.”
Proposed by Graeme Evans Class Rep 65
Seconded by Matt Durnford Class of 65
DISCUSSION
“”Well, from time to time there has been vigorous discussion among us regarding pension clawback. Do we want to propose a resolution that the Venture Association adopt an official position on this, and make representation to the newly appointed Veterans’ Ombudsman? It has been argued that we are merely receiving the benefits that we have paid for, however, am I the only skeptic who believes that had this situation applied to MPs that it would have been remediated in their favour long ago?
See second item on linked page, titled “Veterans’ Ombudsman Appointed.”
http://users.eastlink.ca/~clawback/page-05.htm
Comment by the President 13 January 2008. While I like most ex service people do not like the “clawback,” I am not in favour of our association making a comment in the name of the Association. This sort of thing is not what we do – NOA and other service associations are better geared to make such comment. Hence I am not in favour of our Association making such a statement to the Ombudsman. Furthermore, I would be against doing so until it was voted by a much larger quorum such as a Reunion year AGM.
ACTION: Comment to Pres and Yea or Nay by Jan 31
Yours Aye
Ken Scotten
President (Class of 1961)