ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGMINUTES

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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2015

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGMINUTES

Date: October 22, 2015

Location: YMCA, 20 Grosvenor St, Toronto

ITEM / MOTION / COMMENTS
Item 1: Welcome / Motion: To appoint Jaime Martino as recorder
Moved: moderator
Voted by membership
Carried
Motion: to approve the agenda as presented
Moved:S Young
Second:E Milani
Carried
Motion: To approve the minutes of the Oct 30, 2014 AGM
Moved: S Young
Seconded: M Cherney
Carried
Motion: To appointMarjorie Richards andBenjiDiLorenzoas ballot scrutineers
Moved: moderator
Voted by membership
Carried / The meeting was called to order at 6:35
A Hall introduced current board members, staff, and moderator
Moderator introduces rules of meeting and agenda
Item 2: Presentation of Annual Report / M Chantelois presented the Annual Report
Item 3: Presentation of Audited Financial Statements & Appointment of Auditor for Next Fiscal Year / Motion: To approve the Audited Financial Statements for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2015
Moved: C Tremeer
Seconded: S Young
Carried
Motion: To appoint the firm of Marinucci & Company - Chartered Accountants as auditors of Pride Toronto for the fiscal year ending on July 31, 2016, and that the Board be authorized to fix the remuneration of the auditor.
Moved: C Tremeer
Seconded: T Vanderwey
Carried / C Tremeer presented the Audited Financial Statements
(Q) A Verma: When can we get a copy of financial statements?
C Tremeer: Tonight online, in the office
(Q) S Young: How many years has this firm been auditing already?
C Tremeer: this is the 4th; board has due diligence recommendations
(Q) Trina: How do I know who to vote for?
M Chantelois: The candidates will speak
(Q) Rob Salerno: what motivated the change to the later weekend? Was there community consultation?
M Chantelois: Community reacts strongly one way or another; did consultations last year in 2 town halls; conversations with staff, board, and partners; partnership with NY
A Glynwilliams: very excited about Pride Month; expanding festival footprint and timeline
Item 4: Election of New Board Members / Moderator provided description of recruitment process
Moderator described election process
Candidates introduced themselves to the membership
Questions from membership:
(Q) J Jean: how many positions are available?
Moderator: there are 5 positions
(Q) J O’Sullivan: How many people applied? What’s the shortlisting process?
A Glynwilliams: open call, posted online, through membership, fb ads, Xtra callout. Application process open for week and a half. We received 8 applications, extended deadline by another week, got one more. Ad Hoc committed of the board; did phone screenings, in-person interviews, ended with a recommendation of 3 candidates and 2 sitting board members. 1 further candidate with 10 signatures of members.
(Q) J Lucas: glad that there’s 6 and not just 5 for 5 places, makes it a real vote.
Questions from Membership to candidates listed below the minutes
Item 5: Presentation of Strategic Plan / A Glynwilliams presented the Strategic Plan
(Q) R Salerno: mission statement – understand you wanted to use inclusive language, but why didn’t you name that community? The words gay or bi or trans don’t appear.
A Glynwilliams: question we struggled with as we were going through. Goal is to be as inclusive as possible. Get emails every week from people who don’t see themselves reflected in the acronym, or believed a letter shouldn’t be there. Focus on being inclusive, that everyone who wanted to be part of the organization could be.
(Q) A Verma: Fierce – talk of curation, but not much about the community programming aspect. Those of us who are looking for specific or very political programming – how are we going to fit?
A Glynwilliams: Look to ED for operations, but the community programming is what brought us to this place as the biggest pride in the world. We haven’t lost sight of that; we’ve tried to incorporate it into all aspects of the festival as well.
M Chantelois: important to find events and programming in the community and reach out to them directly. We want the top of the top, but we also want edgy. We are a political festival, we are a festival of queer. Of course it has to be accessible, but not vanilla. Don’t do enough women’s events.
(Q) Emilio: lots of talk about culture and diversity, but there’s a lack of education within the community – health and risk. Feel that’s a lack in the plan.
A Glynwilliams: theme we heard quite a bit. One of the values of the organization, also Strong Pride and Fierce Pride strategic directions.
(Q) S Gapka: I wanted to deal with the acronym, and no one was into it. I like the language. How do we evaluate this strategic plan?
A Glynwilliams: the board is there to make sure that the strategic plan is being operationalized. The membership can hold the board to account, and also vote out members that are not incorporating the strategic plan into the operations and governance.
(Q) N Ward: one of the intersections is poverty. With such a huge budget, you could encourage the people we do business with to be better at LGBT rights.
A Glynwilliams: Definitely. Not as formal as it could be, but we have these conversations with sponsors and stakeholders.
M Chantelois: we should make sure that our suppliers and sponsors are committed to furthering our rights. I don’t know why we’d give any money to anyone who was homo-, bi-, trans-phobic, or just an asshole.
Item 6: Announcement of Election Results / Motion: To destroy the ballots
Moved:Cristine Newman
Seconded: Julie Jean
Opposed: Jacqie Lucas
Carried / Moderator announcedthe following had been elected to the board:
BikoBeuttah
MichelleCherny
Rachel Lauren Clark
EvanKirkman
Phil Villeneuve
Item 7: Adjournment / Motion: To adjourn the meeting
Moved: Christine Newman
Seconded:LaurynKronick
Carried / The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 pm

Questions from Audience to Candidates:

One thing you can improve?

Phil: Branch out further into west and east end, events, organizations

Paul: Intersectionality, different communities

Evan: Trans rights and acceptance within the larger community, and within pride specifically

Rachel: More trans representation at Pride Toronto

Michelle: Financial sustainability; allocating funds properly to make sure we can provide the programming for expansions

Biko: I think Pride is perfect! Want to have an Africa float in the Parade.

If elected, how would you evaluate the board’s performance at the end of the tenure?

Rachel: see the result in what we did last year, we did an excellent job

Evan: Performance indicators needed – set certain goals for each member of the board, check in

Paul: Annual performance review and peer review

Phil: first time ever on any board; hearing positive feedback from the community

Biko: don’t know; willing to learn.

Michelle: policies and processes along the way, instead of evaluating at the end

What is your own personal challenge you expect to face?

Paul: making sure new board members have a key role; challenging to deal with new ideas

Michelle: bringing multiple voices to the table, making sure everyone in the room is heard and accounted for in the board

Biko: Life is a challenge! Remain true to yourself and there are no challenges in life

Evan: I have the outward appearance of being cisgendered; hope to change the way the community is perceived and make sure every voice is heard

Rachel: make sure that her voice is not the only trans voice in the room, that she’s not speaking for community

Phil: very optimistic, sometimes to a fault; have trouble with conflict

What is an organization that you think you can help build a better partnership with?

Michelle: out on bay street

Evan: Better relationships with broadcasting and media

Paul: Other pride organizations, especially the ones in Ontario

Biko: Straight allies

Phil: Galleries and art institutions

Rachel: 519, other community organizations

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