Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

June 4, 2011 – Grand Valley Institution, Kitchener, Ontario

1.  Identification of Participants

a) Voting Members

Lucie Joncas, President Jennifer Harrington, Vice-President

Cathie Penny, Treasurer Sue Dunlop, Secretary

Ailsa Watkinson, Past President Monique Blois, Sudbury Mollie Both, Kamloops Denise Fiddick, South Cariboo

Aimee Thompson, Central Okanagan Tracy Booth, Manitoba

Toni Sinclair, Edmonton Louise Richards, Kamloops Bonnie Parker, Edmonton Linda Slavin, Peterborough

Berna Sutton, Edmonton Joan Corrigan, Peterborough

Leanne Kilby, Hamilton Cheryl Stapleton, Manitoba

Jo-Anne Wemmers, Quebec Cindy Chaisson, Yukon

Darlene MacEachern, Cape Breton Sarah Carroll, Kamloops

Wilma van der Veen, Central Okanagan Jeannette Milley, Nova Scotia

Aimee Thompson, Central Okanagan Jacki Alto, Thunder Bay

Ruth Gagnon, Quebec Regional Advocate Bryonie Baxter, Ottawa

Diana Majury, Ottawa Kathi Heim, Prince George Denise Durette, Saint John Victoria Rivers, Toronto

Elizabeth Gallant, Saint John Caroleen Wright, Saskatchewan Nancy Poon, Saskatchewan Terri Soukup, Simcoe County

Jeannette Milley, Nova Scotia Nicole Farmer, Nova Scotia Bernice Perkins, OOHL Representative Kitchener-Waterloo

Erin Bellavance, Thunder Bay Paula King, Simcoe County Judy Garneau, Kitchener-Waterloo Candace Pitvor, Kitchener-Waterloo

Andrea Bailey, Yukon

b)  Regrets

Carley Parish, New Brunswick

Deborah Riddle, Peel-Halton

Shawn Bayes, Vancouver

c)  Staff

Kim Pate, Executive Director

Candice Pilgrim, Executive Assistant

Catherine Karubin, Administrative Assistant

d) Observers

David Dick, Warden, Correctional Service of Canada

Donna Russell

Joey Twins

Deirdre Baptiste

Mary-Ann Villeneuve

Lara Dick

Stephanie Martin

Everlore Dunchie

Tanya Chepsiuk

Colleen Baillie

Elizabeth Gatenby

T.J. Hartjes

Rachael

Stacy Campbell

Liana MacDonald

Lorraine Pinnock

Connie (Jade) Scrivens

Michelle Rousseau

Jean Reid

Anne-Marie Clarke

Christine Papakyriakov

Darcy McRae

Nicole Rock

Mary Santoli

A.J. Jagpal

Jody Sirai

Jessica Bourgeois

Jessica McCracken

Heather Ahmed

Jenn

Sasha Ireland

Carol Andrews

2.  Reading of Mission Statement

Jennifer Harrington read out the Mission Statement of CAEFS in English and Lucie Joncas la lit en français.

3. Motion to Approve the Agenda Appendix I

Motion: That the agenda of the Annual General Meeting be accepted as tabled.

Moved by Darlene MacEachern; seconded by Nancy Poon; carried unanimously.

4. Motion to Approve the Minutes of the June 5, 2010 AGM Appendix II

Motion: That the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on June 5, 2010, in Sydney, Nova Scotia, be adopted as tabled.

Moved by Terri Soukup; seconded by Cindy Chaisson; carried unanimously.

5. Annual Report 2010 – 2011 Appendix III

a) President’s Report

Lucie Joncas welcomed and acknowledged the AGM participants. Lucie reviewed some of the legislative revisions that have been passed, as well as those pieces of legislation that are pending. Lucie also urged the membership to respond to the Parole Board of Canada’s Independent Review Panel, which is responding to the Board’s attempts to increase pardon fees

Motion: That the President’s Report be accepted as tabled.

Moved by Jennifer Harrington; seconded by Diana Majury; carried unanimously.

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

Motion: 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 2010-2011.

Moved by Cathie Penny; seconded by Sue Dunlop; carried unanimously.

ii)  Appointment of Auditors

Motion: That Moore Vallance Chartered Accountants be appointed as the auditors for CAEFS for the fiscal year, April 1, 2011–March 31, 2012.

Moved by Cathie Penny; seconded by Diana Majury; carried unanimously.

iii)  Budget 2011-2012

Motion: That the budget for CAEFS for the fiscal year, April 1, 2011–March 31, 2012, be approved as tabled.

Moved by Cathie Penny; seconded by Sue Dunlop; carried unanimously.

c)  Executive Director’s Report

In addition to her written report, Kim reported orally.

Kim thanked the women at Grand Valley Institution, the CAEFS’ Regional Advocates, Board and membership, who joined us for 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.

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.

Motion: That the Executive Director’s portion of the Annual Report be accepted as tabled and presented.

Moved by Sue Dunlop; seconded by Leanne Kilby; carried unanimously.

d) Regional Reports

i)  Pacific Regional Report

Mollie Both reported on behalf of the Regional Advocate Team for the Pacific Region.

ii)  Prairie Regional and Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge Report

Tracy Booth reported on behalf of the Prairie Regional Advocate Team and Bernice Perkins presented the Healing Lodge report.

iii) Ontario Regional Report

Leanne Kilby 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.

Motion: The Regional Reports be accepted as presented.

Moved by Diana Majury; seconded by Linda Slavin; carried unanimously.

e) Committee Reports

i) Social Action

Louise Richards and Jo-Anne Wemmers, co-chairs of the Social Action Committee, reviewed the work of the Committee over the past year. A great deal of work was devoted to identifying provincial and territorial correctional issues, preparation for the federal election, and responding the various law reform efforts. CAEFS will continue to assist members to address provincial and territorial issues when and wherever possible; however, the limited resources of the CAEFS office to do not currently permit us to do the sort of advocacy and intervention we hope to accomplish in the future.

ii) Diversity Concerns

Sue Dunlop, chair of the Diversity Concerns Committee, reported on the changes to the terms of reference for the committee. In addition to those who already serve on the CAEFS Board, women with lived experience now attend all meetings of the CAEFS Board of Directors. Also, a human rights officer will be identified at each meeting, to ensure adherence to the human rights policies of CAEFS. For all future meetings, CAEFS will ensure the availability of dry accommodation.

iii) Regionalization

Diana Majury, chair of the Regionalization Committee, presented the committee report. The Committee continues to work on a more equitable distribution of the Regional Development monies, to accommodate the disproportionately large number of federally sentenced women in the Prairie Region, the existence of three federal regions and only four Elizabeth Fry societies to address the regional advocacy requirements of the women in the Prairie region. The Committee will also continue to try to identify ways in which CAEFS may assist the provincial and territorial advocacy efforts of the membership.

iv) Housing Committee

Paula King, co-chair of the Housing Committee, reported on the plans for the housing committee in the future. They include: 1) a video to profile the accommodation options provided by the membership for women; 2) a think tank of stakeholders and allies across the country, to explore and develop partnerships to promote the development of women’s, accommodation, educational, health, and social services; 3) develop a portion of the CAEFS’ web site to profile the accommodation options provided by the membership for women; 4) encourage the development and funding of social enterprise initiatives across the country; 5) develop a strategic plan to ensure the foregoing and the development of satellite, mother-child, culturally-specific, women-centred and directed services across the country.

v) Membership, AGM and Bursary

Mollie Both, chair of the Membership, AGM and Bursary Committee, thanked the EFS of Hamilton for their sponsorship of the AGM this year. CAEFS also thanked all of the women at GVI for hosting us and welcoming everyone so warmly.

Motion: That the Membership accept the recommendation of the Pacific Region Elizabeth Fry Societies and CAEFS’ Board that the Vernon Women’s Transition House Society be accepted as the newest member of CAEFS.

Moved by Mollie Both; seconded by Diana Majury; carried unanimously.

Mollie also reported that the Committee received a number of bursary applications from women. She explained that CAEFS currently is awarding five bursaries and that they will award more, depending upon how much money is raised via the silent auction tonight. The Committee awarded the following women Elizabeth Fry Memorial bursaries:

Quebec – Sheri Pranteau

Claudette Tanguay

Ontario - Liana MacDonald

Pacific - Ronda Black

Theresa Truman

Motion: That the committee reports be accepted as tabled and presented.

Moved by Sue Dunlop; seconded by Cathie Penny; carried unanimously.

6.  Resolutions Plenary Appendix VII

The Regional Advocates presented the following emergency resolution:

Whereas CAEFS already has a position on the need for women-specific release options; and

Whereas other organizations are developing sentencing and community release options that are not women only, such as halfway houses, day reporting and attendance centres; and

Whereas evidence based research demonstrates that women’s unique and specific needs are better met through gender specific programs and services, operated by women-centred and directed organizations;

Therefore be it Resolved That in light of recent trends toward gender neutral policies and approaches, CAEFS reaffirms its position and will continue to advocate that sentencing and community release options, such as halfway houses, day reporting and attendance centres, need to be gender specific, and culturally specific – especially for Indigenous women, be developed and governed by women-centred and directed organizations

Moved by Diana Majury; seconded by Jackie Alto; 3 abstentions (EFS Simcoe County) carried.

7.  Ten Year Volunteer and Staff Announcements Appendix VIII

The names of volunteers and staff listed were read out and certificates were distributed.

8.  Board of Directors for 2011-2012 Appendix IX

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 2011 – 2012 Annual General Meeting

The CAEFS’ membership welcomed the offer of Elizabeth Fry Toronto to host the next AGM and celebrate their 60th Anniversary.

10. Adjournment

Motion: That the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies be adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Ontario time.

Moved by Cheryl Stapleton; seconded by Cathie Penny; Celebrated unanimously.

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