Heather Buzila, President
Editors Canada held its 2021 annual general meeting (AGM) on June 26 via the Zoom platform. The AGM is usually held in person during the annual conference, but because the conference was virtual this year, the AGM was also held virtually.
Attendees
A total of 74 members, 2 student affiliates, and 4 staff members were registered for the AGM.
At the peak of the meeting, 56 people ended up participating.
Parliamentarian
I asked Gael Spivak to be my parliamentarian for the AGM, and I introduced her as such at the beginning of the meeting. Gael’s knowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order was valuable during the meeting, and I asked her questions using the chat function in Zoom and out loud during the meeting.
Approval of various business items
All of these items were approved without discussion:
- the agenda
- the 2020 draft AGM minutes
- the 2020 annual report
- the 2020 auditors’ report
The treasurer, Michelle Waitzman, discussed the association’s financials, including how branches and twigs are now part of the association’s audit. Last year we began including consolidated financials in the annual audit; twigs have always been part of the national finances because they do not have their own bank accounts, but as of last year branch financials are included as well. Michelle also noted that there is a line in the audit called “internally restricted for branches,” which is the money held in the branch bank accounts.
Substantive motions
There were eight substantive motions that members submitted before the AGM. As noted in the call-to-meeting email, substantive motions from the floor are not permitted because members need time to think about and discuss them, and members who are not at the meeting cannot vote on them.
The first motion, Motion on revising the Confidentiality section of the Honorary Life Membership Procedures, had some discussion in the chat function in Zoom.
- A member asked for clarification on the rationale behind the first part of the motion, and a member of the honorary life membership evaluation committee responded that there was concern that the nominee having advance knowledge of the nomination would put pressure on the committee to approve the nomination.
- Another member commented that they were persuaded by the argument that a nominee should not be made aware of the nomination and then face a rejection, but that they do think a nominee should be informed when they have been accepted, before the AGM.
The remaining seven substantive motions had to do with revising various policies and procedures that required a member vote. Some policies and procedures that only required a vote by the national executive council (NEC) took place at a past NEC meeting.
- Each of these motions involved a series of resolutions. I explained to members that according to Robert’s Rules of Order section 10.25, in order to discuss separate resolutions in omnibus motions, a member would need to make a motion to consider a resolution separately, and then that motion would need a seconder and a vote.
- All of these motions passed without discussion. Thanks to Gael Spivak for coordinating and organizing these motions.
Appointments and elections
Members voted to appoint Hogg, Shain & Scheck as the auditor for 2021.
Gael Spivak, past president and chair of the nominations committee, discussed the work the committee did to solicit nominations for committee chairs and for director positions on the national executive council. She then presented the list of nominees for the NEC.
After nominees are named, there is a call for nominations from the floor. Robert’s Rules of Order says that if there are no extra nominees, the slate is automatically acclaimed, without an election. (See RONR, 11th ed., p. 443, ll. 7–14.)
There were no nominations from the floor, so the slate was acclaimed.
President’s Awards
I announced the winners of the President’s Award for Volunteer Service. They were
- Magalie Allard (Editors Québec)
- Agnès André (Editors Québec)
- Nicola Aquino (Editors Atlantic)
- Marilyn Boake (Editors Calgary)
- Charlene Deck (Editors Calgary)
- Myriam Gagnon (Editors Québec)
- Annette Gingrich (Editors British Columbia)
- Becky Heaman (Editors British Columbia)
- Lenore Hietkamp (Editors British Columbia)
- Natalia Iwanek (Editors Toronto)
- Ellen Keeble (Editors Toronto)
- S. Robin Larin (Editors Hamilton-Halton)
- Paul Neuviale (Editors Toronto)
- Becky Noelle (Editors Calgary)
- Sophie Pallotta (Editors Québec)
- Adriana Paradiso (Editors Toronto)
- Marie-Christine Payette (Editors Québec)
- Lina Scarpellini (Editors Québec)
- Carmen Siu (Editors Toronto)
- Anna Williams (Editors Edmonton)
The winner of the Lee d’Anjou Volunteer of the Year Award was Nancy Foran from Editors Toronto. Nancy was chosen because of her work organizing and coordinating the translation group.
Congratulations to Nancy and all the other winners.
Professional Certification
The certification steering committee recognized two new Certified Stylistic Editors:
- Robyn So
- Lindsey Hritzuk
Lindsey has now passed all the certification exams and has earned the designation of Certified Professional Editor.
Other business
There was no other business to discuss.
Adjournment
The AGM was adjourned at about 4:45 p.m.