AGM Minutes

NWT Area Council 2006 AGM

Present :  Suzette Montreuil, Chris Powell, Kevin Kennedy, Marilyn Napier, Al Dumont, Lynn Dumont, Ram Mudalier, Iris Kogiak, Ethel Chalifoux, Sheila Sauteur Chadwick.

Guest :  Jean Francois Deslauriers

Adoption of Agenda :  .  Marilyn moved to adopt agenda.  Al seconded.  Carried.

Adoption of minutes of 2005 AGM.  Correction on Chris Powell’s gender.  Al moved, Chris seconded.  Carried.

Report of President : Chair passed to Marilyn.  Suzette presented her report.  Moved by Suzette to adopt report.  Seconded by Chris.  Chair returned to Suzette. 

Report of 1st Vice :  Marilyn presented her report.  Moved by Marilyn, seconded by Ethel.  Adopted.

Chair of RWC report :  Ethel presented her report.  Moved by Ethel, seconded by Marilyn to adopt her report.  Adopted.

Chair of OHS committee :  Al presented his report.  Moved by Al, seconded by Lynnto adopt report.

REVP report : Jean Francois Deslauriers gave a verbal report. 

Treasury Board members are going back to the table.  Nothing to indicate this round of bargaining will be any different than others. 

Regional convention :  Region got a grant of $100,000 for regional convention. 

PSAC will be doing a campaign to protect public services.

Anti-scab legislation :  2^nd vote taken. 167 in favour, 101 against.

BHP member went to Colombia.  Considering bringing one of the Bushmen in the spring.

Chris asked about reports of scabs at BHP being paid strike pay.  JF indicated they would have to pay it back.

Financial Report : 

Chair given to Marilyn.

Suzette presented financial report.

Suzette moved to adopt financial report.  Seconded by Kevin.

Budget for 2005-06 :  Suzette presented budget.  Suzette moved to adopt budget as amended.  Seconded by Chris.

Resolutions : 

Be it resolved that the Public Service Alliance of Canada Northwest Territories Area Council supports the withdrawal of all Canadian troops from Afghanistan.  Moved by Chris; seconded by Kevin .  Carried. 

Emergency Resolution No. 1

Chair passed to Marilyn.

Be it resolved that the NWT Area Council donate $750 to the Centre for Northern Families.  Moved by Suzette, seconded by Al.  Carried.

Chair returned to Suzette.

Emergency Resolution No. 2.

Be it resolved that the NWT PSAC Area Council supports the efforts of the employees of the Nat s’e je’ ek’eh Treatment Center in their efforts to secure a fair contract.

Be it further resolved that the NWT PSAC Area council contribute a sum of $500 to the solidarity of these workers.

Be it further resolved that the NWT PSAC Area council directs its president to issue a letter outlining our support for these workers and that the media contacted specifically inlcude the Hay River Hub.  Moved by Chris.  Seconded by Al.  Carried unanimously.

Emergency Resolution No. 3

Be it resolved that the NWT Area Council donate an amount of $500 to Brother Mark Bond towards his travel to a humanitarian mission in Nicaraguain December 2006.

Moved by Ram, seconded by Lynn.  Defeated.

Election of Officers.

Suzette opened the floor for nominations for vice president. 

Chris Powell nominated by Ram, seconded by Kevin.

Marilyn Napier nominated by Lynn, seconded by Ethel.

Marilyn and Chris accepted nominations.  Chris Powell elected as vice-president.

Suzette opened the floor for nominations for treasurer.

Kevin Kennedy nominated by Iris, seconded by Marilyn.  No other nominations.

Kevin acclaimed as treasurer.

Suzette opened the floor for nominations for Director South.

Marilyn nominated by Chris, seconded by Ethel.

No other nominations. Marilyn acclaimed as Director South.

Local Reports.

Local wishing to make a report where given an opportunity.  No written reports submitted.

Brainstorming on Medicare Campaign : 

General discussion on how Area Council could support medicare campaign.

Further discussion on priority issues for Area Council.

Motion to adjourn the meeting :  Moved by Marilyn, seconded by Chris.  Carried

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September 14, 2006 Minutes

Minutes of General Meting

September 14^th, 2006

In Attendance:

Suzette Montreuil                              Al Dumont
Lynn Dumont                                    Sonia Boucher
Belinda Edmunds                               Ethel Chalifoux
Marcie Campbell                                Kevin Kennedy

Agenda:

1. Kids Union Camp
2. Northern Medicare Campaign
3. Municipal Election Campaign
4. October 28^th, Afghanistan
5. Area Council AGM
6. OH & S Conference
7. Computer for Area Council

Moved By:  Lynn

Seconded By:  Ethel to adopt agenda as presented

Motion Carried.

Minutes of Previous meeting

Moved by Lynn  Dumont, Seconded by Ethel Chalifoux to adopt minutes as read.

Motion Carried

Item 1,  Kids Union Camp

The Kids Union Camp was held at FredHennETerritorialParkover the August Long Week-End.  The camp was very successful.

Moved by Sonia, Seconded by Belinda to ratify the electronic motion for $1000 to be spent on the Kids Union Camp.

Motion Carried.

The UnionSchoolwill be held again Next Year on the August Long Week-End.

Item 2,  Northern Medicare Campaign.- Medicare Keep it Public, Keep it Fair.   Put together a proposal to bring the tour to all 3 territories.  Moved by Al and seconded by Sonya to put $2,000.00 to the Medicare Tour Project.  Motion Carried.

Item 3.  Labor Municipal election – Many reasons to vote – flyer – send questions to candidates in Yellowknife and Fort Smith, and possibly Hay River, Norman Wells, Inuvik and Fort Simpson (tax based communities) if volunteers found,. 

Moved by Sonya and Seconded by Belinda that we give 3500.00 to the NTFL to support Labor friendly candidates in the upcoming municipal election  Motion carried. 

Motion:  Moved by Al and Seconded by Ethel to donate 1,000.00 to a parallel labor campaign.  Motion carried.

Item 4.  Oct 28 National Day of Action – tabled until next meeting.

Item 5.  Area Council Annual General Meeting

The AGM will be Held November 5^th, with a H & S Conference on November 4^th.

The AGM will be held at the PSAC North Regional Office

Motion to provide a maximum of 4 $500 subsidies to assist Locals with travel expenses to the AGM.

Moved by Al, Seconded by Sonia.  Motion Carried.

OH & S Conference, November 4^th:  Topics would include common issues such as:

·        Scent free workplace  
·        Smoke free workplace
·        Workplace Safety
·        Air Quality
·        Health of the Workers
·        Safety of the Workers
·        Burn-out caused by heavy work loads
·        Group discussions on how we can make the work place Disabled Accesable
·        Overcoming unsafe working conditions
·        Setting up Health and Safety Committees

Week –End Activities:

Friday Night:  Play night (Performance on the life and times of Tommy Douglas)

Saturday Night:  Medicare Event

Sunday is the AGM

Area Council has an office now.  We need to show that we use it in order that we will be able to keep it.

Item 7, Computer for Area Council

Suzette mentioned that Area Council had an opportunity to purchase a Lap Top Computer for a Very Reasonable Price  ($650.00) from PSAC.

Moved by Lynn, Seconded by Sonia that we purchase the computer

Motion Carried

Meeting Adjourned at 18:58Hrs.

Next Meeting October 19^th, 2006.

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NWT Area Council Meeting Minutes - April 22, 2006

In Attendance:

Suzette Montreuil	Lynn Dumont
Francis Clouston	Ethel Chalifoux
Chris Powell	Belinda Edmunds
Al Dumont

Absent:  Loretta Laviolette – due to illness

1.  Minutes - tabled until next meeting.

2.  Financial Statement - Revised Financial statement – have filled in the amounts of expenses for PSAC North convention in Whitehorse for 2005

Motion: Moved by Al Dumont & seconded by Francis Clouston that the Revised Financial statement be accepted.

Motion Carried.

3.  Budget – has been fine tuned.

Motion: Moved by Lynn Dumont & Seconded by Ethel that the budget be accepted as presented.

Motion was carried.

Belinda will be updating our 2006 expenses to date and sending electronically to every one.  We are to send our approval in by return e-mail

4.  Anti-Poverty Workshop – the poverty game was played in the morning – stirred up a lot of interest – made everyone think.

In the afternoon – the Basic need table – calculating needs for a family of 4.

* Lobbying techniques -   minimum requirements.
* Held a march during the lunch hour.
* Discussed letter writing campaign

Suzette mentioned that we still have money left. Suggested that we do an anti-poverty workshop in Yellowknife as well. All who attended the telephone conference agreed.

5.  Federation of Labour Convention - Suzette mentioned that she has just come back from the Federation of Labor Convention:  It was a 2 day meeting in Iqaluit,  Mary Lou Cherwarty has been re-elected as president of the Federation.

6.  Occupational Health & Safety Committee - Al mentioned that he has started working through the tool kit.  Will be doing some networking with Yukon and Nunavut at the PSAC North meeting in Late April in Toronto. 

Once back from Toronto will poll all locals in the area for interested people to sit on the committee.

7.  BHP Labour Struggle 

Suzette explained that BHP went out on strike at 6 A.M on Friday , April 7^th.  Area Council members are encouraged to write letters to politicians and the editor.  Staff are drafting up sample letters and when these are available., Suzette will send them out.  Those attending convention should be ready to canvas other PSAC members to write letters as well.

8.  War Resisters Campaign 

Motion (see attached) was moved by Chris Powell and seconded by Sonya Boucher. 

Motion carried.

It was decided to purchase 5 videos on War Resisters Campaign and mail out to the regions.,

9.  April 28^th Day of Mourning - Many of the Area Council Executive Members will be in Toronto.  Belinda will be in Yellowknife and is interested in participating in event at the Legislative Assembly.  Suzette will notify Mary Lou Cherwaty who is president of Northern Territories Federation of Labour.

Next Meeting:  May 16^th at 5:30  P.M.  This is a general meeting again

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NWT Area Council Executive Meeting Minutes - February 21, 2006

In Attendance

Suzette Montreuil	Ethel Chalifoux
Belinda Edmonds	Marilyn Napier
Al Dumont	Lynn Dumont

Guest:  Denis St. Jean

Moved by Al Dumont and Seconded by Marilyn Napier that the agenda be adopted.

Motion carried.

Denis St.Jean – National Staff person for OHS was invited to speak on the creation of a Health and safety committee for area council.

He indicated that most Regions have a Health and Safety committee, some are structured and others are not.

Start by networking – sharing information with a local.  Setting up basic health and safety training.

Might be an idea to set up a territorial conference on OHS.

Start slowly – set goals that you can achieve.

If PSAC North can be a distribution channel.  Networking – a more viable objective.

Suggest putting out a call for all PSAC members to be part of the Health and Safety committee

Employees are varied – GNWT; Federal; and Private

All have basic core information:
* education
* union only meeting
* don’t disagree amongst yourselves
* discuss how to conduct a meeting

Website – Workers Health and Safety Center

Should probably send out a newsletter regarding what has been happening:
E-mail address for Denis being forwarded
Telephone # 613 560 4236
Denis will be at convention in May

Minutes

Moved by Lynn Dumont, seconded by Belinda Edmonds - that the minutes of Dec 6/05 be accepted as amended.

Motion Carried.

Make Poverty History – Al Dumont and Suzette will be meeting with the staff of the College – all are keen.   Because of time etc the Make Poverty History workshop has been moved to be a 1 day workshop – March 22/06.

It will start at 9 am and complete late afternoon in the Aurora College classroom.

    1)  playing the, poverty game (like monopoly)
    2)  Living wage – workshop – regionally
    3)  Travel instead of wage – for plane fare.  

OHS and EOC Committee - Loretta (EOC) and Al (OHS) have been appointed for a one year term– if by the time of 1 year is up, if an OHS committee and an EOC committee have not been struck, their terms will end.  If it is struck and starting to operate they will continue.

The first Equity committee meeting will be by telephone conference on March 21/06 – Al will help Loretta get started.

Finance - Belinda will have the AGM Financial statement ready for the next general meeting.

Moved by Marilyn and Seconded by Al – to spend up to $ 500.00 for an add to promote International day for the Elimination of Racism.

Motion carried.

Moved by Al Dumont seconded by Ethel meeting adjourned

Next meeting:  April 11/06 – General Meeting

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NWT Area Council Meeting Minutes - January 17, 2006

Attendance:

Suzette Montreuil	Belinda Edmunds
Sonia Boucher	Marje Whitting
Ethel Chalifoux	Lynn Dumont
Al Dumont	Loretta Laviolette

Absent:
Marilyn Napier

Agenda
Added to the agenda was the Director- South Binder

Motion 01-17-2006     Moved by Marje Whitting and seconded by Ethel Chalifoux that the agenda be accepted as amended.

Motion carried.

1.  Update on Political action -  Suzette reported that 3^rd party advertising is very limited during Federal Election.  The spending limit was a maximum of $3341.00

A mail out of backgrounders on Aboriginal  rights, medicare, childcare and anti-scab legislation was sent to all PSAC members and it was suggested that these be posted on union bulletin boards.

Area council would be very interested in members’ feedback on the items.

2.  Anti – Poverty Project -  Al talked to the members of the Social Work Program Staff at Aurora College – Thebatcha Campus – Ester Doucette and the other 2 staff members are still very interested in this.  They will be talking to Al in the very near future. – Project should take place late in Feb or March prior to the students graduating from college.

Suzette will meet with Al some time between Jan 25 to 27 when she is in Fort Smith, 

Suzette will get in touch with Aimee Clarke with NAPO and see if she is still interested in participating in this project.

Suzette will advise Louise Casselman that this project will go forward.

Dolly spoke about the project in Rae – The big teepee.  Painting with youth – Art Contest. How art is a productive way to express themselves.  The art will be judged by elders of the community and the winners will put a show on at the LEDGE.

3.  MacKenzie Gas Project - Request for $2000.00 

Motion 06-01-17-02     Moved by Ethel and seconded by Al Dumont  (see motion attached)

Motion carried.

4.  Regional OH&S and EOC Committees - Welcome to the new members of the executive .

We will be asking for a rep from national office to assist the current chairs of these committees to get the ball rolling at our end.  Al Dumont advised that he has a copy of the terms of reference for the Equity Committee he had worked on for the UNW and will be willing to share the document with Loretta to get her committee started.

There will be a general call put out for any member to join the committee of their choice,

5.  Federation of Labour Convention in Iqaluit in early April

Motion 06-01-17-03     Moved by Belinda Edmunds and Seconded by Marje Whitting that Area Council offer a bursary of $1000.00 to any PSAC local who wishes to send a delegate to the Northern Federation of Labour Convention. 

This bursary will be selected based on a short essay.  “How can northern union activists make a difference in the political arena?

6.  Director South Binder – When found send to Marje Whitting in Hay River.  Al said that he would check around the college just in case it may still be there.

7.  Bylaws - are being sent out to be typed so that we can all receive electronic versions of same.

Next meeting  Feb 21. executive meeting
Then April  11,  general

Meeting adjourned       18:30

Respectfully submitted

Lynn Dumont

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General Meeting Notice

The next General Meeting of the Area Council will be April 16th. Please click document below for details.

GM_16Apr08_notice.doc

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NWT AREA COUNCIL EXECUTIVE

President: Suzette Montreuil  920-2765

Vice President: Chris Powell  (867) 874-2478

Treasurer: Kevin Kennedy Email: kevin@ravenconsulting.ca

Secretary: Ethel Chalifoux

AF Rep: Sonja Boucher 445-6070 or local11@unw.ca

RWC Rep: Lynn Dumont

Director South: Al Dumont

Director North: Vacant

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Area Council Holds Successful Anti-Poverty Workshop

On March 22^nd, 2006 the NWT Area Council hosted a successful anti-poverty workshop at Thebacha College in Ft. Smith.  The workshop consisted of playing the Poverty Game  in the morning. This is a simulation game that provides participants with an opportunity to experience some of the challenges that are routinely faced by Canadians living in poverty.

A protest march was held over the noon hour and marchers carried picket signs that read “Make Poverty History Now” and “Make Minimum Wage a Living Wage”.

In the afternoon, participants worked to develop a basic needs table that identified the costs of the essential needs of a family of four.  This was then compared to the income that a couple with minimum wages would make as well as what is available on Income Support.

Participants where then introduced to the Living Wage Campaign that is being run by the National Anti-Poverty Organization and asked to draft a letter to the Premier on the Minimum Wage.

The Area Council hopes to host a similar workshop in Yellowknife.

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