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Royal Canadian Mounted Police
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MINUTES OF BOD Meeting #13 - 02 December, 2010
Video Conference - 1200 Hrs. (Ottawa Time
1. Call to Order - President Hoban
President Hoban called the meeting to order - Attending were Cal Small, Bill Gidley, Tim Hoban, Murray Milne, Larry Power, and Jim Forsyth.
ABSENT: Alex Geddes (AOD), Dave Leblanc and Rick Morris (Foundation).
2. Opening remarks - Tim Hoban - Tim added more topics under Good of the Association which Hoban has his name beside to address during this meeting.
3. Confirmation of minutes BOD #12 - There was no discussion.....Cal Small moved the minutes from BOD #12 be adopted and this was seconded by Murray Milne and carried.
4. Approval of Agenda - Murray Milne moved the agenda be adopted and this was seconded by Jim Forsyth and carried.
5. Treasurer’s Report - Discussion - Motion made by Hoban to go with Geoffrey Garceau on interim basis to assist John until John returns as Treasurer. Seconded by Jim Forsyth. CARRIED.
6. Executive Director - report enclosed...no questions from members of BOD.
7. Report on the Quarterly – Cal Small said that recent cheque stuffers advertising the Quarterly realized an increase in just over 300 new subscriptions to the Quarterly magazine....very good news.
There was an application sent to the Heritage Dept. Of the Government - Jointly submitted by Peter Austin, John Religa and Cal Small. The submission originally supposed to be sent by the 24 November 2010, however, was held up and sent there 25 November as well as two additional documents that went with the submission on 25 November. The grant, if approved will be in the area of $20,000.00. Small moved this report be adopted and seconded by Jim Forsyth - Carried.
8. Report from Advocate....there was no report from the Advocate.
9. NATIONAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE: Small spoke on this.
a. The Montreal Badge item is not resolved. The report from Insp. Bird was amended and was added to by Alex Geddes and sent to Insp. Bird for her comments and translation. Bill Gidley mentioned that Insp. Bird had spoken with him on this and said that due to other priorities within the RCMP she had not had an opportunity to study the latest but would and have the report translated as we requested. Hopefully there will be a meeting on this matter in January/February 2011.
b. Anniversary Coin: Regarding the 125th. Anniversary Coin - there were 3000 coins ordered by National office and so far most of these are spoken for...as we had good advertising and expect this coin is going to be popular with our membership and outside the RCMP Veterans Association membership.
c. Insurance Payments: Regarding the insurance matter wherein two of our divisions have not paid. It was decided the national office would prepare a resolution to go to AGM 2011 and more or less put the payment of insurance by divisions to the way it was in the first place (.ie: Divisions pay directly the amount owing to national to cover the Directors’ & Liability Insurance Policy).
d. Operations Manual - the Chapters are almost all completed.
e. Admin Assistant: (Update on Status) Latest from RCMP is we have our Administrative assistant until 31 March 2011 when another look will be given the situation.
10. REPORT from Chairs - No report from Dave LeBlanc (Dave absent)
WEBSITE UPDATE - No report
Newsletter - No report (Rick Morris absent)
11. Insurance Committee - Bill Gidley gave report. The first Insurance Committee Meeting since Treasury Board became the policy holder (no longer Commissioner RCMP) was conducted 01 DEC 2010 at the new RCMP HQ. The TBS personnel present and SRRs from RCMP as well as policy RCMP insurance staff went over the Basic Life, Optional Life, Optional Dependent Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Senior Officers Life, and lastly Disability Insurance. I have had a binder given to me by TBS which is complete with all the latter information.
Gidley asked about increasing basic life insurance for spouses of members of the plan after age 70 years of age to be increased from 0 to 10,000.00, 15,000.00 & $20,000.00 for life with age not being part of the picture. This was discussed and Gidley did receive support from the Chair and the SRR’s at the meeting. It was decided Gidley should write National Compensation Services (NCS) and ask that a costing be completed for the costing for such a change in the plan which will be done at the first opportunity.
Other than the above the RCMP Insurance Plan is healthy and overall in good shape.
12. BTF - Jim Forsyth gave an overall presentation on the Benefit Trust Fund. Forsyth mentioned there is an outstanding BTF case at HQ concerning a van that requires re-furbishing to be wheel-chair accessible for a disabled person, as well as two other outstanding BTF cases one of which is over $10,000.00 for an annual grant. Forsyth also added he had sent a proposal to the policy centre for BTF in HQ Ottawa wherein he requests an annual grant be placed by the RCMP BTF in our own RCMP Veterans BTF and that we utilize this and submit an annual report to the RCMP. Forsyth added he will submit resolution for $5.00 increase in our annual dues and this $5.00 will go towards the BTF. This was a motion by Forsyth and seconded by Cal Small. Carried.
Forsyth also said the $10,000.00 ceiling whereas any BTF grant over this must go to the Commissioner of the RCMP is out of date. Forsyth stated that Commissioner Inkster in 1988 set this figure and should be increased and one idea was to submit something to Deputy Commissioner, Nause.
13. Marketing Committee - No report – Rick Morris not present.
Update on the RCMP Foundation No report – Rick Morris not present.
14. Old Business - Strategic Plan- President Tim mentioned that Newfoundland & Labrador Division has agreed to the schedule for the Friday of the AGM in St. John’s. Newfoundland and Labrador Division has a list of the Friday’s activities given to them by Hoban and have agreed to this. There will be a lunch hosted by the CO “B’ Division for the members of BOD and the National Council.
15. REPORTS FROM BOD:..Larry Power explained what N.S. Division is doing to attract new recruits to the Veterans Association. We (National) could explain in a report what our Divisions are in fact doing to recruit new members to our Association. Larry attended a “serving members” meeting today and Larry went on to say that N.S. Division take on serving members as “associate” members and hopefully will come in as “active” members when they retire.
16. GOOD OF THE ASSOCIATION:
a) Update on AGM 2011 - Wayne Burry is house moving and could not be present to give us an update on the AGM 2011.
b) President invited - Gala 125th. Anniversary Regimental Dinner Calgary 2011-04-16. Hopefully President can attend. Commissioner also invited, and has not committed to attend this Anniversary Dinner as yet.
c). UNPAID SECOND MAN - So far there are 172 submissions for this recognition.
d). Website for disabled veterans - contacts to assist them. - Hoban gave example of Eric Rebiere(RCMP Member retired) who suffers from PTSD - Eric was overseas with the RCMP in Bosnia. Eric has written the Prime Minister, other members of the government. Eric is working with our RCMP Veterans National Webmaster, Bryan Neville on the subject of our disabled veterans.
e). Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD: Bill Gidley & SRR Brent Baulkham along with Paul Woods from the Ombudsman’s office will meet early in the New Year to discuss disabilities in general with emphasis on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD.
f). MEETING N.S. DIVISION - President Hoban attended this meeting and reports this went very well. Hoban also met with SRR, Murray Brown and had a long discussion - some of it regarding Bill-C-43 and its effects on the RCMP in the future. Hoban plans on meeting with the SRR National Executive Committee.
g). LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN: Hoban said we should all write the government on the Veterans Independence Program (VIP). Gidley mentioned he will be meeting with SRR Brent Baulkham who is seconded to Health Services at HQ to formulate police on Post Traumatic Stress Disorders within the RCMP. Gidley stated he has not met the new Ombudsman Guy Parent as yet but will do so in the near future.
h). GRAVESTONES - When meeting with RCMP on the Montreal Medal it was decided to bring up the gravestone item - who and who is not entitled to such......also the “lonely graves” - is anyone responsible for maintaining these graves that are scattered all over the country.
At this time the meeting was adjourned:
Next BOD meeting is scheduled for 23 February, 2011.
Bill Gidley
Executive Director
RCMP Veterans Association
15 DEC 10