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Royal Canadian Mounted Police
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ANNUAL REPORT NATIONAL SECRETARY
RCMP VETERANS’ ASSOCIATION 2009/10
I was sworn into this position on the 1st December 2009 by President, Larry Power at the Board of Director’s (BOD’s) meeting in Ottawa, Ontario and will be fully integrated into this position at the AGM Regina 2010. This occasion was the last day for Bill Maxwell as National Secretary. Bill took a full time position as Senior Program Officer, The Royal Canadian Legion Dominion Command at their National Headquarters, Legion House, Ottawa, ON. Part of this report will reflect the overall secretarial functions throughout this time frame.
I must admit it is quite a responsibility as Secretary. The BOD’s have had a very busy year dealing with many new initiatives and ongoing challenges.
Along with preparing BOD’s meeting agenda’s and completing minutes throughout the year; I am responsible for ensuring notices are forwarded on AGM’s, requests for feedback on agenda items for AGM’s, Resolutions from Veterans’ Association members, nomination of candidates for BOD’s positions with feedback as well as distribution of Annual Reports from all BOD’s and the agendas for the National Council Meeting and the AGM respectively. Once completed I must ensure that all BOD’s, Governors, National Presidents and Secretaries are provided copies of the minutes of these meetings in a timely fashion. I will ensure that all these minutes are posted on our website immediately for all RCMP Veterans to view at their convenience.
Website/Communication:
I am responsible for the RCMP / GRC Veterans Association website and work in close contact with our webmaster, Mr. Bryan Neville. Bryan is a valuable asset and is very quick to respond to any request. Along with this website, Neville manages several Division websites and is the Vice-President of the RCMP Veterans’ Association, Kingston Division. My goal since taking over in to try and ensure that important issues that impact on the RCMP Veterans’ Association are being uploaded on a timely basis. This includes special occasions, recognition of our Veterans’, job opportunities, and or events of broad interest to RCMP Veterans.
Translation:
The RCMP Veterans’ Association is very fortunate to have Mr. Jean ROUX, RCMP Veterans’ Association Montreal Division as our full time translator. Whether Jean is at home in Montreal or on a winter vacation on the Costa del Sol, he is more than happy to complete our translation needs purely to assist the RCMP Veterans’ Association.
Communications /Membership Committee:
a). Membership Applications:
I assisted the Chairman of our Communications and Membership Committee in attending meetings with the RCMP National Compensation Branch (NCB), Ottawa to modernize the existing website information on RCMP retirement information noted on the RCMP Website. Part of these meetings dealt with disclosure of retiree information that is seen as being protected under the Privacy Act. The NCB maintain that to disclose any retiree information to the RCMP Veterans’ Association would be a violation of the Privacy Act and the NCB will not release any information. This is presently being researched to see if options exist to satisfy access to information requirements. Meetings with my counterparts at NCB are continuing.
b). Deductions of Dues:
After study and meetings with the NCB it was found that yearly annual membership dues deductions from pensions for RCMP Veterans’ will not work in our present makeup. Our number one problem is that we do not have a standard annual dues deduction for all RCMP Veterans’ Association members and it would be impossible for the NCB to manage. A management fee would be charged per member and it is just not cost effective to even consider, at this time, as our size is small in comparison to other organizations that have this system in place.
National Operations Committee (NOC):
a). As part of this sub-committee of the BOD’s, I am involved in reviewing the Operations Manual along with other NOC members. I represent the NOC as a member of the RCMP Uniform Committee and the RCMP Strategic & Heritage Committee. Constant and ongoing reviews are being conducted by these committees on dress and deportment, use of uniform and RCMP clothing items upon retirement, review of the Copyright Act, assessment of items for sale with RCMP Insignia and ideas to market the 125th Anniversary of the RCMP Vets Association.
b). Administrative Assistant:
I assisted in the interview and completion of hiring a full time Administrative Assistant to take the place of a part time adhoc position in the National RCMP Veterans’ Office, Ottawa. The Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), RCMP approved funding of this position to the end of December 2010. This will be of great assistance to our Executive Director and indeed to the RCMP Veterans’ Association.
Ms. Jennifer ELLIOTT was hired and began working on the 15th March 2010. Ms. Elliott was given full time training by S/Sgt (R’td) Ian Cooper for three weeks and she is also being assisted by Sgt. Geoff Garceau (temporary assistant to Bill Gidley) and members of the NOC.
This position is at the CR-04 level and funding for the position is negotiable. Members of the BOD’s will meet with D/C Al Nause, CHRO, RCMP later this year to discuss the continuance of funding this position.
I look forward to working with the members of the RCMP Veterans’ Association and remember I am only an email or phone call away. If you have issues that concern you or the RCMP Veterans’ Association, please let me know and I will direct your concerns to the President and Board of Directors RCMP Veterans’ Association.
Alex Geddes
National Secretary
RCMP VA