The Fair Vote Canada York Region Chapter held its Annual General Meeting on October 27. The minutes are below.

These minutes are also available on the new York Region page on our Web site at http://www.fairvote.ca/en/york-region-chapter.

Also posted on the Web page are the chapter's objectives for the coming year, and a volunteer survey and application form to join the chapter.

Minutes of AGM – Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011

Special Guests – Meade Helman and Brian Chamberlain of the Green Party

1. Review of previous AGM (2010) minutes – accepted

2. Review of previous years finances – There were no monies collected or bank account provided in 2010. All activities were run out of pocket of executive members.

3. Welcome and observations on politics and proportional representation was delivered by Meade Helman and well received by the members present. The following discussion was enthusiastic and brought forward some great ideas.

4. The following members took executive positions in FVC-York Region by acclamation: Neale Croucher – co-President; Ray Lorenz – Treasurer; Steve Beriault – co-President/Secretary.

5. Beginning financial report for 2011 indicated that a letter of authorization, from national head office in Toronto, was in the mail. This would allow FVC-York Region to open a bank account by our treasurer at a specified TD Bank in Aurora. Signing officers for the account are Ray Lorenz and Neale Croucher.

6. We gained donations and new members on the evening of the AGM. Our new bank account will register a $110.00 surplus to start the new year for York Region.

7. Dan Desson led the discussion concerning the lack of focus and clear position on which form of proportional representation we should be discussing. He and others found that the variety of types of PR were simply confusing and too difficult to explain to the public. The group decision was to approach national office with a request for a clear definition concerning the form of PR we, as an organization, should be advocating.

8. It was also suggested that we should have a made in Canada PR system instead of copying other countries systems (ie. Germany, New Zealand, Ireland, etc). It was thought that academics in Canada or an individual or group might provide their concepts for a unique made in Canada PR system. It might be based on a prize for the best idea to get interested parties involved.

9. It was decided that York Region would create a video(s) for “You Tube” to highlight PR and various ways of addressing the public’s lack of knowledge and apathy about voting in general. The video will be made available to all our members when completed.

10. The meeting ended on a high note with several members assigned different tasks to perform in the following weeks. The next general meeting is Thursday, November 24th at the home of Steve Beriault, 564 Pickering Crescent, Newmarket. (Park on south side of street only)

End of minutes – Oct 27/11- SB.