May 7, 2001
I would like to take a moment to summarize some of the Board's activities before I was elected President in June, 2000. And I hope you will forgive me for its brevity as I was not a member of the Board nor did I attend meetings before June 6th.
The Board's membership at the Annual General Meeting, May 8, 2000 was: Edward Tompkins, President; Heather Ramsey, Vice-President; Pat Reed, Secretary and Paul Li, Treasurer. Other members were Alan Miller, Dave Smith, Patricia Swerhone and Randi Williams.
Much of the Board's attention was focused on the following areas:
Edward Tompkins resigned from the Board on June 6, 2000. I would like to commend Edward for his work, his vision, his scholarship, his dedication and his love for the Archive. One of his most important achievements is the National Portrait Collection. This is an important addition to our Archives honoring lesbians and gays across Canada. Also, it has drawn our attention to artists who have given their artistry and craftsmanship to build this into a collection of high artistic merit.
Edward, in his quiet way, has tried to carve out something very Canadian. The first collection, 25 Lives, is a first statement on lesbian and gay liberation politics that is uniquely Canadian while drawing from both the American and European cultures to show us that we are different and we are leaders. Combined with the show in 2000 on Tolerance, it points to the many different ways lesbians and gays are filling in critical areas of our leadership in politics, religion and literature, native Canadian and Asian-Canadian cultures. Underlying these collections is a vision of individual and collective achievement of discovery and fulfillment. In pointing to our unfolding past, it shows us, as individual gays and lesbians, a vision of our power, our diversity and our complexity. This is exactly what our Archives should do. It should show us our histories and give support for research and leadership in the future.
Also, the Board had to bid goodbye and thanks to Edward's partner and life companion. Chris Bondy has worked as the Archives' lawyer on our Human Rights Case. He has done this pro bono, which means for free!! He has given us his skill, time, energy, dedication and knowledge. With Chris, we won Round One!
On June 6, 2000, I was elected President effectively July 1, 2000. Much of
my time in the summer was spent in changing over administrations and meeting
with volunteers involved in the Archives. Since July, it has been a very busy
time and a very challenging one. Here are a few of the highlights and challenges
that the Archives faced last year:
First a few challenges! Patricia Swerhone and Pat Reid resigned before I held
my first meeting with the Board. At my first meeting, Paul Li asked to be replaced.
It was with deep regret that I accepted Pat Reid's resignation as she was one
of the most responsible members in lending advice and acting as Secretary. The
Board wishes her well and hopes she will return to us as a volunteer sometime
in the future. Paul Li has been a treasure of a Treasurer! He worked diligently
keeping our finances and records in perfect order. He continued to meet with
the Board for several months after his resignation to make sure that our financial
house was in order.
The Board's membership in 2000 was: Matt Hughes, President; Heather Ramsay, Vice-President; Alan Miller, Secretary; David DeBois, Treasurer; with Elise Chenier, Caitlin Ryan, Dave Smith, and Randi Williams. Edward Tompkins is Past President and I have created the advisory position of Past-Past President Ray Brillinger to help and advise me in Edward's absence.
The files and administrative matters in respect to representation of the Archives and Ray Brillinger in the Human Rights Complaint against Scott Brockie and Imaging Excellence, Inc., has been transferred from Chris Bondy to David L. Corbett of Eberts Symes Street & Corbett, Barristers and Solicitors. At the moment Karen Spector, who recently joined Eberts Symes Street & Corbett, has been assigned our case. The appeal was perfected on April 23, 2001. Brockie's lawyer also served an amended notice of motion challenging the constitutionality of the Human Rights Code itself on the basis that the Code does not provide for a bona fided defense to a finding of discrimination under section 1. Consequently, Brockie's lawyer is requesting an order declaring the Code to be unconstitutional and staying the order of the Board of Inquiry to permit the Code to be amended. Since Brockie is challenging the constitutionality of the Code, the Court is required to serve a Notice of Constitutional Question on the Attorney General of Canada and the Attorney General of Ontario to permit them to intervene in this appeal if they so choose. This required notice was served on April 30, 2001. Ms Spector is preparing responding materials.
A Newsletter Committee was established with Elio Iannacci acting as Editor. With numerous delays, no newsletters were printed. Mr. Iannacci was replaced with Brad Walton in the new year.
In August, our storage unit on John Street received water damage, mainly to works of minor fiction. The Board is proceeding to Ontario Small Claims Court to recover some of the $3,000 in damages for alleged negligence on the part of the owner. Mr. Robert Coates has given us pro bono legal advice in the matter.
In September, to add insult to injury, the Archives main facility on Temperance Street received water damage from a leaking water tank on the third floor. Approximately, $2,000 in damage occurred, mostly to archival quality boxes. Quick action on the part of volunteers saved the Archives further damage. It appears that the Archives will have to absorb the cost of this water damage as our lease states quite clearly that we must have insurance for internal damages. Our policy had a $10,000 waiver of liability. This has been renegotiated to $500.
A National Portrait Committee was approved with Dave Smith as Chair. This step moved a important item to a Committee freeing more Board time for other business.
I have chosen two key areas as part of my administration. They are Visibility of the Archives and, more importantly, Fund Raising:
(1) With regard to visibility, the Board is in final negotiations with Rexall Drugs to put a semi-permanent display case in the unused doorway of Novack's Pharmacy at the Church/Wellesley intersection. Artistic designs by Bruce Jones have been approved by the Board, Novack's manager, May Wong and Rexall Drugs senior management. Final approval of the plans is pending.
I have approached the President of Pink Triangle Press, Ken Poppert, to provide ongoing space in Xtra in their several publications in Toronto and across Canada to help raise our profile and highlight some of our activities. We have reached a preliminary agreement.
Mark Thompson, a professional PR agent currently working for CBC, has agreed to do our PR work as a volunteer.
The Archives was featured in the advertising for the Ottawa-Hull Mr. Leather Contest and the Archives manned a table at Xtra's Gay and Lesbian Life Style Show in Toronto.
The Archives sponsored a lecture by Dave Smith on A History of Erotic Male Photography in the Bank Hall of the Heritage Building. This hugely popular lecture added names to our mailing list while attracting attention to the Archives by using slides, books and pamphlets from our collection.
(2) With regard to Fund Raising, my approach has been to rely on past fund raising experiences. The approach to the Board was simple, based on the three G's of the New York Metropolitan Opera Company: Give, Get or Get Off. I would like to thank members of the Board in aiding me as their new President in accepting change for the good of the Archives. I would like to thank Heather Ramsay who is stepping down as Vice-President but remaining as a member of the Board. Her advice and sense of humour has been invaluable. Also, I would like to thank David DuBoise, our Treasurer, who is leaving the Board. He has given his time and skill in managing our financial security. In addition, the Board and members of the Operation Committee attended a workshop based on a new fund raising strategy build around the mandate and values of the organization. This is still a work in progress in shaping our mandate and identifying the inherent values of the Archives.
A fund raising appeal in the form of a letter was sent out in November. The letter was a success in raising additional money for the operation of the Archives. Other activities include establishing connections on-line with the charitable fund raising groups Millenium Art Gallery in Vancouver and Charity.ca in Toronto.
A National Advisory Council has been created with its first two members: Jane
Rule, noted lesbian author living in British Columbia and Stuart Hamilton, C.M.,
gay operatic coach to some of the finest singer in the world and Canada's Opera
Quiz Host on CBC's Saturday Afternoon at the Opera. The Board hopes to add more
names in time. The purpose of the National Advisory Council is a fund raising
tool. No one on the Council will be involved in policy decisions.
Volunteers at the Archives checked coats at the Christmas Dinner and Dance for Prime Timers.
I met with representatives of the three levels of government in Toronto to discuss ways our representatives could help the Archives. Bill Graham, our MP, has agreed that his Secretary would help guide us through the application procedures for Federal Grants and he would share with us some information on his own sources of political funds. George Smitherman, our MPP, appears better to help us after the next election; although the Board is looking at making another application for a Trillium grant. George feels he can be of help in this respect. Kyle Rae, our guardian angel at City Hall, has given us his experience, assistance and a cheque.
With regard to fund raising, I would like to make one thing clear. The responsibility for the financial security and fund raising for the Archives is the responsibility of everyone. I can not do this alone and the Board can not do it without a great deal more help from the community than we are receiving. With all volunteer organizations, mandate aside, a great deal of time by volunteers is given to raise money for the well being of the organization. The Archives needs your help. We need the help of more volunteers to write letters, stuff envelopes and to build contacts. The Archives needs help in writing thank-you letters and making phone calls. This is not rocket science and does not require special skills; but, it is the type of work that is invaluable to any fund raising.
Another area of growing concern for the Archives is the lack of space in our
Temperance Street location. The Operation Committee has been trying to determine
ways to save space. In addition, meetings have been held with Dr. David Rayside,
Acting Principal of University College, the University of Toronto, to continue
discussions began by Edward Tompkins concerning moving the Archives to the campus
of University College. Discussions are preliminary, on-going and no decisions
have been reached by either the University or the Board. The Board is considering
two other alternatives: renting a larger space or buying a facility suitable
for the Archives. No decision has been made here either. No decision can be
made until the annual budget of the Archives is secure.
Finally, the Archives is alive. It is healthy and it is a national treasure.
Aside from fund raising for AIDS, there is no other gay or lesbian organization
more important than the Archives. Gays and lesbians without a history are nothing.
We are the preservers of our community's histories and this gift is one of the
most important for us in Canada as no other public institutions are doing the
job as well as we do it. No small amount of credit is due to the enormous effort
on the part of our volunteers. In particular, I would like to thank present
and past members of the Board for serving the Archives. In addition, no small
measure of the success of the Archives is more deserving than members of the
Operations Committee: Alan Miller (my left arm who offers advice on archival
matters and who is always on the lookout for a pretty face), Don McLeod, Lawrence
Bennett (my right arm who is on and off his sabbatical depending on what crisis
is looming who is always willing to convert the unconverted into a volunteer,
particularly if he has a pretty face!), David Kilgore, Harold Averill (my personal
Mr. Archives), Paul Leatherdale, Paul Shearer (who has proven to be invaluable
in fund raising) and Gerry King (our volunteer of the year, perhaps decade).
Also, my life was made easier by the helpfulness, professionalism and smiling
faces of Mario Ciancibello, our man in computers, Bruce Jones, whose artistic
talent presents our image to the public, and Tom Horn, our banking and fund
raising records whiz. To all other volunteers, I give you my thanks for your
efforts in organizing, cataloguing and finding material for our collection making
the Archives the invaluable resource it is to Canada.
Lastly, but not least, I would like to thank and acknowledge the work that my partner, Roger Johnson, has given to the Archives in the form of answering countless phone calls, taking messages, making appetizers, making and serving wine and cooking dinner for business and social occasions for the Archives.
Respectfully submitted,
Matt Hughes
President
May 7, 2001
Canadian Lesbian & Gay Archives (C.L.G.A.)
(519 Church Street Community Centre, Toronto)
Present: The following members of the Board were present: Matt Hughes (President), Heather Ramsay (Vice-President), Elise Chenier, Caitlin Ryan, Dave Smith & Randi Williams
Absent: The following members of the Board were unable to attend:
Alan Miller (Secretary) and David Dubois (Treasurer)
The meeting convened at 6:30pm with 20 people in attendance. The President requested that in Alan Miller's absence Dave Smith be responsible for taking the minutes of the meeting.
May 7, 2001
Election of Officers
Elise Chenier moved that the Board officers for 2001 - 2002 should be:
The motion was seconded by Randi Williams and carried.