Local #1

Meeting Minutes – April 8, 2010
Moose Creek

Present: Steve Dick, Paul Slomp, Bernard Foley, Jack Hoogenboom, Joel Beland, Christine Estermann, Lisa Brazeau

Agenda Item / Discussion / Action/Decision
  1. Approval of minutes of previous meeting
/
  • Items 1 through 7 were considered part of the business meeting and item 8 as the minutes from the AGM
/ a)Minutes accepted
  1. Business arising from the minutes
/
  • Follow up is needed from the presentation from Moe Garahan of Just Food located at 280 Metcalfe St., 5th Floor, Ottawa, ON 613-236-9300 x301 for Erin Krekoski
/ a)Steve Dick – draft letter of support
b)Marlyn O’Connor – send cheque for $100
  1. President’s report
/
  • Steve thanked the executive committee of 2009 and those who volunteered for 2010
  • He shared his vision for 2010-11 to be more effective in our efforts as a local and spread the load among more people
  • He recommended the formal formation of 2 standing committees and one working. He asked if there would be objection to expand the role of the current Property Rights working committee to become Policy and Legislation standing committee. There was no objection.
  • Dinner meeting of eastern Ontario locals taking place on April 28 at 6 p.m. at the Ballygiblin’s restaurant, 151 Bridge St., Carleton Place 613-253-7400 (ballygiblins.ca).
  • New ON rep is Shawn McGivern, organic farmer from Grey County. Some of his priorities are: improve communication, visit all regions 1Xyear, policy committee. He is meeting Ignatieff and McGuinty in the next few weeks.
  • Reminder that the Ontario Small Farm Producers Association AGM this Saturday April 10, 12:30 -4:30 pmBeckwith TownshipOffice (
  • Grant Robertson was published in the VankleekHill Review on April 1, where he attacked a segment of the population (CEOs).
  • There is confusion about what local number we are to use…#1 or #362
/ a)Form Membership, Marketing & Events as a new standing committee
b)Change Policy and Legislation (formerly property rights) to a standing committee
c)Leave Bursary as a working committee
d)Motion carried:that the MME committee place an order to purchase up to $1,000 of promotional NFU items to distribute to new members, active members who demonstrate good participation, to other individuals as the committee sees fit, and for sale at events.
e)Marlyn O’Connor – advise on how many signs are currently in the local’s possession
f)Steve Dick – contact ON office to ask that copies of news releases be sent to local presidents prior to release to the media
g)Steve Dick – speak with Shawn McGivern to understand process for public communication, is there a vetted or review process?
h)Lisa Brazeau – contact ON office to ask which number to use and to ensure the map on the website is up to date
  1. Treasurer’s Report
/ Tabled
  1. Report on Ottawa Valley Farm Show
/ Tabled
  1. Report on ON NFU Convention
/
  • Paul provided highlights of the meeting of 126 in Stratford:
  • Rebuilding the future of hog farmers. Resolutions re: NFU supports single desk selling and hog farmers appeal
  • Report by policy VP re: supply management and captive supply issues
  • Resolution again enviro pig production
  • Clean energy act from a community perspective. Caution about investment in infrastructure for clean energy, in particular contracts and safety of inverters
  • NFU membership increase to $195
  • ON board members sitting at National board are: Ann Slater, Colleen Ross, Shawn McGivern
  • Kim Delaney is women’s rep
  • Kaitlyn Hall is youth rep
  • Paul informed about the youth retreat that took place in Antigonish NS. The main issue discussed was the campaign for new farmer from both a policy and outreach perspective.
/ a)Paul Slomp – email Marlyn with the resolutions document for inclusion with these minutes
  1. Healthy Eating for Better Learning
/
  • Christine gave brief overview of the breakfast program that is offered in our region. She inquired about our desire to fund as a sponsor. The group preferred to offer support in other ways that might be more meaningful, such as promote the program in Rural Voice, hand out their brochure at our booth, be the bridge between farm and school, write letter to our members, put a link from our local page on the ON website, write letter to the local papers.
/ a)Motion carried: that the MME look at how our local can support this school nutrition program
b)Motion carried: that the MME will be mandated to review and report to the executive committee on all external request for support and sponsorship.
  1. Property rights committee report
/
  • An action plan was conceived and the committee has yet to meet to discuss it

  1. New committees
/
  • The following committees were struck with the following members sitting on them:
  • MME: Christine Estermann, Ian Walker (TBC), Paul Slomp, Lisa Brazeau, Karen Markle (TBC), Connie Horbas (TBC), Marlyn O’Connor
  • Bursary: Christine Estermann, Debbie DeCooman, Bernard Foley(Chair), Joel Beland
  • Policy and Legislation: Steve Dick, Paul Slomp, Jack Hoogenboom, Karen Markle (TBC), John Cayer
/ a)Christine Estermann – will contact the MME committee members to set the first meeting before May 6
b)Bernard Foley – will contact the Bursary committee members to set the first meeting before May 6
c)Steve Dick – will contact the Policy and Legislation committee members to set the first meeting before May 6
  1. Regional meeting of Eastern Ontario
/
  • Dinner meeting of eastern Ontario locals taking place on April 28 at 6 p.m. at the Ballygiblin’s restaurant, 151 Bridge St., Carleton Place 613-253-7400 (ballygiblins.ca). Agenda items include: membership drive, update on NFU ON conference, brief summary from each local, property rights, affects of urban sprawl on agriculture
/ a)The following members will car pool: Joel and Steve, Paul and Lisa
  1. Other business
/
  • The local offered to reimburse Paul for any expenses incurred to attend the 2 meetings. None necessary.
  • Rural Voice is requesting content from our local
  • NFUontario.ca hosts a page for our local
  • The local’s meetings for the 2010 will take place at the Knox Presbyterian Church in Moose Creek on the first Thursday of every month except for July when there will be no meeting and August when it will be on a weekend for a social gathering:
May 6, June 3, August 8 (at Solitude Farms in Lemieux), September 2, October 7, November 4, December 2.
  • The local wants to have its own copy of the Food Incorporated video
  • Petition cards to lobby gov’t were distributed on the subject of saving the small abattoirs in Ontario. Members took the cards.
  • Our meeting agendas will have a standing agenda item: Committee Reports
/ a)MME – send meeting dates, times and locations to rural voice and local papers indicating all are welcome
b)Marlyn O’Connor – send minutes from our meetings to be posted on the webpage
c)MME – consider what other content could be posted on the webpage
d)Christine Estermann – will book the church for the meetings
e)Jack Hoogenboom – will contact Ontario chapter to ask about getting a copy for our local
f)All – any petition cards were get signature for can be brought back to our next meeting and the local will pay for the stamps to send them
  1. Next Meeting
/
  • May 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Knox Presbytarian Church in Moose Creek

Minutes taken by Lisa Brazeau1