Monday, 20 April 2020

7:00 – 8:30pm EST

Present: Barbara, Jim, John, Joe, Adam, Monika, Tracy, Barb, Tiffany, Chloe (Youth Liaison), Sharon Z (Website Content), Sharen B (Recording Secretary)

Regrets: Ron

Absent: Patricia

1. Approval of Agenda

• Agenda approved.

2. Minutes of Last Meeting

• No comments

3. Treasurer’s Report

• Total of $2083.20 left in the account earmarked for External Relations Workshops, $784.31 left in the account for OBIN expenses.
• Budget separated into three columns to keep separate tallies for each: OBIN, BICN, Sisters of Providence.
• Treasurer’s Report approved.

4. Update on Status of our Technology

• Update received from Saul: OBIN NationBuilder website is ready to go live pending Domain Name transfer.
• ACTION ITEMS:
  • Meeting scheduled for Monday, May 11 from 7:30 to 9:00 pm with Sharon Z and Saul (if available). The session will be to learn more about NationBuilder and, in particular, explore how to keep the OBIN website up to date, organized, and clarify roles and responsibilities, best use of website, information management strategies, consistency, and e-blast training. Jim, Joe, John and Adam to participate with others welcome.
  • John to send out a Zoom invitation to everyone so those interested are welcome.
  • Create a list of questions in preparation of the May 11 meeting.

5. May Newsletter: Input Deadline - April 26

• Newsletter very important due to COVID-19
• ACTION ITEMS (refer to Saul’s comments):
  • Rethink the OBIN Newsletter - recommend that OBIN move to shorter, more frequent mailings to match the way communications are delivered in today’s world.
  • After the May Newsletter, merge it into the stream of news posts. The news posts would essentially become an ongoing newsletter and would offer a single place to find out what's going on. Once per month, one of those news posts could be the C-Team reports. The rest of the items typically waiting for the newsletter deadline could go out whenever they're ready, so the news is as fresh as possible.
  • Bob will be responsible for the last traditional newsletter - suggested content limit be 250 words or less.
  • Use more social media, videos, pictures and e-Blast for email marketing.

6. Round Table

• Tracy, Barb, Chloe, Adam - Promotions and Communications Coordinators - created a Facebook page featuring different categories and are gathering questions about Guaranteed Basic Income. Lots of engagement related to how we want a Basic Income implemented in Canada. People are looking to OBIN as a resource. Hugh Segal had an excellent article about Basic Income in the Globe and Mail. Senator Kim Pate's article has received over 1,000 views.
• ACTION ITEMS:
  • Upload more answers to questions received about Guaranteed Basic Income.
  • Transfer Facebook content to OBIN website and Twitter as appropriate.
  • Response to Monika’s offer to become more involved in the OBIN Guaranteed Basic Income movement.
  • Increase interest by showing the # of OBIN members on our website.
  • Barbara is organizing 3 webinars: A Case for Food Insecurity (May 4), A Case for Health (May 6), and A Case for Women (May 13). Created an 8 page summary of National, Provincial and Municipal Initiatives. Question – Barbara spoke with Senator Lankin and they discussed how to better coordinate between the work the Senate is doing and the work Basic Income advocates are doing.
  • Kendal/Chloe organizing liaison with Youth for a Basic Income delivered a Canada Basic Income for Youth - 101 supported by brainstorming webinar sessions. Senator Marilou McPhedran, Manitoba is interested in leading a Task Force for Youth. It was noted that Senator Murray Sinclair is also from Manitoba.
  • Respond to second letter coming out shortly from Barbara re MPs and Senators.
  • Tracy, Barb and Chloe - are engaging participants to become involved in a Guaranteed Basic Income for Women - a Shirt Project
  • Explore a COVID-19 Guaranteed Basic Income opportunity.
  • Tracy has provided her report “Justice versus Charity Model” abstract for uploading onto website.
  • Jim - Post secondary and secondary school - Essay Writing Competition with an incentive of $7,000 for essays on a BI. Winners will be selected by Paul after presentations. Question - explore how this initiative could be duplicated in other jurisdictions? 
  • Adam - working closely with the Kingston Action Group - for BIG and the Basic Income Canada Network (BICN).
  • John - Trying to create outreach to sex workers since a BI is for all those in need.
  • Engaging in conversations with 2 people from Brampton who want to start a Basic Income group.  A woman on ODSP with 2 children living in Sault Ste. Marie has expressed an interest in joining the OBIN - Basic Income Movement. Participated in 2 International phone calls about the need for Guaranteed Basic Incomes - Globally.

7. New Business

• Hilde Latour, Netherland Basic Income Earth Network - Activist is writing a letter promoting Basic Income - the key to supporting the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals - by providing a Basic Income for Europe.
• ACTION ITEMS:
  • OBIN was requested to participate.
  • Barbara recommends that OBIN sign Hilde Latour's letter and provide our logo.
  • OBIN to endorse letter by signing and providing our logo. Letter will be circulated in a day or two to us.
  • Search for new "News Post Editor"
  • Tracy recommends that OBIN reach out to Indigenous communities.
  • Connect with Bonnie Freeman, 6 Nations, Social Work, Carleton University and Diane Longboat, 6 Nations, Master in Education, Centre for Addictions and Mental Health  
  • Chloe has contacts with the Native Women’s Association of Canada, engage addictions organizations.
  • Sharon suggested looking at some of the BI info related to the Green Party Leadership
• Big Thanks to Bob for preparing the last 4 Newsletters.

8. Next meeting date and time

• Monday, May 25 at 7:00 to 8:30 pm EST

9. Adjournment

• Meeting adjourned at 8:15 pm