Monday, 20 July 2020
7:00 – 8:50 pm EST
Present: Jim, John, Chloe (Youth Liaison), Sharon (Website Content), Barbara, Monika, Shaheen (exiting secretary), Beatrice (new addition to Internal Relations), Joe, and Kevin (Recording Secretary)
Regrets: Richard, Ron. Adam, and Tracy
Absent: Tiffany, Monika
1. Approval of Agenda: Approved with additions to New Business
* Members of the committee introduced themselves. (CVs for all of the members are to be made available on the website.)
Action Item: Joe and Sharon to follow up in the next 2 or 3 weeks. (Shaheen dropped in to bid farewell.
2. Treasurer’s Report
* Joe informed the team that Richard was unavailable for tonight’s meeting but would be able to attend our meeting in August. In Richard’s absence, Joe reported that we have a bank balance of $ 3,244.50 which he would like to see increase over time in order to implement the action items noted in the 2019-2020 budget.
Thanks to Patricia, the bank has dropped the $15.00 monthly bank fee.
Action Item: Richard is working with Patricia and Joe to transfer responsibilities to Richard as the new Treasurer.
3. Technology: Nation Builder: Consultants?
* Sharon asked that anyone with suggestions concerning Nation Builder should pass them along to her. She mentioned that there had been a malfunctioning code issue that needs fixing.
4. Website Content (Sharon)
* John requested that Joe contact Nation Builders expertise, if possible. Sharon attended the Nation Builder Live and the facilitator suggested contacts for her. She will send Kevin a written report for the minutes. There is a need for an RSVP fix, a search function, google analytics and site map.
5. Finalize OBIN Statement of Principles (Jim)
* There was detailed discussion of two key points: (1) the demogrant delivery mechanism vs. an income tested program and (2) whether the statement should address only the mechanism for delivery of basic income or both the mechanism and the reasons for its delivery. Jim indicated that he would address these issues immediately and within hours of the completion of the meeting submitted draft No 5 of the Statement of Principles for consideration.
6. Newsletter:
* The July newsletter has come out and the next newsletter will be out the first week of August.
Action Item: C -Team and affiliates to have their articles in to John no later than July 31.
* Of the 328 newsletters sent out 137 were opened and 24 were clicked.
7. Cross Province check-up and schedule for next meeting.
* It was proposed that rather than have a separate Cross-Ontario Checkup in September, that we combine the AGM and Checkup as one event.
8. Round Table
* Barbara reported that 200 people had signed up on the July 29 Webinar and that she was delighted with this result. She added that the Calgary Basic Income group was planning an on-line nation-wide concert – Artists for Artists. Chloe added that an output for the BI for LGBTQ+ case should be available for Lobby Day. Barbara added that the CBC call went well with 6 MP sponsors.
Manitoba BI Essay Contest:
* Jim reported that the title of the essay was “What would BI mean to me?” There were three prize winners. The essays can be found on the Winnipeg Press website and on the OBIN website. The next contest will be “BI and the Environment.”
* Chloe mentioned that she had an op. ed. in the Ottawa Citizen concerning youth action in development; this was also repeated in the Winnipeg and Vancouver newspapers.
* Beatrice asked how we welcome new people. Not yet, but John is reviewing this and will send out a letter in this regard. Donations are automatically thanked via a form email from NationBuilder.
Action Item We need to collect more basic information on our affiliates, i.e. Name, City/town, postal code and e-mail address for follow-up purposes.
Update on Annual Meeting:
* Jim reported that the annual meeting was scheduled to take place September 26, one week after Basic Income Week. The subcommittee has suggested that we may be able to use the BI marches the previous Saturday to advertise our Annual Meeting. More details on the Annual Meeting will follow from the subcommittee.
. Joe reported that his focus to date had been on getting the website going and admin staff operational. The remaining element is to find expertise to add more functionality to our website.
9. New Business:
* Joe proposed that we might adopt a bumper sticker program as a mechanism for promoting support for the Basic Income program during BI week. He asked the team to consider what other options might be available to promote the program.
* Joe thanked Monika for her suggestion for a standard Business Card.
Action Items: Joe is to follow up with the supplier using feedback from the Team ASAP.
Joe agreed with the recommendation of Adam and Tiffany that we now need to develop a longer-term strategy and plan. (Kevin, in discussion with Joe, suggested that our agenda should include an item to report on progress at least quarterly.)
Action item: To be included as an item for the Annual Meeting.
Jim: Advisory Council:
* John reported that the BICN advisory council had outgrown its usefulness and needs a vibrant body.
Action item: Jim will send out an e-mail asking who wants to participate in the new Forum; responses to BICN are due July 21.
10. Next meeting date and time:
* It was agreed that the next meeting would be held at 7 pm August 24.
Adjournment time: 8:48pm