Vancity slates battle right up to the wire
Bob Williams is self-serving when describing why he is supporting a slate of incumbent Vancity directors against the Action Team that has done so much for Vancity [“Arts an issue in Vancity election”, March 19-26]. Williams is just as partisan as he used to be. His pet interests have changed. Williams would never before have endorsed these candidates as Action Team members, but he now endorses them, hoping they will agree to get Vancity to hire a staff member dedicated to his support for the arts—this while 100 Vancity positions have been eliminated.
Williams says the Action Team isn't activist enough, but the reality is we are tremendously active on a number of fronts: poverty relief, women's issues, environment (especially climate change), social finance, and countless other ways in which we walk the talk of a community credit union in a sea of sinking banks and rotten credit. Vancity, led by the Action Team, is focusing on delivering financial products and solutions that will help our members survive one of the worst financial crises in our collective memory.
The Action Team is a mature and well-rounded group of experienced Vancity directors. We have seen the performance of the incumbent directors Williams has endorsed. We have not asked them to run with us.
We have asked three individuals who will bring vigorous leadership, discipline, creativity, and vision to Vancity in these perilous times. The Action Team candidates this year are Jan O'Brien, Hugh Legg, and Tod Maffin. They will join Patrice Pratt, Ian Gill, Virginia Weiler, and me, Catherine McCreary, on the board of Vancity. We will work to do what's right for Vancity, for our members, and for our communities. That includes the arts. And a whole lot more besides.
> Catherine McCreary / Vancouver
The inexperience of the Action Slate shows in Jan O'Brien's letter of last week claiming director's remuneration “is the main issue” in the current Vancity election [Letters, March 26–April 2]. In 2006, members at our annual general meeting decided Vancity directors' fees should be determined by our members, not our board, and be reviewed once every three years.
Last November, based on a review of similar-sized institutions in B.C. and across Canada, Central Credit Union recommended Vancity directors' fees rise from their present $20,000 a year to $60,000 a year by 2011. This would have moved us to the midpoint in director remuneration. The Vancity board rejected this and asked a member committee to come back with something more in keeping with today's economic climate. As a result, the members' resolution—approved for placement before our April AGM by the board, including its majority Action Slate–affiliated directors—proposes directors' fees rise from $20,000 to $26,750 a year and be capped for three years. The remuneration issue is a red herring.
If Jan O'Brien and her colleagues understood Vancity and its governance process, they would know the issues in this election are protecting your money in tumultuous times, strengthening the branch network, improving staff morale and member service, fixing an antiquated IT system, and building social capital by providing more meaningful support for community priorities such as the arts, small business, urban farming, daycare, and cooperatives.
It is wonderful to see so many from our community aspire to become Vancity directors. But in these economic times, experience counts. If you are a Vancity member, please return experienced directors Wendy Holm, Kim Griffith, and Lisa Barrett. In-branch voting ends Saturday [April 4].
> Wendy Holm / Vancouver
Comments
3 Comments
trent1280
Apr 2, 2009 at 8:41pm
Mrs McCreary's history of Vancity is the very definition of self-service and self-interest. The Bob Williams she attacks so viciously, and misrepresents so cavalierly, was a FOUNDER of the Action Slate. This is the same Bob Williams whose history of progressive politics is unmatched in recent BC history.
Williams has now turned his formidable attention to the powerful intersection of arts and the economy. The self-satisfied Action Slate has done nothing with the issue. Mrs McCreary takes credit for work, ideas and history that belongs elsewhere.
Williams has endorsed Barrett, Griffith and Holm because they have endorsed a future for Vancity that will keep it at the forefront. The Action Slate, which already holds a majority, is demanding a super-majority. British Columbians have not forgotten what Gordon Campbell did with HIS super-majority.
Vancity needs a depth of experience, and a spectrum of views. No wonder Mrs McCreary is opposed.
Jan OBrien
Apr 2, 2009 at 10:22pm
Wendy’s right to raise the issue of experience. But service on the Vancity board is not the only or even the best qualification for election. Credit unions are run by their members. Relevant community and life experience is what counts. My experience includes an MBA, a wide variety of non-profit board positions, six years on the executive council of the BC Federation of Labour, and six years as an adjudicator of the BC Labour Relations Board. It is all this experience and my discussions with members at the branches that tells me that this is not the time to increase the Vancity directors’ honorarium by 33 per cent.
Jan O’Brien, Vancouver
trent1280
Apr 2, 2009 at 11:24pm
What is Jan O'Brien prattling on about? She's running with the Action Slate, and apparently unaware that HER pals control the majority -- and the agenda. HER pals have mishandled the directors' pay issue. HER pals are the ones in charge.
It's ridiculous, and typical of their disarray that she pretends to turn on her own party. The Action Slate is clearly in trouble on this issue.
The world economy is in chaos. It is no time to change horses while crossing a raging river. Vancity needs the steady hand of experienced directors. Mrs O'Brien is not one of them.