Wednesday, November 02, 2016
AMAPCEO President Dave Bulmer addressed Chapter Chairs, Alternates and Board members at the final meeting of AMAPCEO’s Provincial Council on October 27.
The Council will be replaced by a new, regionally representative Board of Directors starting January 1, 2017. Excerpts from Mr. Bulmer’s remarks are presented below. They have been edited for length and clarity.
Today is both an ending and a beginning.
I hope everyone has taken an opportunity to circulate through the room and to note, who before you, gave of their time at this table over the past 25 years as either a Chapter Chair or Board Director. The list is actually quite impressive.
I note out of interest a few things:
- The original name—prior to AMAPCEO’s voluntary recognition as a trade union—was the Council of Representatives, from 1992–1995
- We’ve had some solid and stable leadership to date with 3 Presidents and 4 Vice-Presidents, 5 Secretaries and 8 Treasurers. Only 1 Executive has held multiple positions (me!)
- I’ve also noted that, looking back, each year’s Board consisted of 7 or 8 of the 9 Directors being former Chapter Chairs. On the 2016 Board 6 of 9 of us are former chapter chairs. It can be said that Council was a great training ground over the years.
One of AMAPCEO’s first executive officers—as an early Secretary in the mid 1990s—is now our Director of Membership Services, Michael Mouritsen. Michael has had an enduring connection to AMAPCEO.
As I scanned a list of all those who have been involved over the years, I couldn’t help but notice when each of us joined Council and so I would like to make note of that, if I may, on an individual basis.
You may be surprised to learn that one of our newest Chapter Chairs and one of our newest Directors were actually some of our original volunteers. Dave Lockie—actually was the first of us at this table in that he was a Chair in 1996. . I also note that Jane Colonna who will join our new Board in 2017, was also a Ministry rep in that same year.
In 2004, Michael Helfinger joined us as Chair at Economic Development and its many derivatives and has been with us at Council for more than a decade, with only a brief interruption.
In 2007 Theresa Anderson-Butcher and I were rookies. I was elected as Chair from Ottawa, and Theresa from Sudbury. I joined the Board in 2009, became Treasurer in 2013, and President in 2015. Theresa was a member of the Board on two separate occasions since, and has served as Chair for Sudbury since she let the Board in 2014.
In 2008, two strong advocates for the North joined us—Darlene Jackson in North Bay, and Paul Glassford in the Sault. Paul was Council Chair for a year or two during his time with us.
In 2009, Valerie Russell took on one of our two largest groups of members, as Chapter Chair for MOHLTC.
In 2011, Donna Davenport enlisted with Thunder Bay / North Western Ontario, as did Ken Botari with the Ministry Labour. Ken was Chair of Council from 2013-2015. Peter Dewar was elected chair of MAG/MAA then in 2011. After two years, as Chair, he stepped back in 2013, before joining the Board in 2016.
In 2012, Bryan Card took over our smallest entity in Windsor.
In 2013, Steven Drawbell took on MAG/MAA and subsequently became Council Chair in 2016. Glynn Robinson became Chair at ENE/ENV/INF before joining the Board in 2015 as Director, and subsequently as Secretary in 2016. Dianne Colville Lee took on Finance in 2013 before joining the Board in 2015, and Cynthia Watt led EDU/TCU in 2013 before becoming Vice President in 2016.
In 2014, John Carberry assumed the reigns at MCSS/MCYS., as did Frank Tang at MGS, Neil MacAskill in Ottawa, and Arlene Robertson in Guelph.
2015 was a year of change at Council. We were joined by Lisa Levac at Community Safety and Correctional Services, Maryanna Lewyckyj at ENE/ENV/INF, Colin Chambers at Peterborough, Alex McGill at MTO, Bob Freeman at MAH, and Victoria Boyd in Kingston Both Angela Freeman at Citizenship, Culture, Tourism., and Larysa Andrusiak in London joined Council in 2013, and were acclaimed nto roles on our new Board starting in 2017.Last but least, Chris Harper and Hugh Montgomerie both joined the Board in 2015, as Treasurer and Director, respectively.
In 2016 the final three to join us were Damian Suffoletta at Finance, Amine Kara in Ottawa and Bev Dutoff as a Director on the Board.
Of course we appreciate the contribution of all of our Alternates over the years. In particular, I would be remiss if I didn’t note a handful, who at one point were Chairs. Fraser Duff from Kingston, Sherry Flood from Sudbury, Victor Khait at MCSCS, Paul Kingfisher in Peterborough, and Domenic Fragale, who was a long-time Board Director, Chapter Chair, and Council Chair.
Likewise, I would like to make note of a couple of long-standing members who left us for retirement or a return to the OPS over recent years. Former Vice President Sally Jurcaba who was also a Chapter Chair in Finance; Barbara Gough who, in addition to being our long-time Secretary, was also EDU/TCU Chapter Chair; Doug Plaunt, who was at Council for many years representing either Sudbury or the Sault; Graham Howe, who the was long-time Chair in Guelph and briefly Council Chair; Sharyn Bir, who was Chapter Chair at MGS for more than 15 years; and of course Margaret Kipp, who was either a Chapter Chair at MAH or a Board Director for more than 20 years.
In memoriam, I would like to acknowledge two incredibly dedicated AMAPCEO activists, who were mentors to many of us and left us far too young: Treasurer and Board Chair Keith Baird and Chapter Chair and Council Chair Bill McNamara.
Now, none of what was accomplished at Council or, in fact, in our Chapters would have been possible without the assistance of our professional Staff.
Provincial Council, at its best, was a meeting place. A meeting place where all of us, regardless of our ministerial or regional affiliation, could network and share ideas on how best to connect with and service our most important resource—our members.
With our new governance model, we will have a regionally represented Board that will allow us to democratically elect our local leaders, to provide services more efficiently, to mass resistance when needed and to govern the day to day operations of the Association.
I’m very pleased that several outgoing Chapter Chairs have sought election. Congratulations to those acclaimed and best wishes to those competing for election. Our next Board of Directors will without a doubt be our most diverse and representative.
Likewise, I want to encourage everyone else to remain active—either by representing 1 of our 14 identified community chapters with the 3 Districts outside of the Toronto—or within our 9 Districts here in the city.
Again, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone here today for the all of the good work each and every one of us has performed on behalf of our membership over the many years of Provincial Council’s existence.
Mr. Chair, I believe that concludes today’s business. And as the presiding officer of the Association, I would like to move final adjournment of AMAPCEO’s Provincial Council.