2024 Convention Planning

The purpose of this page is to document the plans and preparations for the 2024 Convention Planning. Titles with an asterisk (*) have not been updated for the 2024 Convention. Remove the asterisk if you make any changes.

Contents

1. Post-Convention Report *
2. Action Items
   • To Do
   • Credentials Committee
   • Completed Item
3. Date and time
4. Location *
   • Occasions by the Bay
   • Menu
   • Hampton Inn & Suites
   • Menu
   • Seaway Coworking
   • Menu
5. Registration Fee *
6. Agenda
7. Create Online Registration Page *
   • Candidates *
8. Constitution and Bylaws Amendments *
9. Price Comparison
10. Polls *
    • Menu Options *

Post-Convention Report *

These are some of the lessons learned from the 2023 AGM Post Mortem to take into consideration in the plans for the 2024 Convention.

What went well

1. Low attendance and
2. AGM was held in Kingston to see if a location outside the Toronto area would appeal to more members. Unfortunately the date coincided with a snowstorm and a few delegates were unable to travel so it is difficult to determine if low attendance was due only to location or the weather. The venue itself was excellent with ample space and a kitchen area. We brought our own food and some people went out.
3. Tried a hybrid approach. Worked well. One suggestion was to have the camera on in-person attendees so those attending remotely could see us.

Action Items *

To Do *

June/July

1. By early July - Send email blast to members and non-members to let them know about upcoming Convention (open positions, proxy vote info, general location). Let them know about membership rules (90 days ahead of Convention) to prompt them to confirm or renew their memberships.
2. Propose possible dates and venues to Executive Committee. Provide contract details. Vote at meeting July 11^th.
3. Confirm with venue and send payment to reserve.
4. Determine registration fee based on venue cost and food.

August

1. Create online registration page.

September

3. Attach to the Proxy page the document with the amendments published with Bulletin and correct the link to the Amendments on the menu.
4. Upload to our web site profiles for leadership candidates and a list of candidates for other positions (and profiles if provided).

Early October

1. ? to advise venue of number of attendees, provided the Registrar provides an estimate by (contract date).
2. Treasurer to prepare Income and Expenses statements for 2024 compared to 2023 and for January to September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, to be included in the handouts for attendees.
3. Print sufficient copies for attendees of the Income and Expense statements and Proposed Amendments.
4. Request Officers to prepare written reports.
5. Assign someone to set up and manage the Live Streaming of the Leaders’ Debate (and possibly the Convention)
6. Assign a member to chair the elections who is not running for election.
7. Jim to produce Ballots for the election of Executive and Ethics Committee members to be included in Delegate handouts at registration.
8. Jim to produce Name Tags identifying “Delegates”, “Members” (joined after August 4) and “Guests”, as long as the Registrar provides a list of attendees with Join and Expiry Dates 3 days prior to the meeting.
9. Assign a Registrar who can prepare a list of participants to check off members and guests as they arrive, collect “Pending” fees, provide Name Tags and give handouts.

At the Convention

1. At the Convention, request 3 members to volunteer as scrutineers. According to Bylaws Article 9, it “shall consist of at least three members of the Ethics Committee who are not themselves candidates for Party office.” See Credential Committee section for details.
2. ? to provide laptop and projector to display nominated candidates and vote results, Amendments and other items from the handouts as required.
3. Treasurer to get all new Executive Committee and Ethics Committee members to sign Oath of Office.

Credentials Committee *

Traditionally we have asked for volunteers to be on the Credential Committee at the start of Elections, to distribute and collect ballots and to tally the votes. Bylaw Article 9.1 states, "There shall be a Credentials Committee for each Convention and General Meeting. The Credentials Committee shall consist of at least three members of the Ethics Committee who are not themselves candidates for Party office."

2021 Convention: Jim McIntosh elected, resigned in 2022 to take over the open Treasurer position.

2022 AGM: Mark Dickson (resigned?), Gene Balfour, James Jolley

2023 AGM: James Jolley was elected as Vice Chairperson so had to step down from Ethics Committee. Jean-Serge Brisson, Paul Herriot, Gene Balfour elected at AGM.

• As of 2024, there are 3 open positions on the Ethics Committee.

Completed Items

Moved Action Items to here when complete.

Date and time

The AGM must be held within 13 months of the previous AGM or Convention. The 2023 AGM was held on October 29^th, 2023 at the General Sikorski Hall in Oshawa. A suggested date for this AGM is October 19^th, 20^th, 26^th, or 27^th, but it can be pushed into November.

Updated:

Location *

Previous conventions and AGMs have generally been held in or around Toronto where we have more members.

Oshawa, General Sikorski Hall, 1551 Stevenson Road N R.R. 1

Notes: Coreen contacted them June 23^rd to see venue is available in October for our requested dates.

Details	Cost	Wifi/Audi-Visual	Cancellation Policy	Notes

Menu

Item	Per Person	40 people
8AM coffee & muffins
10AM coffee
3PM coffee and juice
Caesar Salad Schnitzel, Cabbage Roll Mashed Potatoes, Gravy
Total food per person
HST
Gratuities
"White Room" - back of building, separate entrance, limited parking
TOTAL
Per registrant

Ajax, Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade, 3 - 144 Old Kingston Road

Phone: (905) 686-0883

Email: info@apboardoftrade.com

Notes: Coreen contacted them June 23^rd to see venue is available in October for our requested dates.

Details	Cost	Wifi/Audi-Visual	Cancellation Policy	Notes
Boardroom Seats 16 comfortably	Full Day Rental ($300/8hours) Optional Flipchart $15 Coffee/Tea $3/Per Person	55" television and free WiFi for use.		Conveniently located on the border of Ajax and Pickering, nestled between HWY 401 exits Brock Rd. and Westney Rd. S., Ajax-Pickering Board of Trade offers a fully functional boardroom available for rent to both members and non-members. Our boardroom seats 16 comfortably, offers a 55" television and free WiFi for use.

Menu

Likely N/A. We could bring our own food.

Venue 3

TBD

Details	Cost	Wifi/Audi-Visual	Cancellation Policy	Notes

Registration Fee *

Based on the #Registration Fee Options polls below, the consensus of Executive Committee members participating was that the Registration Fee should be $65, enough to cover the cost of the Convention.

Jim McIntosh will modify the Event pages used for the 2018 AGM for the Convention to include $65 as the Registration Fee.

Agenda

Draft agenda based on ? speakers.

Time	Activity
8:30	Registration and continental breakfast
9:30	Welcome by Leader and Reports of Officers
10:00
10:45	Break
11:00
Noon	Lunch
1:00	Elections
2:15	Break
2:30	Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws
3:30	Other Business
4:30	Adjournment

Create Online Registration Page *

Coreen - check if this is for the current website or the old one.

Once the date, venue and fee are decided, an Event Registration page should be created for the Convention.

1. Copy and modify the Proxy (Word document) for the previous annual meeting. Create a PDF and, if you have a suitable program, make it a form that can be completed online.
2. Modify the existing Proxy page as required. Replace the previous Proxy Form attachment with the new one.
3. If there are amendments to be voted on at the meeting, It would be a good idea to create a web page describing the procedure and attach the PDF document containing the proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. Create an alias for this web page (ontariolibertarian.ca/Amendments). Aliases make it easier to create links in Bulletin and emails.
4. Select >Events >Event Management> and search for all events. Select the most recent AGM or Convention to see what needs to be included.
5. In a separate browser window, select >Events >Event Management> Add new Event. Use the previously accessed event as a model for completing all of the sections required.
6. There is no option to create an alias for an event page in Drupal. Instead go to /admin/config/search/path and create a new alias to civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=3. Go to https://civicrm.stackexchange.com/questions/87/how-do-i-change-the-default-urls-to-contribution-or-event-registration-pages/146#146 for these instructions and for how to do it in WordPress (if it doesn't provide it for events).
7. Finally, create a Menu item for the event. The parent menu should be the event name (e.g. Convention 2019) and have sub menus for Registration, Proxy, and Amendments. It may also include an item for Candidates, if there is a list and profiles. In Drupal go to the Drupal Home page and select Structure (as I recall). This should take you to the menu editing option. You can either make changes to an existing event item (e.g. the previous annual meeting, which in likely disabled) or create a new one

Candidates *

N/A

Constitution and Bylaws Amendments *

Bylaws Article 10:

1. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall meet in open session to consider amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws originating with itself or with other Members or Associates. (Emphasis added)
2. At least 30 days prior to the Convention the chairman of this committee shall mail, to all Party Members and Associates, all amendments which the committee has reviewed. These amendments shall be placed on the Convention agenda for consideration by the Delegates.

The amendments proposed by the Committee as of the end of May were published in the Summer issue of Bulletin. This is likely the format as it will be presented to the Convention. One or two additional amendments have been added. Follow the link in the Agenda for the latest set of proposed amendments.

Price Comparison

Here are the prices for 40 people for each menu comparing the Hampton Inn $25 and $29 Lunch only options to the Seaway half-day $45 and all-day $90 options. Does not include HST and 15% Service charge.

Self Catered at Hampton Inn or Seaway Coworking would be easy enough to do. At last year's convention, Coreen and Mark supplied coffee, drinks, and snacks from Tim Hortons and Costco. We did not include lunch and attendees were on their own. We could provide pre-made sandwich platters and salads ordered through Costco or a grocery store. I would estimate the costs would come in around $500-$700.

Description	40 @$?? Meal	40 @$?? Meal	40 @$?? Meal	40 @$?? Meal
General Sikorski Hall
General Sikorski Hall per person
Ajax-Pickering BoT
per person
Ratio Hampton Inn/Seaway
Savings

Polls *

Menu Options *

Our first decision is the $45 Premium All Day Meeting Package ($58.48 with tip and HST) or the $39 All Day Meeting Package($50.68 with tip and HST). Since the $39 menu is sandwiches and wraps for lunch and is only $8 less, I believe the consensus was the $45 menu. Our choice could depend on whether we want the Registration Fee to cover all or most of the expense or if we plan to charge a nominal amount (e.g. $25 or $30).