| Annual Report |
CUSJ Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2015
T102, Algonquin College, Ottawa, Ontario
Monday, May 18th 2015 from 8:30 am to 12 noon
(Registration & coffee 8:30 am)
Make your travel plans to include the CUSJ AGM on MONDAY morning!
Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives
with BRUCE CAMPBELL
THE SILENCING OF DISSENT
And It’s Impact on Democracy
See video: https://cusj.org/annual-general-meeting/video-cusj-agm-2015-bruce-campbell/
Bruce Campbell will address the issues of democracy in Canada, and in particular the chilling effect of funding cutbacks and CRA audits on Charitable organizations engaged in dissent against government policy. What is the impact on a democracy when science and knowledge activities are cut back and dissent is discouraged? What steps must we take to revitalize Canadian Democracy?
Bruce has been the Executive Director of the Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives since 1994. Beyond his administrative responsibilities, he is the author of numerous articles and reports on national and international public policy issues, and is a frequent media commentator and conference presenter. He has appeared as a witness before Commons and Senate committees, and before the U.S. Congress.
For many years Bruce coordinated the Centre’s flagship Alternative Federal Budget. He is co-author or editor of five books including: Straight Through the Heart, How The Liberals Abandonned the Just Society (with Maude Barlow), Living With Uncle, Canada-US Relations in an Age of Empire (with Ed Finn), and Medicare, Facts, Myths, Problems, and Promise (with Greg Marchildon.
Before going to the CCPA, Bruce was a senior economist with the Canadian Labour Congress, a trade policy analyst and legislative assistant with the federal NDP caucus; and a researcher with the North South Institute. He holds an MA from the Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.
CUSJ AGM – Live Streamed on the Web
Live stream instructions: https://cusj.org/annual-general-meeting/annual-general-meetingattend-agm-on-line-2015/
For the fourth time CUSJ offers the opportunity for all our members across Canada to attend our meeting, hear our speakers and participate through the online chat. We want to honour those who don’t travel because of greenhouse gases or cost and yet want to be part of our meeting. Host a local meeting in your own chapter or congregation. Let’s join whole communities on line for a cross-country check-up and discussion. Our apologies to BC for the very early start but we hope you’ll come too.
CUSJ Dinner Saturday, May 16th, 6:00 pm. Salon D, ( in the food services area of Algonquin College.)
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER: SOPHIE HARKAT – The Implications of Bill C-51 on Canadian Rights, Freedoms & Democracy
(Cash Bar and networking 6-6:30) Cost by cheque payable to CUSJ (dinner on the memo line) $36.50. (Cash $40.00 – no change provided). If you are paying in advance by cheque or Paypal, make clear it is for dinner, not general donation.
CUSJ Movie Night Saturday May 16th
CUSJ & many individual members contributed to the crowd funding campaign that got The Secret Trial 5 started and gained the support of Telefilm Canada. Imagine spending years in prison without being charged with a crime or knowing exactly what you’re accused of. A film about the human impact of the “War on Terror,” The Secret Trial 5 is a sobering examination of the Canadian government’s use of security certificates, a Kafkaesque tool that allows for indefinite detention without charges, based on evidence not revealed to the accused or their lawyers. Over the last decade, this rare and highly controversial device has been used to detain five men for nearly 30 years combined. To date, none has been charged with a crime or seen the evidence against them. Through the experience of the detainees and their families, the film raises poignant questions about the balance between security and liberty.
Salon D, following the dinner (approx. 7:15-7:30)
CUSJ AGM Monday, May 18
- 8:30 am – Registration, Coffee, Meet & Greet
- 9:00 am – Chapter Conversations:
- With CRA focusing on activist organizations CUSJ is more important than ever. We don’t owe them a cent. What about CUSJ Chapters? Is there a role for chapters in our movement? We will discuss clarifying our chapter guidelines to make the relationship between CUSJ chapters and Congregational Social Responsibility Chapters more clear, and will discuss the relationship between CUSJ and the CUC and with Congregations which have charitable status.
- 10:00 am – AGM
- 11:00 am – Keynote Speaker: Bruce Campbell: The Silencing of Dissent And Its Impact on Canadian Democracy followed by questions and comments from the floor.
- 12:15 pm – Lunch at Chances Restaurant (1365 Woodroffe, in the mall across the street) for those who wish to stay.