CWA/SCA Canada
Meeting: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Hi all

There are several matters that need our attention.

TNG-CWA: Standing Committee on Human Rights and Equity
This is the committee I chair and we have two seats on it. The other Canadian, Sherry Borden Colley has resigned. I’ve talked to Ka Yan Ng, the president of the Thomson-Reuters Branch of the CMG about it and she has agreed to serve the committee if elected to it. Ka Yan has recently returned, invigorated, from the CWA Minority Leadership Training. There she formed a good working relationship with Carl Younger of Boston, one of the founding members of the HR&E Committee. Ka Yan has already attended one meeting of the committee. She also attended the CMG and CWA/SCA Canada committee meetings on Human Rights and Equity in Toronto.

RESOLUTION:
Moved by Michael D’Souza
Seconded: Mona
CWA/SCA Canada appoint Ka Yan Ng as the second Canadian member of the TNG Standing Committee on Human Rights and Equity.

TNG-CWA Future of the Industry meeting, Baltimore
January 10-12
The TNG-CWA HR&E Committee is holding a face-to-face meeting in Baltimore the day before or the day after the Future of the Industry conference. So both Canadian representatives will also be able to attend the conference at TNG-CWA’s expense. At this time I’d also like to recommend that Vince Proteau of APTN also attend both the HR&E meeting and the Future of the Industry meeting. Vince is M?tis and attended the CWA/SCA Canada and CMG HR&E meeting in Toronto and made n observation about union websites. Since then he’s completely redesigned the TNG-CWA HR&E website. He’s still hosting it on his own web space as we wait to get the passwords to the committee’s website. You can see his work at:
http://www.vinpro.ca/Guild/index.htm
Vince will bring a different, Aboriginal Canadian, perspective to the deliberations in Baltimore. He’s familiar with cyberspace in a very personal way. He also brings a background of working in television.

RESOLUTION:
Moved by Michael D’Souza
Seconded:
CWA/SCA Canada send Vince Proteau of APTN Winnipeg to attend the TNG-CWA Future of the Industry meeting and the meeting of the TNG Standing Committee on Human Rights and Equity in January.

Outreach to Universities
The Canadian University Press has invited the CWA/SCA Canada to participate in its annual convention in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. They are particularly interested in talking about the role of unions in the media and diverse representation there. I’ve agreed to speak about the role of unions; Kerri Benjoe of Aboriginal voices and I’ve asked Kaveri Bittira of CBC Saskatoon to talk about VJing. The Rep Council, at its meeting in Kingston, adopted a programme that included outreach to university and college students. This is part of that outreach. At this time we will also talk about Professional membership in CWA/SCA Canada. Many of these students are already freelancing as journalist and have an interest in such an affiliation. The president of the CMG local executive at CBC Saskatoon, Gaynette Spafford, has agreed to show students around the CBC facilities there. I expect the CMG will cover my expenses for attending the convention in Saskatoon. The CWA/SCA Canada should consider sponsoring a social event at the convention as a part of its outreach. Gaynette has said she expects many members of the Saskatoon shop will also attend.

The Rep Council also approved a programme of bursaries and scholarships. CUP offers prizes for outstanding journalism but diversity labour reporting are not among the prizes offered. This is an opportunity for CWA/SCA Canada.

RESOLUTION:
Moved by Michael D’Souza
Seconded: Darren
CWA/SCA Canada co-sponsor a meet-and-greet reception at the Canadian University Press convention in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in January 2009 to a maximum of $1,000.

RESOLUTION:
Moved by Michael D’Souza
Seconded: Louis
CWA/SCA Canada send Kerry Benjoe of the Regina Leader Post to the Canadian University Press convention in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in January 2009.

RESOLUTION:
Moved by Michael D’Souza
Seconded: Art
CWA/SCA Canada sponsor a prize of $500 for best labour reporting at Canadian University Press. This prize will be announced at the convention in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in January 2009. The prize will be awarded in at CUP’s Convention in 2010.

RESOLUTION:
Moved by Michael D’Souza
Seconded: Louis
CWA/SCA Canada sponsor a prize of $500 for best diversity reporting at Canadian University Press. This prize will be announced at the convention in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in January 2009. The prize will be awarded in at CUP’s Convention in 2010.