Hamilton2022

 

General

This year’s Biennial General Meeting 2022 will be a hybrid – in-person and on-line event. All accredited and fraternal delegates are encouraged to submit a completed registration form along with the required payment (for in-person delegates only) to the RCAF Association, PO Box 2460 Stn D Ottawa ON K1P 5W6

Registration Form

You can download a registration form here:

BGM Hamilton Registration Form

Invitation

You are cordially invited to the (Hybrid format) Biennial General Meeting of the RCAF Association to be held in Hamilton, Ontario from 14 to 16 October 2022

Dear Fellow Member,

Like all non-profit associations, fraternities and social community-focused organizations, the RCAF Association looks forward to our general meeting. We do so, because we look forward to seeing you, our members. We write to you, to seek your active participation in shaping your association, as we move toward the 75th anniversary of the RCAF Association in 2023, and the 100th anniversary of the creation of Canada’s air force, in 2024. Participating in the affairs of your association is not difficult, nor does it require much of your time. Rather, all we ask is for you to be aware of what other members are thinking and for you to weigh in with your ideas, where you feel the need.

We are a diverse organization – not all of us have served in the air force, for example. Some of our members devote themselves toward important community-supporting activities. Others also give of themselves to help local cadet squadrons, devoting countless hours, days, weeks, months and years to young Canadians who one day may pursue an aerospace career – civilian or military – for the betterment of Canada. And, still others contribute a great deal to our efforts to advocate in support of their country’s air force. These and other aspects of our multi-function association are depicted in the images on the other side of this registration form, and are the subject of information found in our most recent pocket information booklet.

Our General Meeting this year takes place in Hamilton, Ontario. Events will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton, 1224 Upper James Street. On Saturday evening, 15 October 2022, we will hold our annual Awards Banquet, and present a number of awards to association members, wings and organizations. The weekend’s activities open in a formal way, with the Presidents’ Reception on Friday night, 14 October 2022. We are pleased to confirm the support of a group of dedicated volunteers from the local RCAF Association 447 Wing, near Mount Hope. The Courtyard by Marriott is a very short drive from Mount Hope and the Hamilton Airport.

When considering the decision to join us in Hamilton, please keep in mind the need to elect one or more members of the Board of Directors. Electing fellow members to their association’s board is perhaps the single most important decision or vote bestowed upon members like you. Members of the RCAF Association may nominate and elect any other member who agrees to the nomination; any member of the RCAF Association may step forward on their own, in the absence of a nomination. We have room for nine elected board members, and an additional three appointees. Currently, there is at least one vacancy on the board of directors.

Thank you for considering joining us in Hamilton. If you cannot make it in person, please give serious consideration to joining us on-line. Via Zoom.

Colonel (Ret) Terry Chester, CD
National President and Chairman

Venue

Venue – The Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton

The Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton, 1224 Upper James Street, Hamilton, ON, L9C 3B1, is holding a limited number of rooms at a rate of $159* per night, for RCAF Association delegates and guests. The cut-off date is 14 September 2022, after which unused rooms will be released for general sale. Rooms may be reserved by calling into the Reservation Line at 1-800-960-2608. Please identify yourself as a member of the RCAF Association when calling. *Check subsidy eligibility rates

Accredited delegates may be eligible to apply for reimbursement of their Courtyard by Marriott Hamilton accommodation costs by up to $50 per night for a maximum of two nights. A travel order claim must be submitted to the RCAF Association for actual and reasonable costs accompanied by original receipts (not photocopied) which have not been the subject of reimbursement by any other party or organization. The first fifty (50) accredited delegates to submit a bona fide travel claim as described above may be eligible for remuneration; thereafter, fraternal delegates such as members-at-large and who attend the BGM may be considered eligible, subject to submission of valid receipts and a travel claim.

Proxy Form

Some may be surprised to learn with membership comes the right-to-vote. In fact, voting on resolutions and motions or even ideas brings opportunities to each and every member to help shape the future affairs of their RCAF Association. To our dismay, there are leaders today who believe only elected members have the right to vote. This is categorically wrong, especially nowadays under the relatively new (now eleven years old) Canada-Not-for-Profit (CNCA) legislation, which bestows upon every member category and classification the right to vote, even categories and classifications created with no voting privileges. At no time should general members ever be denied their right to vote. The only time elected members may be invited to vote, exclusively, occurs at a general meeting of the RCAF Association in response to motions regarding new ideas, changes, motions and resolutions deserving consideration by all, back home.

Elected leaders who are mistaken about the member’s right to vote will understandably wonder what a member’s vote means, and how it might be conveyed. That is precisely the primary responsibility of the elected leader; to call for any and all votes on all various and sundry motions while back home, and then convey their majority members’ vote to the general body of membership at the appropriate time during a general meeting of the association. Elected leaders at the Wing and Group level do not hold the fiduciary, which means elected leaders at the Wing and Group level are not empowered with a vote any different from the general member, except to say these leaders are elected to carry the majority vote conveyed by members in their Wing and/or Group, and cast that weighted vote according to the majority votes cast back home. The fiduciary is only held by those elected to the RCAF Association Board of Directors; by law the fiduciary cannot be delegated. Owing to these exigencies, especially the importance of conveying each and every members’ vote, to the general meeting, a Proxy Form should always be used. The Proxy Form for our upcoming meeting can be downloaded here from this link: 2022 Proxy Form.

Any elected Wing and Group member who by dint of election carries the responsibility for conveying their members’ majority vote to the general meeting, but who is otherwise unable to travel and who has not provided their members the opportunity to identify a proxy, is denying them the opportunity to participate in shaping the future affairs of their association.

Agenda

A pocket agenda card can be downloaded here, at this link: PocketCard_AGM2022_Timings

Friday 14 October 2022

  • Meeting of the RCAF Association Board of Directors (Hybrid) and invited observers/guests
  • In (person) attendance: Terry Chester, André Deschamps, Don Hogan, Herb Harrison, Walter Peckham, Henri Levasseur, Serge De-Serres, Dean Black;
  • On-line attendance: Michael Roy, Thomas Morin-Cabana, Guy Vallieres (currently appointed, pending election);
  • Observers and Guests (in-person): Ferguson Mobbs (pending appointment and election); and, Steven Dieter (observing only);
  • Minutes of the last (NEC) Meeting may be viewed here at this link, Minutes of a Meeting of the RCAF Association Board of Directors 26 June 2022 ;
  • The Agenda for the NEC Meeting will be detailed in the next few days;

Presidents’ Reception

The “Presidents” in attendance this year are those occupying the offices of “National President” Colonel (Ret) Terry Chester, CD; the office of “Honorary National President” Lieutenant-General (Ret) André Deschamps; the offices of Regional Presidents and Vice-Presidents from Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic, Pacific and Prairies, namely, WO (Ret) Walter Peckham, CD, LCol (Ret) Henri Levasseur, CD, Serge De-Serres, CD, Maj (Ret) Don Hogan, CD and Maj (Ret) Herb Harrison, CD, respectively. Please consult the attendance list (below) to learn more about other Group and Wing Presidents in attendance, whom are also hosting this year’s “Presidents’ Reception.”

Visit to 447 Wing (via Bus Transport from the Lobby);

Dress for the Friday evening Presidents’ Reception in recent times has encouraged “Red Friday” T-shirts and the like. Delegates and guests are invited to dress “relaxed” and those who have received in the past various unique awards (BigFoot, Ordre de la Tuque, Side-Hill Gouger, etc..,) are encouraged to wear the associated regalia, hats and pins for “alumni” photos.

Saturday 15 October 2022

  • 9:00 AM – Administrative Guidance – (more details pending)
    • Land Acknowledgement – We respectfully acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Anishinabewaki, Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga, Attiwonderonk, Mississauga, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We offer our gratitude to the First Nations for their care for and teachings about our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.² 
    • A note on the use of the Royal Cypher. We apologize in advance should anyone take exception to our accidental use of the Royal Cypher which belonged to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In the transition, under which King Charles III is now going, it will take time to develop the marks and symbols appropriate for his reign. We do note on or about 27 September 2022 that King Charles’ III new Royal Cypher has been approved; however, we have not yet received permission to use it, which will be pending our efforts to seek a royal patron, for the RCAF Association (see resolutions below).
    • The 68th Biennial General Meeting will be our first since the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this reason, and genuine concern for our members’ good health we offer a hybrid format meeting. Members who wish to participate in person may certainly do so, at the Courtyard by Marriot on Upper James Street in Hamilton, Ontario. Those unable to participate in person but who remain interested and invested in the well-being of the RCAF Association, are encouraged to join us on-line via Zoom. We will be sharing the Zoom meeting ID and access codes before 13 October, to all. The Business Session of the meeting is not expected to extend beyond 12:30 PM 15 October 2022.
    • Best Practices for on-line Deliberations
      • How to intervene (Points of order, etc…);
      • How to pose questions (Use of Chat window);
    • Polling (Voting) Methods
    • Declaration of a Quorum (or otherwise);
      • Acknowledgement of Accredited Delegates and their Vote Pools¹ (Membership);
      • Acknowledgement of Fraternal Delegates including Members-at-Large;
      • Acknowledgement of Past-Presidents, and distinguished (long-serving) honorary members, life members
      • Motion from Members-at-Large seeking appointment of Accredited Delegate to whom they may delegate responsibility for conveying their majority vote;
  • Call Meeting to Order – O Canada
  • Please remain standing for the RCAF Marchpast courtesy of 338 (Rive Sud) Wing c2006
  • Opening Remarks – Chairperson RCAF Association Board of Directors Colonel (Ret) Terry Chester, CD
  • Ackowledgement of and gratitude for the support to the Biennial General Meeting given by 447 Wing and the 447 Wing BGM committee.
  • Approval of the Agenda
  • Sharing of Formal Greetings (Prime Minister, Premier, Mayor)
    • Premier of Ontario, Letter of Greetings can be viewed here at this link: RCAF 2022-pub.
    • His Worship the Mayor of Hamilton, Mr. Fred Eisenberger’s letter can be viewed here at this link: 20221005122707
  • Moment of Silence for our patron of 71 years, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – God Save the Queen
  • Acknowledgement of the passing of members since our last meeting in 2018
  • New Appointments to the RCAF Association Board of Directors (formerly the National Executive Council);
    • Elections, Nominations and Appointments – the RCAF Association Board of Directors includes the following members who were elected in June 2021 for a two-year term, expiring in June 2023: Col (Ret) Terry Chester (Chairperson); *LGen André Deschamps (Honorary National President); Maj (Ret) Don Hogan (Director – Membership); Maj (Ret) Herb Harrison (Director – Prairie Region); CWO (Ret) Michael Roy (Director – Alberta Region); WO (Ret) Walter Peckham (Director – Ontario Region); LCol (Ret) Henri Levasseur (Director – Quebec Region); *Guy Vallieres (Director – Veterans’ Liaison); Thomas Morin-Cabana (Director); Serge De-Serres (Director – Atlantic Region and Treasurer); *LCol (Ret) Dean Black (Executive Director). Names annotated with an asterisk (*) are Appointed. All others are elected. There are nine (9) elected directors and three (3) appointed directors. There are currently eight (8) elected incumbents and three (3) appointed incumbents.
    • The following individuals are currently appointed, and require formal election by the members at the upcoming BGM in Hamilton: Guy Vallieres (Director – Veterans Liaison).
    • The following individuals have been nominated for an appointed position that currently remains vacant: LCol (Ret) Ferguson Mobbs (see C.V. below).
    • A motion from the delegates (members) will be sought to formally elect (ratify the BoD appointment of) Mr. Guy Vallieres will be sought.
    • A motion from the RCAF Association Board of Directors to formally appoint LCol (Ret) Ferguson Mobbs will be sought during the board meeting held on 14 October (Friday)
  • Motion to formally approve the appointment of all new Honorary (Group) Presidents;
  • Approval of Minutes to the previous Biennial General Meeting (Calgary) 2018
  • Report of the Honorary National President Lieutenant-General (Ret) André Deschamps, CMM, CD to include Advocacy Committee and Honours & Awards Committee Updates
  • Regional Directors’ (formerly Group President’s) Reports – to be determined, in the following order:
    • Atlantic Group
    • Quebec Group
    • Ontario Group
    • Prairies Group
    • Alberta Group
  • Report of RCAF Association Board’s Directors with specific offices:
    • Membership. The membership report for 2022 can be viewed here at this link: Membership Report 2022;
    • Air Cadet Liaison;
    • Aviation Heritage;
  • Motion to accept Regional Directors’ and other Officers’ Reports
  • Audit Reports – Audit Report RCAF Association – 2022 FS
  • Motion sought to approve the RCAF Association Audit Report
  • Audit Reports – RCAFA Trust – 2022 FS
  • Motion sought to approve the RCAF Association Trust Fund Audit Report
  • Motion sought to secure the services of the Auditor (Ted Lupinksi) for the budget year 2022-23
  • Budget report June 30 2022
  • Motion sought to approve the RCAF Association Budget Report
  • Report of the Chairman RCAF Association Trust Fund Board of Trustees;
  • Resolutions: 1) Atlantic Group – Be it Resolved that: Honorary Life Membership be granted to veteran members-in-good-standing on attaining the age of 90 (This resolution seeks to expand on a previously approved resolution offering Honorary Life Membership to veterans on attaining the age 100, but now on attaining the age of 90) The resolution will be formally discussed by the Board of Directors on 14 October (Friday) and may be conveyed to the membership during the Business Sessions scheduled for Saturday morning; 2) Chairman and Fellow Directors – Be it Resolved that: with the passing of our patron Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022, the RCAF Association formally seeks the patronage of a Royal Family member, through application submitted to approved channels for such things (the Governor General for Canada); 3) Be it Resolved that: the RCAF Association convey a letter of Condolences to His Majesty King Charles III on the loss of his mother, our Queen, and to offer our loyal services as his subjects;
  • Honours & Awards for 2021-2022. On behalf of the RCAF Association’s many members, we wish to convey our gratitude and congratulations to the following recipients (to be announced during the Business Session).
  • Old Business (Matters intended for further discussions yet to take place)
    • Strategic Plan
    • Governance
      • Sub-licensing RCAF Association Wings’ use of Government of Canada Intellectual Property
  • New Business & Upcoming Events
    • Air Forces WorldRide (RAFA initiative – Amy Patterson)
    • 75th Anniversary of the Creation of the RCAF Association (2023)
    • 100th Anniversary of the RCAF (2024) Activities and Events
    • Vimy Dinner 9 November
    • Air Force Day on Parliament Hill Spring 2023
    • RCAF Ball June 2023
  • Other Business
    • Next Meeting – the Biennial General Meeting will next be held in 2024, barring any unforeseen circumstances, and hotels have been visited in Halifax (January 2020) and Victoria (May 20220. The staff report for available hotels can be viewed here at this link: RCAF – hotel options report
    • Formal (on-line Elections – all offices and directorships) NLT 30 June 2023
  • Adjournment
    • A motion is sought to adjourn the (postponed) Biennial General Meeting 2020
  • God Save the King
  • Gala Banquet 6:45 to 9:30 PM;
  • Bus departs for visit to 447 Wing 10:00 PM;
  • Bus returns to hotel 11:00 to 12:00 PM.

Sunday 16 October 2022

  • Breakfast;
  • Bus departs for St. Paul’s United Church 9:30 AM from lobby;
  • British Commonwealth Air Training Planning Graves Decoration 10:00 AM and Service;
  • Bus returns to Hotel for Unique Awards Luncheon
  • Unique Awards Luncheon;

Activities

More details regarding activities planned for the period 14 to 16 October 2022 can be found on the registration form, and additional details may be added to this webpage over the next few weeks.

 

Host Committee

Supporting Wing – 447 Hamilton Wing

A dedicated team of volunteers from 447 Hamilton Wing has agreed to provide support and assistance to the delegates planning to attend this year’s Biennial General Meeting.

¹See notes 1 and 5, below. RCAF Association Board members are elected or appointed to serve all members, everywhere, and are the only officers and directors assigned fiduciary duties; therefore, they serve as Accredited Delegates with the authority of all members, everywhere. Regional chairpersons (formerly Group Presidents) are officers on the RCAF Association Board of Directors and are so elected to serve all members, everywhere; they are elected not to represent their (regional) members but are in fact elected to represent the RCAF Association to members in their regions.

²See the image below, for more details regarding the land acknowledgement for Hamilton, and environs.

Notes on Registration and other Activities

Notes:
1. Only Regular members-in-good-standing qualify as delegates. Wing Presidents, certain Group executive members, members of the National Executive Council (Board of Directors) and past presidents constitute Accredited Delegates. All other Regular members-in-good-standing, unless acting as proxy, constitute Fraternal delegates. Members-at-Large are Regular members. Only Regular members may vote at the General Meeting. Regular members affiliated with a Wing are expected to vote on General Meeting issues at a meeting of their Wing, before sending their delegate to vote on their behalf at the meeting of the Association. This is what is referred to as a pooling agreement, where those with the power to vote (all Regular members) create a voting trust by pooling their voting rights and transferring them to a trustee. When it comes to Wings, Regular members leverage the Wing’s charter as the voting trust, and the duly elected Wing’s delegate, most often the President, is the trustee in question, for the purposes of conveying the majority opinion of the Wing’s members at the appropriate time at the general meeting. Regular members-at-large who are affilated with the headquarters may cast a vote at the general meeting and their vote will be carried by their proxy (Vice-President MAL Policy or the National President, or the MAL proxy designated, as the case may be). Regular members-at-large are encouraged to create a voting trust at the general meeting by appointing one of their number to vote on their behalf. The individual Regular member-at-large who accepts such an appointment as voting trustee has the power to adjourn the meeting at any time, to consult with the other Regular members-at-large on any and all matters on which they may be expected to vote.

2. Members and delegates are not obligated to attend all events. The Presidents’ Reception on Friday night is optional. The banquet on Saturday night is optional. Anyone, especially Accredited delegates, wishing to attend the Business Sessions is/are required to pay the participation fee, which covers breakfast, mid-morning coffee break, lunch and mid-afternoon coffee break, venue (meeting space) rental, audio-video costs and other administrative costs are shared across the membership.

3. Registration fees must be paid in advance. We cannot accept any registrations or amendments after 1 October 2022. Payment will not be accepted at the door. All costs are per person. Registrants must use separate registration forms. If you require an additional form, you may photocopy it locally, or print another form, by downloading more forms from the link provided above.

4. The Business Session package cost covers breakfast, coffee breaks (morning and afternoon) and the Aviator’s lunch, on Saturday, 15 October 2022.

5. Wings unable to send a delegate are encouraged to employ a proxy form, and have their Regional Vice-president and/or Group President carry their proxy to the meeting, on behalf of their Wing members. If the Wing membership holds a meeting and selects another elected member other than their Chairperson to act as proxy, then that person may carry the Wing’s proxy to the general meeting. Please note that the RCAF Association is a non-profit organization built on a direct-democracy foundation, meaning every member-in-good-standing has a vote. Wing Presidents are elected to ensure when they speak they speak with every one of their Wing members’ votes in mind. To this end, it is critical that Wing Presidents sound out all of their (RCAF Association) members on all of the issues for which information has been posted here on the General Meeting webpage. At the core of these processes is what is known as a “pooling agreement.” In democratic societies/fraternities like ours, both the charter and one’s elected status convey a degree of trust that is placed on individuals who have chosen to serve their fellow members in this way. While the fiduciary is something entrusted to only those elected to the RCAF Association board of directors, the same cannot be said about all other elected individuals at Group level and Wing level. This is not to say their roles are any less significant. We only emphasize this point to declare the fiduciary cannot be delegated, but individual members themselves have delegated the responsibility to register their individual votes to the person whom they have elected to the Wing President/Chairperson role.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do board members of the RCAF Association Board of Directors have to register, by filling out the registration form?
    • Yes; completing a registration form is the only valid evidence of the member’s commitment to attend, and is therefore used to confirm attendance for the purposes of accommodation and meals. Anyone who attempts to show up without having registered will discover no meals, nor any space have been set aside or budgeted for them.
  • Are the registration fees reimbursable?
    • Not normally; since it is RCAF Association policy not to reimburse meals, and since the registration costs are normally and mostly to cover the cost of meals and snacks, they cannot be reimbursed, even for RCAF Association Board of Directors members.
  • Does the RCAF Association subsidize attendance of delegates at the BGM?
    • Normally, the costs of attending BGMs are borne by the individual members attending, unless the member is serving as an accredited delegate for a Wing that boasts of a supporting business entity (social club) and a budget to subsidize travel, accommodation and registration costs. In some cases, Wings with no business entity may hold fundraising events to help gather funds to provide financial support for their Wing’s delegate(s). After all, the individual who chooses to lead a Wing accepts the duty to convey the votes of the Wing’s members, and this duty is worthy of remuneration, should the Wing’s members agree.
  • How many accredited delegates can my Wing send to the BGM?
    • Wings may send as many accredited delegates as they may like, and all of the accredited delegates may benefit from having their vote on any and all matters recorded and counted. However, since the RCAF Association conducts these meetings under the guise of a direct democracy, and since all Regular members everywhere (including members-at-large) have a vote on all matters, a pooling agreement is in force, guided by the exigencies of parliamentary procedures reflected in Robert’s Rules of Order, wherein the vote cast by any Wing’s accredited delegate(s) actually carries the numerical tally of all Regular members in-good-standing at the time of the vote in their particular Wing. For example, if the Wing accredited delegate for 413 Wing voted in favour of a motion, since there may be 312 Regular members-in-good-standing in the Wing at the time, the 413 Wing’s accredited delegate’s single vote counts for 312, and this tally is added to the others cast by each and every Wing’s accredited delegate, to determine the outcome of the motion. Of course, it is assumed since the 413 Wing accredited delegate votes in favour of a motion, that she or he is voting in a manner that is consistent with the votes that should have already been cast by the 413 members when the motion or issue was originally presented to them sometime before the general meeting itself.
  • What benefits are there by permitting Wings to send more than one accredited delegate?
    • The RCAF Association benefits immensely from the attendance of more accredited delegates whenever issues arise during the meeting which may not have come up before at the grassroots level of the association. In other words, a quorum of accredited delegates voting on issues in certain ways can later inform the entire association about the possible preferences one way or another. In today’s economy, marketing and testing are pivotal to the successful implementation or even introduction of innovations or just new ideas, and a quorum of accredited delegates is a perfect way to test new ideas and innovations before a wider if not more general consensus is needed.
  • As a member, how can I influence the formal agenda?
    • All Regular members of the RCAF Association are encouraged if not invited to help shape the future of their association, meaning all of us can offer up any ideas for further consideration and implementation. Whether a new idea survives to find a place on the agenda will depend on many things not the least important of which is the potential cost and the budget available during the time of implementation. Also, since the structure of the RCAF Association includes a component known as Groups and Wings, many leaders in important positions with the many Groups and Wings are installed to provide assistance and support to the many members who may have something interesting to pursue on the agenda. To this end, these members are encouraged to raise their ideas and issues through their local branch (Wing) and region (Group).

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