Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

[Bob Armstrong]

Here is what I know about the magazine:

1. the grassroots motion to terminate the magazine contract with TKS ( the May issue would become the last one ) passed at the incoming governors AGM - but it was only a straw vote, and so then needed a regular binding motion to implement it.

2. A motion was introduced at the incoming governors' AGM " to replace the print magazine with an online magazine " ( " online magazine " was not defined and left pretty elastic - it likely won't mean the print magazine on a website - still too expensive ). This motion goes into GL # 1 to be processed in the ordinary, snail way of the GL's.

On the Old Chesstalk, governor Ken Craft said the motion to cease the magazine had already been defeated. I answered:

" I think that it is critically important to make the distinction between a motion on a whole restructuring package ( about which governors had all kinds of conflicting positions on different parts of it - the reason why the grassroots campaign made the straw votes independent of each other ), which got defeated, and claiming that any individual part got defeated. No one knows what the governors might have voted on a separate issue of replacing the print magazine with an online version ( and now the governors will get to vote on a motion coming in GL # 1 on this very issue ). "

Ken then asked on what authority the Executive has not moved forward with the pending Chess Canada # 2 - 2008 ( May 2008 ). I answered:

" I have not seen the contract. But I believe TKS would not go into a contract where they did the work, and then CFC didn't have to pay them. So my view is that the refusal to let the May issue ( # 2 - 2008 ) go forward, and refusal to pay for it, is likely a breach of contract, for which TKS has a valid lawsuit. The reason they did what they did was obviously they had no money to pay for it. Also likely, is they decided if TKS was going to sue on the " alleged " outsourcing contract, then CFC might as well force them to lump the magazine breach in too, and maybe they'd get a settlement which dropped the magazine part of the claim.

If CFC gets more money, my view ( not a popular lawyer's view ) would be that they should not breach their contract. And the members have paid for the Issue #2 - 2008. The payment funds should be given to a third party, and when TKS has delivered the magazine to the members, then the third party should determine if the contract has been fulfilled by TKS, and if so, pay them over the funds ( I'll get a lot of flack from governors on this one I bet ). "

At this point, past Treasurer and Life Governor Peter Stockhausen entered the fray with this enlightening post :(

" This is a discussion between people who do not have the FAINTEST CLUE of the issues and processes and past discussions and votes. Literally the blind is trying to lead the blind here.
Cheers
Peter "

What do you think of Peter''s contribution?

Is it any wonder the membership is disillusioned with the CFC governors and Executive? He jokes at our expense, and keeps the inside information to himself.

Would he care to enlighten the blind and dumb membership ( and it seems the governors are as blind and dumb as well in his opinion ).

Bob

[Peter Stockhausen]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Well, Bob, did I state the facts?? How deep is your knowledge? How much homework have you done??
Cheers
Peter
PS Congratulations on your result in Montreal and I really liked your "blog" of the tournament. And yes, you should go to Edmonton next year. The people there REALLY know how to put on an absolutely first class chess tournament!!

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Hi Peter:

That was not helpful.:(

For an ordinary member to get information on CFC issues affecting them is like pulling teeth. And it seems no information comes voluntarily from the Executive to the membership. I fear that since a member has no vote in any CFC meeting, and doesn't even have a right to be heard, the Executive ( and many governors ) do not see any reason they should communicate with members. This is very short-sighted. About 3/4 of the CFC revenue comes from memberships. Keeping members happy, and informed, is a good political and financial move.

So can you explain to us why there has not been a Chess Canada # 2-2008 ( May ) ? Members feel they have paid for this, and even if the print magazine must go, I think members would like this last issue ( and it will be a collectors' item in future ! ). Any help forthcoming on this ?

Bob

P.S. Glad you enjoyed the U 2000 Blog - it was sort of fun to play reporter, and try to make the events in the section as interesting and exciting as possible. And I have already broached the topic of the 2009 Edmonton CO with my wife - she's taking it under advisement as lawyers are wont to say.

[Steve Douglas]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Bob, while I share your frustration on not knowing what is going on, that is nothing new with the CFC. I've said before that the structure of the CFC is opaque to the average member (Peter disagreed with me on that and cheerfully pointed out that all of the demolition plans had been at the local planning office for quite some time so therefore...)

I will side with Peter on the issue of the magazine because the people who are trumpeting the notion of an on-line magazine really do represent a case of the blind leading the blind. It *may* be possible. It *may* save the CFC money in the long term, but it is NOT easy to just "DO" that. The only cost saving is in the area of print and postage. And in the case of the CFC when you "DO" that you disenfranchise a large number of members who do not have on-line access.

Steve

P.S. In my comments above I don't mean at all to diminish your tremendous contributions with SCCNV, but those are done on a volunteer basis and a volunteer newletter, regardless how good, is a different kettle of fish than a putative "national magazie".

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Hi Steve:

The motion on the magazine going into GL # 1 from the incoming governors' AGM is to " replace the print magazine with an online magazine ". I think this is not doable and is misleading to the membership.

I would prefer a motion that said " to replace the print magazine with a good Canadian news website and a new CFC e-bulletin which would go to all members ". :)

This I think CFC could do, and keep the costs down. And it would allow CFC direct and regular communication with their membership - something the CFC has never done.

Bob

[Ken Craft]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

If this motion fails will the print magazine be released to the membership and continued?

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Hi Ken:

I don't see how the print magazine ( or an Online Magazine ) can be offered as part of the CFC membership package any longer. It is simply too expensive for a small, non-profit organization of about 1000 annual adult members, which has no other sources of revenue than memberships and rating fees ( which members are always saying should be lower ).

This is why I suggest a combination replacement by a more extensive CFC Canadian news website/ CFC e-mail bulletin.

If the motion fails, I will try to have two governors bring forward a motion ( binding ):

" CFC will immediately terminate the TKS magazine contract ( with the Chess Canada Issue # 2- 2008 ( May ) being the last issue ). The CFC will then commence a CFC e-Bulletin to all members, and will enhance its website to provide good and extensive coverage of Canadian chess. "

It may be possible to try for an amendment of the existing motion coming out in GL # 1 to save some time. Note as well that the first sentence has already been passed by the governors at the 2008 incoming governors' AGM :) , though it was only a straw vote .

Bob

[Luke Peristy]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

With regards to the proposed e-Bulletin, would it be posted online somewhere, a la the GL, or emailed to a mailing list? Secondly, would you have to pay for said e-Bulletin a la the magazine? Thirdly, what contents would the e-Bulletin contain?

[Ken Craft]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

The issue Bob is more fundamental. Why and under whose authority has the membership stopped receiving the magazine? Keep in mind it is still being advertised on the CFC website.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada Replacement - A CFC e-Bulletin?

Hi Luke:

It may be getting a bit ahead of ourselves to try to detail the proposed CFC e-Bulletin. No governor to my knowledge has yet come forward to support this idea. But here are my own personal thoughts:

1. I would think the e-Bulletins would be available on the CFC website ( including past issues, much as I do with the Scarborough Community of Toronto Chess News and Views );

2. I would see it being e-mailed directly to all CFC members ; even though it would be on the website, it is convenient to receive an e-mail; otherwise you sometimes forget to go look at a website when the next issue is coming out; also it is a direct communication with the member, so you have more chance of not losing the member if they receive an e-mail, than if you are relying on them to regularly check the website;

3. I would see the e-Bulletin as free, and a benefit of your membership;

4. The CFC , in my view, would have an enhanced CFC Canadian News website. So I would see the e-bulletin as having the most recent highlights from the website since the last bulletin. This could be the top results of the Canadian Open, all sections, for example, with a link right in the bulletin to the full crosstable. It might have a particularly good game of the champion ( obtained from Hugh Brodie's database ). Jean Hebert's e-mail has tactical positions to solve - there could be one of these from some Canadian game. There would be announcements of some of the key efforts of the CFC Governors/Executive in running the organization ( since members don't all go the the website to read the GL's when they come out ). If there is an article contributed to the website on some Canadian chess item, it might be reproduced in the bulletin. Also, it could be decided that some articles would appear FIRST in the e-bulletin, and then later go to the website.
My thinking behind a bulletin, is that not everyone goes to chess websites regularly, and so the bulletin, though somewhat duplicative, is a quick summary of highlights to those people. And if some items were actually first released through the bulletin, before they got to the website, it would not be duplicative at all even for people who checked the CFC News daily.

Those are a few of my ideas. I'd be interested in hearing what others think the CFC could do to make a CFC e-Bulletin interesting to members.

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Hi Ken:

Good question. I asked Peter Stockhausen in an earlier post, who apparently has the answer to your question, , to please supply the members, many of whom are asking the same question, with an answer. He has not replied ( or his replies have avoided answering the question ).

As a governor, I think you are going to have to shake the tree from the inside, and ask the new President by e-mail, with copy to all governors, for the answer to this question....after all, the governors RUN the CFC....they have a right to know.

And I agree with you, the advertising of the magazine shouldn't be on the website still, if the magazine publication has been suspended, regardless of whether their is still a live contract. New members are being misled when they purchase their memberships. I'd suggest you write to Bob Gillanders and request that it be taken off the website until there is some resolution of the issue.

Bob

[Peter Stockhausen]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Hi Bob,

Maybe my answer on the other chesstalk was not comprehensive enough. So let me explain a few things:

1, Please read the Constitution to see what ordinary members are entitled to in terms of information etc. (Not that I necessarily agree with it.)

2, Do keep in mind that discussions at the Executive Level are confidential and have always been that way.

3, Maybe I expect too much, but the reason we publish every GL is to encourage ordinary members to read them and to think about what goes on in the federation.

4, The above also includes annual financials and on our web site we also publish our annual membesrship statistics, again something that all can read and reflect on.

5, Clearly it would be beneficial if ordinary members who would like to help the Federation at the national level, become Governors and WORK actively.

6, Returning to the Magazine issue for a moment, maybe it is reasonable to assume that after the TKS deal went south and notwithstanding the submission of the Re-Structuring Committee, the President decided to hand this whole issue over to the Incoming Executive, a couple of weeks later?

Finally, as in my other post, I reiterate that because of this long, long decline the issues facing us now are very difficult and not at all that easy to resolve given our constitutional constraints.

We should give our new President and his team some time to consider these issues and come up with a plan, and who knows what might happen to our magazine, printed or otherwise.

Cheers
Peter

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Hi Peter:

The question was: Why is there no Chess Canada Issue # 2-2008 ( May )? ( seems a straightforward question in which all members have an interest ).

As I glean your answer, it is : the matter is confidential and still current, so no answer is forthcoming.

I guess that's an answer gang.

Bob

P.S. Do the governors yet know the answer to this question? It seems Ken Craft certainly doesn't.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

It has been brought to my attention that Peter also was referring me to the following section of the Handbook: :(

14. No individual Member shall have any right to be heard on any matter pertaining to the affairs of the Federation, or his individual membership. Should any individual member be aggrieved by any matter arising in the conduct of the affairs of the Federation, his remedy shall be to bring the matter before his provincial organization, and if there be no Provincial Organization in the Province in which he resides, he may bring the matter to the attention of a Governor representing such Province. Any complaints or suggestions of any individual Member shall be sufficiently dealt with by the Federation Secretary, if he shall reply to such individual Member quoting this By-law.



(source: http://www.chess.ca/section_2.htm)

So he's saying I can ask the question above if I want, but there is no obligation on the CFC to answer me. I have to get a governor , send the question to him, and then hope he wishes to cooperate in forwarding it to the CFC Executive for answer. Then I hope that when he gets his answer, he will then forward it to me.

A bit cumbersome. I was aware of this, and in the past have gone through my local GTCL Governor, Michael Barron, on a number of issues.

But I have seen the Executive/ Bob Gillanders/ Governors answering ordinary members' questions on ChessTalk, and via e-mail, without it going through a governor. It is an informal unconstitutional practice that has developed, though rarely used ( great from a member/CFC relation point of view, and certainly facilitates communication ).

I thought it was worth trying ! Would be great if it was used more, given the constitutional limitation.

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Chess Canada?? What do the governors know or want??

Here is ED Bob Gillanders' recent post on the old board on the magazine issue:

" It is with regrets that I must inform the membership the printed version of Chess Canada magazine has been discontinued. For those that have been following developments at the CFC, this will not come as a surprise. Issue 2008-1 (Feb) was the last printed magazine. Issue 2008-2 due in May 2008 never made it to print.

We are working to replace the printed magazine with an online version. The printing and delivery costs became prohibitely expensive with our small membership base. Online magazines appear to be the trend, more affordable and quicker updates.

The online version is not ready yet. We will keep you posted on our progress. "

Bob