GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

[Bob Armstrong]

In the Fall of 2009, the GTCL struck a committee to review the Consitution, and come back with an amended Constitution for debate. The committee was myself ( as Chair, and Board member ); Maurice Smith ( Scarborough CC Board Rep.) and John Chidley-Hill ( Board member at large ). We recently submitted our amended Consititution proposal, and it will be debated at the GTCL AGM this Saturday ( 12:30 PM ).

One major change involves who qualifies for membership in the GTCL? The relevant section on membership in the new Constitution states:

" Article 3. The Membership

3.1 Individuals may join the GTCL as members provided:

a) they live or work in the GTA, as defined in this Constitution;
b) they actively play chess in clubs, tournaments, on-line, or casually;
c) they are members in good standing of the Chess Federation of Canada ( CFC ), or they have paid an annual membership fee equivalent to the rebate per member given to the GTCL by the O.C.A., currently $ 3.

For the very first time in the history of the GTCL, it is being proposed that one does not have to be a CFC member, to become a GTCL member !

The point of this proposal is chess promotion in the GTA. It is recognized that CFC members are only a small component of chess players in the GTA. There are clubs for casual play, there are on-line players, there are casual players who play with family, relatives, friends, etc.. The GTCL needs to reach out to these players as well as the well-heeled CFC tournament crowd. And if we want them to get involved in promotion of chess in the GTA, we have to offer them almost full membership in the GTCL, so they have a voice and vote ( the one limitation is that only GTCL members who are also CFC members will get to vote for the regional CFC Governors ).

And the committee is divided on this point. John and I support this position. Maurice is against it - he feels only CFC members should be GTCL members.

So which way will the GTCL go?? Break new ground or the status quo?

If you are a CFC member in the GTA, come out and join in what is expected to be a somewhat raucous debate !

Bob

[Ernest Klubis]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Bob,

It's not clear what benefits individuals acquire by becoming members of the GTCL, except relieving themself of $3.

[Erik Malmsten]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

" Article 3. The Membership

3.1 Individuals may join the GTCL as members provided:

a) they live or work in the GTA, as defined in this Constitution;
b) they actively play chess in clubs, tournaments, on-line, or casually;
c) they are members in good standing of the Chess Federation of Canada ( CFC ), or they have paid an annual membership fee equivalent to the rebate per member given to the GTCL by the O.C.A., currently $ 3.

For the very first time in the history of the GTCL, it is being proposed that one does not have to be a CFC member, to become a GTCL member !

The $3 CFC doesn't go the GTCL organizers but is passed on to those CFC members who play in the GTCL tournaments: Toronto Closed and Reserves, Team matches, Women/Senior/Junior Championships.

The GTCL has been trying to drag out organizers to get involved, but now we have to tell them that, before they can volunteer more hours to help chess, they have to pay money. Furthermore, if they are an organizer who doesn't play chess, they are not invited. No to all those parents, teachers, and retired chess players with time on their hands. It doesn't matter that your school teaches chess to 500 kids and has won the Ontario school Championship, you're not invited. It doesn't matter that you have experience with organizing volleyball, fundraising for youth teams or have media connections - you don't play so you're not invited.

For the very first time in the 113 year history of the GTCL it is being proposed to turn away people from involvement in the GTCL. It's a mean, arm-twisting desperate and feeble attempt to increase the number of CFC members. Who cares if it loses the GTCL organizers.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Hi Erik:

You may be right that " playing " chess may be too narrow a critieria.

I hope you will come up with an amendment for tomorrow's meeting, that will allow the people you want to include , to also be members. It is not necessary to kill the whole new Constitution to get what you want.

Bob

[Roger Patterson]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

When we modified the BCCF membership a few years ago, I made a point of including that anyone who organized or TD'd a BCCF event was automatically a BCCF member.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Hi Roger:

You are clearly right on that, and this will be raised as an amendment at the GTCL AGM when the Constitution is discussed. Thanks for the info.

Bob

[Gary Ruben]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Hi Roger:

You are clearly right on that, and this will be raised as an amendment at the GTCL AGM when the Constitution is discussed. Thanks for the info.

Bob

Why not make the amount $3.40. It's more catchy. A Loonie, a Toonie, a Beaver, a Boat and a Moose.
I'll put it to music and you can have a GTCL song.

Y'know, Bob, the cash grab for the entry fee to the Canadian Open seems to be translating to a low number of early entries. Don't you think it might be a nice idea to cool this stuff for a few months?

I figure if the GTCL needs more money the executives should throw the money in. Why the hell should the chess players support so many levels of administration? Now if you can give an acceptable reply to that question, I'll be impressed.

[Ilia Bluvshtein]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

I figure if the GTCL needs more money the executives should throw the money in. Why the hell should the chess players support so many levels of administration? Now if you can give an acceptable reply to that question, I'll be impressed.

Regarding "support and levels of admistration"...

GTCL executive are volunteers that contribute their time and, YES, money for chess development in Canada in general and GTCL in particular.

In a broader perspective, CFC Executive are also volunteers.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Regarding "support and levels of admistration"...

GTCL executive are volunteers that contribute their time and, YES, money for chess development in Canada in general and GTCL in particular.

In a broader perspective, CFC Executive are also volunteers.

Volunteer doesn't matter. The job you do should be no better or worse than it would be if you were getting paid.

Why should people pay to support another level of administration?

How much is enough?

[Alex Ferreira]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Volunteer doesn't matter. The job you do should be no better or worse than it would be if you were getting paid.

Why should people pay to support another level of administration?

How much is enough?

Hi,

I was at the GTCL meeting which ended a few hours ago. The impression I got regarding this $3 fee is simply... it's already included in Ontario CFC memberships. People should not have to be members of the CFC to become members of the GTCL. In other words they could participate in GTCL affairs for the nominal fee of $3, which is equivalent to the portion from the CFC membership (Ontario), they could do this withOUT being CFC members. I think the idea was not to discourage people who want nothing to do with the CFC, letting them know they can still be GTCL members, and a $3 / year commitment is really nothing. What do they get out of it? Access to participation in local chess politics, advertising aid though GTCL website. Perhaps not very much. Taking into account that most people are already CFC members to begin with, if this idea got passed, it would maybe bring 2-5 people in. I really don't think GTCL makes any money whatsoever, but instead is trying to reach out to those who like chess and are involved in it around Toronto, without having to deal with CFC. In any case the idea didn't materialize.

Alex Ferreira

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: GTCL AGM - Revised Constitution Goes Down to Defeat

The new proposed GTCL Constitution, trying to encourage participation in the GTCL by non-CFC chess players in the GTA, was dealt with at today's AGM.

It got defeated : Motion to Accept the New Constitution: 4 yes, 5 no, and 2 abstentions ( it was a " constitutional " amendment, and so needed 2/3 of the votes cast to pass ).

It is significant to note that 5/6 GTCL Executive were there, and all 5 unanimously moved to defeat the revised Constitution.

So the old Constitution, with all its flaws, in the opinon of the Committee, is now still the governing document.

Bob

[Gary Ruben]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Hi,

I was at the GTCL meeting which ended a few hours ago. The impression I got regarding this $3 fee is simply... it's already included in Ontario CFC memberships. People should not have to be members of the CFC to become members of the GTCL. In other words they could participate in GTCL affairs for the nominal fee of $3, which is equivalent to the portion from the CFC membership (Ontario), they could do this withOUT being CFC members. I think the idea was not to discourage people who want nothing to do with the CFC, letting them know they can still be GTCL members, and a $3 / year commitment is really nothing. What do they get out of it? Access to participation in local chess politics, advertising aid though GTCL website. Perhaps not very much. Taking into account that most people are already CFC members to begin with, if this idea got passed, it would maybe bring 2-5 people in. I really don't think GTCL makes any money whatsoever, but instead is trying to reach out to those who like chess and are involved in it around Toronto, without having to deal with CFC. In any case the idea didn't materialize.

Alex Ferreira

Thank you for the explanation. Your estimate of the number of people it would bring in sounds reasonable. Possibly if they visited seniors clubs, the chess games on Queen St. next to St. Mikes hospital (there was a game a few days ago), community centres, restaurants and out houses, they could get more.

Who's responsible for the upcoming Canadian Open? Is it the GTCL? Judging from the low number of early entries I saw posted, whoever it is should try to explain the concept to the players.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Who's responsible for the upcoming Canadian Open? Is it the GTCL? Judging from the low number of early entries I saw posted, whoever it is should try to explain the concept to the players.

At the same meeting we heard that about 10% of entries have been received, and that is really a good sign :D

[Gary Ruben]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

At the same meeting we heard that about 10% of entries have been received, and that is really a good sign :D

That's great! I would have guessed an over/under betting line for PAID entrants would be 150.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: GTCL AGM - Debates Radical Change to Membership

Hey Guys:

What's really important is that I mailed in my entry Thursday !!

Bob