Minutes from Steering Committee, March 20, 2009

March 20, 2009 – OISE Peace Lounge 3:30 – 5:30

Attending: Hartley, jes, Emily, Brendan, Matt, Duncan, Bonnie,

Regrets: Deborah, Jenni, Robyn, Simon, Margo

1. Steering Committee Commuication

• Google Groups doesn’t seem to be working consistently for everybody; this could be because some people’s e-mails are awaiting moderator confirmation
• look into Google Groups and who’s receiving info; jes will talk to Robyn about this

2. Meeting with Warren

• Brendan had a quick meeting with Warren
• Warren is willing to work with us on a proposal: vision, theme
• Re: coming to PTO Warren recommended that as many as possible attend
• They could possibly waive conference fee as well as arrange billets
• Warren suggested that some come early and “shadow” Minneapolis organizers

3. Attending PTO Minneapolis

• who’s definitely almost possibly going: Simon, Duncan, Steven, Deb Barndt
• wants to / maybe: Jes, Matt, chris, Emily, Brendan (and Kai), Adam L, Hartley
• can’t: Robyn, Bonnie,
• look into memberships – perhaps create membership fund to support
• Brendan will talk to Warren about financial constraints

4. Conference Date:

• last weekend of June 2010 is G8 in Huntsville
• Corvin suggestions: OISE is okay; alternatively an OISE prof could book space at UofT; Judy Rebick & Ryerson
• Moved and agreed that we take OISE as space for last weeks of June: 18, 19, 20
• confirm G8 dates; confirm pre or post and this opens up possibility for pre-G8 events
• Mixed Company – Jokers Symposium – we support Mixed Company in organizing their symposium as a pre or post event
• Adam will contact Daniel to confirm acceptance of OISE

5. Conference Theme Brainstorm:

• We’re not gonna take it
• whose gonna take it: not us
• connecting to other 2010 things happening
• migration
• colonialism
• something fun and light
• who are our heroes
• what is a heroes
• role of heroes
• twisted sister and The Who
• Qui Bono – Who Benefits
• What is Peace
• Carnival – circus
• tie into Joker Symposium
• Batman Begins
• The Joker’s Not Dead
• Seize the Moment
• Repeat the Moment
• Make the Moment
• Borders
• Crossing Borders
• Breaking borders
• Defining Borders
• Drawing Borders
• Erasing Borders
• Jokering borders
• Remembering Borders
• Mapping Borders
• History of Oppression
• Remembering our History
• Resistance and Rebellion
• Global Problems, Local Solutions
• When is Enough Enough
• G8 is Enough
• Be the Change
• Holding Ourselves Accountable
• Responsibility
• Troubling the Waters
• Patti Lather’s new book
• Re: Public
• Re: framing

• send out e-mail for continued discussion and decision at pre-Minneapolis meeting
• chris will spawn an e-mail on theme brainstorm on Google Groups

6. Hussan’s offer to do some anti-colonial education with the steering ctte

• Brendan confirming Hussan’s interest

7. Outreach to groups we should have at the table

• check community mapping report
• Regent Park Focus – Adonis Huggins
• Children’s Peace Theatre – Karen Emerson, artistic director
• Sketch – Phyllis Novak, Rudy Ruttiman
• Native Earth – Jes can do outreach
• COBA – Collection of Black Artists
• Artists Mentoring Youth (AMY) – Claire Calnan
• Supporting Our Youth – Clare Nobbs
• 519 Church – jes has contacts
• Montreal – University of the Streets, Concordia Institute
• Jumblies – Ruth Howard
• PARC – Bob Rose
• Jack Pierpont – Inclusion Press
• No One Is Illegal
• KWIC

• chris will spawn e-mail on google groups about this
• everyone asked to add, and also inform whether contact as been made to avoice doubling up on people

8. Reports from Subcommittees

• Matt apologizes
• add Margo to Finance & Fundraising

Hospitality:

• decided to split up hotels, hostels and university residences research
• one hostel in Toronto won award
• suggestion of asking $25 for billeting for entire weekend which is given as subsidy to billeter to reduce conference fee
• suggestion to stay at Unionized hotels – e.g. Sheraton…
• check number of “accessible” rooms at hotels
• check services etc
• create ‘zine/map of our own of downtown Toronto
• think about storytelling event on Toronto Islands – history of Islands (talk to Shadowlands); Native Bus Tour; etc…

Funding Ctte:

• check out Tourism Toronto support
• research transportation discounts – Greyhound
• Laura Copeland’s advice
• Mixed Company interested in being connected to coordinate grant applications

• All subcommittees urged (STRONGLY) to meet before next steering ctte meeting
• Brendan will e-mail everyone ctte lists and e-mails

9. Looking Ahead:

• Friday, APRIL 24th – 3:30 – 5:30
• Friday, MAY 8TH – 3:30 – 5:30

• Matt to confirm Minute taking
• chris to facilitate