NOTE: This meeting was conducted in both English and French.

Transcription

1 MINUTES OF THE 2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SKATE CANADA HELD AT THE COURTYARD MARRIOTT OTTAWA EAST AND OTTAWA CONFERENCE & EVENT CENTRE IN OTTAWA, ONTARIO JUNE 4, 2017 NOTE: This meeting was conducted in both English and French. ATTENDANCE 1. The list of Club delegates in attendance at the 2017 Annual General Meeting and the Clubs represented by proxy is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix A. PRESIDENT S OPENING REMARKS 2. On behalf of Skate Canada, Leanna Caron welcomed all delegates, both in person and online, to the 104 th Skate Canada Annual General Meeting being held in the nation s capital. She declared the 2017 Skate Canada Annual General Meeting open. 3. In addressing the delegates, the President stated: For those of you joining us online, we wish you could be here as we celebrate not only Canada s 150 th birthday, but Skate Canada 130 th year as an association. We look forward to having you join us in person a year from now as we converge, connect and collaborate at the 2018 Ice Summit. 4. Before we get to the business of the day, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the transition that we made as an organization and specifically all the efforts undertaken this past season in Ontario. Thank you to the previous chairs of Northern, Central, Eastern and Western Ontario for all your hard work and cooperation with the transition to a unified Skate Ontario. A special thank you to Traci Fong, Paul Cotter, Glenda Cartwright, and Brenda VanEngelen for their leadership and patience during the transition process. I would also like to thank Wendy St. Denis and Gloria Brighten (Representatives of Skate Ontario), Kristy Balkwill (Chair of the Ontario Sections Working Committee), and Glenn Fortin (Chair of the Transition Committee). We thank you for your dedication to the sport of skating in Ontario. 5. Now, I d like to take a moment and look forward as we head into an extremely important year for the organization. Just eight months from now, the world will connect in PyeongChang, South Korea for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games. For many of our athletes, this will mark the pinnacle of their careers.

2 June 4, 2017 Page 2 6. Each of you has played an instrumental part in getting our elite athletes to this point; you were there from the start, and you should be commended for the work you do in supporting the development of skaters. Your commitment and passion for our sport and our athletes is building champions of today and for tomorrow. 7. When I travel to skating events, whether here at home or around the world, I am always amazed by the level of dedication of our Skate Canada volunteers and employees. This was evident at the World Championships in Helsinki, where I saw so many Canadians in so many roles. Our coaches, athletes, officials and support team, from Clubs and Sections across the country, are essential in the development of our elite athletes, from their first steps in the CanSkate program right through to the World Championships or Olympic Games. Whether cheering in person or cheering from home, I know that our athletes feel this support, and it inspires them. 8. At the World Championships, our athletes were amazing. We showed the world we are back a driven, aligned, and cohesive team coupled with incredible performances. We are stronger than ever! Not only did we qualify the largest team of any nation, for the first time we had two ladies standing on top of the world. Our synchronized skating teams also did us proud this season, highlighted by a bronze medal for NEXXICE at the World Synchronized Skating Championships. 9. You, and those you represent back at home, play a crucial role as we celebrate these moments. It is truly a team effort! Chief Executive Officer Debra Armstrong and I will elaborate on that a little later. 10. For now, I would like to honour our World team and the Clubs and Sections that helped get them to where they are. 11. Please stand up as I announce the names of the Clubs that have formed the journey of our outstanding athletes. Patrick Chan: West Toronto Skating Club; Upper Canada Skating Club: Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club: Granite Club (Skate Ontario) Kevin Reynolds: Coquitlam Figure Skating Club; Burnaby Winter Club; Vancouver Skating Club (BC/YT Section) Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir: Ilderton Skating Club (Skate Ontario) and Regroupement élite de patinage artistique de Montréal (Patinage Québec) Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje: Kitchener -Waterloo Skating Club and Sault Skating Club (Skate Ontario) Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier: Unionville Skating Club; York Region Skating Academy; Scarboro Figure Skating Club (Skate Ontario) Kaetlyn Osmond: Ice Crystal Figure Skating Club (Newfoundland & Labrador Section) and Ice Palace Figure Skating Club (AB-NWT/NUN Section) Gabrielle Daleman: Hilltop Figure Skating Club; Richmond Hill Figure Skating Club; and Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club (Skate Ontario)

3 June 4, 2017 Page 3 Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford (Walden Figure Skating Club; Balmertown Figure Skating Club; Kenora Skating Club; (Skate Ontario) CPA Saint-Léonard (Patinage Québec) Lubov Ilyushechkina/ Dylan Moscovitch: West Toronto Skating Club; Woodbine Winter Club; Kitchener-Waterloo Skating Club; Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club (Skate Ontario) Julianne Séguin/ Charlie Bilodeau: Patinage Longueuil; CPA Trois Pistoles; CPA Chambly (Patinage Québec) World synchronized bronze medalists, NEXXICE and their home Club, the Burlington Skating Centre (Skate Ontario) 12. As you can see, so many of you touched our athletes and their development on the journey to PyeongChang. Thank you for making this journey possible! 13. It has been an educational and exciting few days of workshops, social functions and networking here in Ottawa. I believe this has been a positive and productive time for all of us as we interact with our colleagues and work together to keep the organization moving forward. 14. In conclusion, the President congratulated all award winners who were honoured at the spectacular awards gala and thanked them for their dedication to the sport of figure skating. A list of the award winners is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix B. CALL TO ORDER 15. The President called upon Chief Executive Officer Debra Armstrong to formally open the meeting. Debra Armstrong confirmed that the Notice of Meeting was issued to the membership via a Skate Canada e-communication on January 20, 2017, in compliance with article 4, Bylaw 4.2. She explained that as per Bylaw 4.15, quorum is identified as 125 persons entitled to vote, present and representing at least 2000 votes. Debra Armstrong then confirmed that there were 197 persons entitled to vote and representing 3403 votes in attendance, either in person or via the online meeting. With this, the Chief Executive Officer confirmed that that necessary quorum was present. EXPLANATION OF VOTING PROCESS 16. The President welcomed Norm Proft, Director Member Services, to the meeting. Norm Proft provided a detailed overview of the voting process that would be used during the meeting. 17. Following the delivery of the voting process overview, the President recognized the groups identified by Skate Canada Bylaws as being entitled to speak and/or to add an item to the agenda:

4 June 4, 2017 Page 4 Club and Skating School Delegates Certified Professional Coaches The Skate Canada Board of Directors, Officers Section Chairs The Skate Canada Auditor The Chief Executive Officer of Skate Canada Employees of Skate Canada, including Section Staff Members 18. The President then reminded delegates that this was their meeting. She encouraged their participation by inviting them to come forward to speak to subject matters on the agenda when the opportunity to do so is provided. Leanna Caron noted that items of interest, not currently on the agenda, could be added under New Business at that time. The President provided the following instructions to delegates wishing to speak to a subject matter: Club delegates participating in the meeting in person to approach a microphone in the meeting room and state their name and Club so that the information could be accurately recorded, and if a Certified Professional Coach, to identify themselves as such. Delegates participating in the meeting online to identify themselves in the same manner thought the online chat tool and to include a question or comment. All online questions or comments will be included in the course of the commentary going forward. APPROVAL OF THE MEETING AGENDA 19. The President referenced the meeting agenda and asked if there were any new items of business to be added to the agenda. It was noted that none were brought forward. The President then called for a motion for the approval of the agenda which is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix C. Moved by Nicole LeBlanc-Richard, Seconded by Janice Hunter, THAT the agenda of the June 4, 2017 Skate Canada Annual General Meeting be approved as presented, with the order of the agenda remaining flexible as per the President s discretion. CARRIED INTRODUCTION OF THE SKATE CANADA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 20. The President introduced the Board of Directors whose commitment to the work undertaken and the sheer volume of time dedicated to making the organization stronger is greatly appreciated: Kristy Balkwill

5 June 4, 2017 Page 5 Karen Butcher Rod Garossino Sylvain Guibord Janice Hunter Darlene Joseph Benoit Lavoie (not in attendance) Nicole LeBlanc-Richard Paul MacIntosh Mary Ellen McDonald Sally Rehorick Shae Zukiwsky 21. The President took this opportunity to acknowledge both the Skate Canada staff members in attendance, as well as those who remained at the National Service Centre. She remarked that the staff s commitment, dedication, and willingness to work together with all those in the skating family, while conducting the day-to-day operations of Skate Canada, is sincerely appreciated. Leanna Caron then introduced the senior staff members: Debra Armstrong, Chief Executive Officer Terry Sheahan, Senior Director, Events and Marketing Andre Bourgeois, NextGen Director Monica Lockie, Skating Development Director Jeff Partrick, Corporate Services Director Norm Proft, Member Services Director Mike Slipchuk, High Performance Director Isaac Trumbley, Information Technology Director Ilan Yampolsky, Enterprise Risk Management Director Special Draws 22. Leanna Caron welcomed Skate Ontario President Karen Butcher to the stage to draw two names of Skate Ontario Clubs. The two Clubs would each be invited to send a delegate to the 2018 Ice Summit, compliments of Skate Canada. The winning Clubs were announced as: Rideau Skating Club Scarboro Figure Skating Club 23. The President then explained that all those who attended Ice Summit workshops were entered into a draw for two all-event tickets to the 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships being held in Vancouver, British Columbia, compliments of Skate Canada. The winner was announced as: Tracey Billings. 24. The President congratulated all winners.

6 June 4, 2017 Page 6 Moment of Silence 25. At this point in the meeting, the President asked that delegates stand for a moment of silence to honour and remember all Skate Canada members and friends who passed away during the registration year. APPROVAL OF THE 2016 AGM MINUTES 26. The President referred to the minutes of the 2016 Annual General Meeting held on May 28, 2016 in St. John s, Newfoundland. She added that the minutes were posted on the Skate Canada Info Centre. 27. Following the acknowledgment of the minutes, delegates were asked to vote on the following motion: Moved by Darlene Joseph, Seconded by Paul MacIntosh, THAT the minutes of the 2016 Annual General Meeting be approved as presented. CARRIED BYLAW AMENDMENTS 28. The President turned the meeting over to Governance Committee Chair Sally Rehorick to speak to the amendments portion of the meeting. 29. Sally Rehorick confirmed that as per Article 12 of the Skate Canada Bylaws, the following groups had until 90 days prior to the Annual General Meeting (March 6, 2017) to file with the Chief Executive Officer notice of any proposals, amendments and repeals to the bylaws of Skate Canada: Skate Canada Board of Directors Skate Canada Sections Skate Canada Clubs or Skating Schools in good standing Certified Professional Coaches in good standing 30. Sally Rehorick reported that two amendments to the bylaws were received prior to March 6, 2017 and were duly circulated to these same groups or individuals, who then had until 45 days prior to the AGM (April 20, 2017) to propose any responses. Sally Rehorick confirmed that none were received. 31. Sally Rehorick then provided a detailed explanation of the amendments procedure and the related voting process.

7 June 4, 2017 Page Sally Rehorick confirmed that amendment 1 was submitted by the Skate Canada Board of Directors. Detailed information and rationale related to the proposed amendment to Skate Canada Article 5, Bylaw is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix D. 33. Following the presentation of the bylaw amendment, delegates were asked to vote on the following motion: Moved by Shae Zukiwsky, Seconded by Karen Butcher, THAT the amendment to Skate Canada Bylaws, Article be approved as presented. CARRIED 34. Sally Rehorick confirmed that amendment 2 was also submitted by the Skate Canada Board of Directors. Detailed information and rationale related to the proposed amendment to Skate Canada Article 1 Definition of Coaching Member, with additional housekeeping changes to Articles 3, 4, 5, 8, and 12, is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix D. 35. Following the presentation of the bylaw amendment, delegates were asked to vote on the following motion: Moved by Darlene Joseph, Seconded by Paul MacIntosh, THAT the amendment to Skate Canada Bylaws, Article 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 12 be approved as presented. CARRIED 36. In conclusion, Sally Rehorick thanked delegates for their participation in the amendments portion of the meeting. PRESIDENT AND CEO REPORT 37. The combined report submitted by President Leanna Caron and Chief Executive Officer Debra Armstrong is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix E. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS 38. As a preface to the delivery of Standing Committee reports, the President provided the following acknowledgment, This last season has brought about several changes to our organization. We have all felt those changes and, hopefully by now, embraced them. In striving to continue to be a successful organization, we need to listen to each other, dialogue, challenge, and make decisions. I feel fortunate that the organization standing

8 June 4, 2017 Page 8 before me today, and the change we have effected this last season, has positioned us for continued success and growth. 39. Sections, staff, and the Board have their distinct and overlapping roles; the latter reflecting the checks and balances as we operate from different perspectives. 40. Specifically, the Board operates from a strategic and risk perspective, with an international and domestic lens, and specifically, the committees of the Board each play a critical role to ensure Skate Canada s position is protected and that we are positioned for success and growth. 41. In a few moments, I will call upon the chair of each Board committee to provide an overview of the work done this past season. While simply a brief glimpse into their accomplishments, I encourage you to ask questions to the committee chairpersons or to follow up with them personally. 42. The President went on to explained that the Standing Committees of the Board are formed of both Board members and appointed members and cover the following areas: Governance Membership Policy External Relations CEO Operational Review Finance and Enterprise Risk Management 43. Following her introduction, the President invited each of the Standing Committee chairpersons to the stage to provide reports related to their respective committees. All reports are attached to the minutes in full as Appendix F. FINANCE REPORT 44. The President called upon Chief Executive Officer Debra Armstrong to present the Financial Report which is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix G. 45. Further to the delivery of the Finance Report, the following motion related to the approval of Skate Canada Audited Financial Statements (Appendix H) was put forward to the voting membership: Moved by Mary Ellen McDonald, Seconded by Rod Garossino, THAT the Skate Canada Audited Financial Statements ended March 31, 2017, prepared by the Auditors of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, be approved as presented. CARRIED

9 June 4, 2017 Page 9 Appointment of Auditors 46. The following motion related to the appointment of the Skate Canada auditors for the fiscal year was put forward to the voting membership: Moved by Sylvain Guibord, Seconded by Kristy Balkwill, THAT PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP be approved as Skate Canada s auditors for the fiscal year. CARRIED ACTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 47. The President reported that the actions of the Board of Directors were captured in a separate document titled Actions of the Board of Directors. The President encouraged delegates to take the time to review the document which is posted on the Skate Canada Info Centre. ELECTION OF OFFICERS 48. The President confirmed that on January 6, 2017 the Nominating Sub-committee released a memo titled 2018 Call for Applications to the Skate Canada Board of Directors, through a national e-communication, inviting prospective candidates to submit their interest in becoming a member of the Skate Canada Board of Directors. Interested candidates were directed to the Skate Canada Info Centre where information related to the application process was posted. 49. Leanna Caron indicated that the mandate of the Nominating Sub-committee is to ensure there is a full slate of qualified candidates for election to the Skate Canada Board of Directors. The sub-committee also strives to provide a respectful, transparent and fair nomination and election process as a means of attracting candidates. As such, the Nominating Sub-committee reviewed each of the candidate s qualifications to ensure they meet the minimum requirements as set forth in the Skate Canada Board of Directors Skill and Competency Requirements which was posted on the Skate Canada Info Centre. 50. On behalf of the Nominating Sub-committee, the President reported that 5 candidates expressing interest in serving Skate Canada have met the minimum requirements. 51. Leanna Caron spoke to the available board positions for election, including the order of elections: Election Category 1 - Director Ontario, two-year term (1 position) Election Category 2 - Director Atlantic, two-year term (1 position) Election Category 3 - Director at Large, two-year term (3 positions)

10 June 4, 2017 Page The President explained that with respect to available Director positions, the foregoing does not reflect any sort of hierarchy on the Board of Directors. 53. Leanna Caron provided the following results of the nominating process: Election Category 1 Director Ontario (two-year term, 1 position). With 1 candidate nominated for this election, candidate Darlene Joseph has been acclaimed. Election Category 2 Director Atlantic (two-year term, 1 position). With 1 candidate nominated for this election, candidate Nicole LeBlanc-Richard has been acclaimed. Election Category 3 - Director at Large (two-year term, 3 positions). With 3 candidates nominated for this election, candidates Mary Ellen McDonald, Sally Rehorick, and Regan Taylor have been acclaimed. 54. At this time, the President extended her sincere thanks to the members of the Nominating Sub-Committee: Laura Carr Chair Brenda Hart Debbie MacMurdo Marc Robichaud Mary Liz Wiley ASSOCIATION APPOINTMENTS Championships 55. The President confirmed the following event locations and dates: 2017 Autumn Classic International September 20 23, 2017 Pierrefonds, Quebec 2017 Skate Canada International October 26-29, 2017 Regina, Saskatchewan 2018 Skate Canada Challenge November 29-December 3, 2017 Pierrefonds, Quebec 2018 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships January 8-14, 2018 Vancouver, British Columbia 2018 Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships February 23-25, 2018 Oshawa, Ontario

11 June 4, 2017 Page The President was also very pleased to confirm the following international events which were allotted to Skate Canada: 2018 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final December 5-9, 2018 Vancouver, British Columbia 2020 ISU World Figure Skating Championships March 16-22, 2020 Montreal, Quebec Awarding of 2018 Ice Summit 57. The President confirmed the date and location of the 2018 Ice Summit: May 24-27, 2018 Calgary, Alberta NEW BUSINESS 58. The President confirmed that no new items of business were brought forward to the meeting. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RETIRING BOARD MEMBERS 59. The President took this opportunity to thank and honour the invaluable dedication and contributions to the association of the following retiring Board members: Karen Butcher Benoit Lavoie INTRODUCTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 60. Chief Executive Officer Debra Armstrong introduced the Board of Directors while the President personally thanked and welcomed each to their new position. The list of Board members is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix I. INTRODUCTION OF THE SECTION CHAIRS 61. The President introduced the Section Chairs. She indicated that Section Chairs continue to be valued members of the national team and their endless time and commitment to the association is greatly appreciated. The list of Section Chairs is attached to the minutes in full as Appendix J.

12 June 4, 2017 Page 12 CLOSING REMARKS 62. In closing, Leanna Caron thanked Chief Executive Officer Debra Armstrong and her team for their outstanding work in executing the 2017 Ice Summit. She also thanked delegates and coaches who traveled to the nation s capital to participate in the activities of the Ice Summit, and those from across the country who participated in the annual general meeting on-line: You are essential to our growth as we continue to move the organization forward, and we are grateful for your dedication and commitment to Skate Canada. 63. The President also welcomed the Board of Directors and expressed her enthusiasm in working closely with each Board member in the coming year. 64. Leanna Caron expressed her sentiments to all meeting participants: This is an exciting time for the organization, especially with the Olympic Winter Games just eight months away. As I said earlier, each of you in clubs right across the country play an essential role in developing our champions and our stars of today and tomorrow. As you head home, let s keep the spirit of this week intact. Keep the lines of communication open, share ideas and ask questions as we continue to pave the way for success in the coming season, and in the next generation of champions. Thank you, and I look forward to an unforgettable year for Skate Canada and our athletes! 65. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:23. Moved by Mary Ellen McDonald, THAT the meeting be adjourned. Leanna Caron President Minutes recorded and written by: Denise Hudson, Executive Coordinator