Labour / Le Travail
Issue 90 (2022)
Minutes / Procès-verbal
Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Committee
on Labour History
8 June 2022
Convened virtually from various locations across Turtle Island
The meeting was called to order at 1:06 pm Mountain Time with Kirk Niergarth in the Chair.
Attendees: Kassandra Luciuk, Mikhail Borge, Linda Kealey, Greg Kealey, Rhonda Hinther, Kirk Niergarth, Julia Smith, Andrea Samoil, Charles Smith, James Naylor, Elizabeth Quinlan, David Camfield, Martin Petticlerc, Kathy Killoh, Mark Thomas, Eric Tucker, Jason Russell
1. introductions
Attendees introduced themselves.
2. adoption of agenda
It was moved by Charles Smith, seconded by Jim Naylor, that the agenda be adopted as presented.
Carried unanimously.
3. adoption of minutes of 2021 annual meeting
It was moved by Gregory Kealey, seconded by Charles Smith, that the minutes of the 2021 Annual Meeting be adopted.
Carried unanimously.
4. president’s report
Kirk Niergarth delivered the President’s Report.
He discussed plans for the upcoming 2022 cclh Conference, taking place at Mount Royal University in Calgary in October 2022. The conference is being organized by a committee consisting of: Kassandra Luciuk, Julia Smith, Jim Naylor, Rhonda Hinther, Joan Sangster, Charles Smith, and Kirk Niergarth.
Kathy Killoh asked about anticipated publications arising from the conference. Kirk Niergarth stated that participants would be encouraged to submit papers for publication in Labour/Le Travail. Kathy Killoh also provided an update on advertisements for the conference.
Kirk Niergarth reported on recent updates for bilingual content on the cclh website.
Kirk Niergarth noted that the quality and volume of submissions for this year’s cclh Forsey Prize and cclh Article Prize was impressive. He announced that Kassandra Luciuk had been awarded the Forsey Prize for the dissertation entitled, “Making Ukrainian Canadians: Identity, Politics, and Power in Cold War Canada,” while Peter Campbell was the winner of the cclh Article Prize for “Let Us Rise: Dialectical Thinking, the Commodification of Labour Power, and the Legacy of the Socialist Party of Canada,” published in Labour/Le Travail in 2021.
It was moved by Ben Isitt, seconded by Greg Kealey, that the President’s Report be adopted, and that members express appreciation to Kirk Niergarth for his service as cclh President.
Carried unanimously.
5. treasurer’s report
Greg Kealey provided the Treasurer’s Report, indicating that the cclh had had another successful year. Revenues in 2021 exceeded expenses by a modest margin, allowing for maintenance of cclh reserve accounts in a healthy state, consistent with the cclh fiscal reserve policy.
Greg Kealey attributed the cclh’s healthy financial position to aggregation income relating to the journal, Labour/Le Travail. He also discussed the status of cclh investments.
Greg Kealey advised members that cclh had been registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue Agency in 2021, expressing appreciation to Ben Isitt for completing the registration process. Donations and receipts are being processed through the Canada Helps website.
Greg Kealey expressed appreciation to Kirk Niergarth for the website redesign, which has simplified the process of making financial contributions to the cclh.
Greg Kealey also expressed appreciation to Kathy Killoh and Samantha Kam with Athabasca University Press and to Renee Audet-Martel for assistance with cclh bookkeeping.
Julia Smith asked Greg Kealey whether it was possible to make charitable donations for the cclh conference, travel bursaries, and other educational activities. Greg Kealey indicated that the cclh can accept donations and provide income tax receipts to donors. Ben Isitt indicated that the cclh’s mandate aligns with the advancement of education purpose in the Income Tax Act.
It was moved by Mikhail Borge, seconded by Martin Petticlerc, that the Treasurer’s Report be adopted.
Carried unanimously.
6. labour/le travail editors’ report
Kirk Niergarth and Charles Smith provided the Labour/Le Travail Editors’ Report as co-editors.
Kirk Niergarth discussed subscription revenue and a planned subscription drive. He also discussed highlights of the most recent issue of the journal.
Charles Smith discussed improvements to the editorial process and the transition to Kirk Niergarth’s role as Co-Editor, and expressed appreciation to Joan Sangster for her service as Editor. Charles Smith also commented favourably on the substantial number of article submissions to the journal, resulting in a backlog of articles pending publication. He attributed this increase in submission of high-quality articles to Joan Sangster’s heavy lifting.
Kirk Niergarth discussed a future thematic issue of the journal on deindustrialization.
Charles Smith announced that the Canadian Association for Work and Labour Studies had initiated a Labour Studies Article Prize.
It was moved by Andrea Samoil, seconded by Martin Petticlerc, that the Editors’ Report be adopted.
Carried unanimously.
7. elections
Kirk Niergarth announced that pursuant to the cclh Bylaws the following positions were open on the Executive:
President
First Vice-President
Secretary
Treasurer
Member at Large
Kirk Niergarth declared nominations open for the position of cclh President.
Ben Isitt nominated Kassandra Luciuk for President. After seeking clarification on the duties of President, Kassandra Luciuk accepted the nomination. Kirk Niergarth called three times for further nominations. There being none, Kirk Niergarth declared Kassandra Luciuk acclaimed as cclh President.
Kirk Niergarth declared nominations open for the position of First Vice-President.
Kassandra Luciuk nominated Andrea Samoil for First Vice-President. Andrea Samoil accepted the nomination. Kirk Niergarth called three times for further nominations. There being none, Kirk Niergarth declared Andrea Samoil acclaimed as cclh First Vice-President.
Kirk Niergarth declared nominations open for the position of Secretary.
Greg Kealey nominated Ben Isitt for Secretary. Ben Isitt accepted the nomination. Kirk Niergarth called three times for further nominations. There being none, Kirk Niergarth declared Ben Isitt acclaimed as cclh Secretary.
Kirk Niergarth declared nominations open for the position of Treasurer.
Jim Naylor nominated Greg Kealey for Treasurer. Greg Kealey accepted the nomination. Kirk Niergarth called three times for further nominations. There being none, Kirk Niergarth declared Greg Kealey acclaimed as cclh Treasurer.
Kirk Niergarth declared nominations open for the position of Member at Large.
Julia Smith nominated Jason Russell for Member at Large. Jason Russell accepted the nomination. Kirk Niergarth called three times for further nominations. There being none, Kirk Niergarth declared Jason Russell acclaimed as cclh Member at Large.
8. new business
(a) Scheduling of 2023 Annual General Meeting
Kirk Niergarth asked members about scheduling the 2023 cclh annual general meeting, and whether to convene the meeting virtually or in person at Congress 2023.
Kassandra Luciuk spoke in favour of convening the 2023 annual general meeting virtually to optimize accessibility for potential new participants.
Andrea Samoil also spoke in favour of convening the 2023 annual general meeting virtually.
Kathy Killoh noted that timing of preparation of the annual financial statements is tight and that it would be difficult to have the statements ready for presentation at an earlier annual general meeting.
Kirk Niergarth also spoke in favour of convening the 2023 annual general meeting virtually.
(b) Volunteers for cclh Prize Committees
Kirk Niergarth asked for volunteers for the 2023 cclh prize committees. The following members volunteered to serve:
Julia Smith
Jim Naylor
Eric Tucker
9. announcements
Members announced the following publications by cclh members:
James Naylor, Rhonda L. Hinther, and Jim Mochoruk, Eds., For a Better World: The Winnipeg General Strike and the Workers’ Revolt (Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 2022)
Benjamin Isitt and Ravi Malhotra, Eds., Class Warrior: The Selected Works of E. T. Kingsley (Athabasca: AU Press, 2022)
Ron Verzuh, Smelter Wars: A Rebellious Red Trade Union Fights for Its Life in Wartime Western Canada (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2022)
Charles Smith acknowledged Elizabeth Quinlan’s efforts to rebuild Labour Studies Programming at the University of Saskatchewan, including a course in Labour History.
10. adjournment
It was moved by Linda Kealey, seconded by Charles Smith, that the meeting adjourn.
Carried unanimously.
The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 2:05 pm mt.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52975/llt.2021v88.0033.
Copyright © 2022 by the Canadian Committee on Labour History. All rights reserved.
Tous droits réservés, © « le Comité canadien sur l’histoire du travail », 2022.