2008 Minutes

Aurora logo 2008 CSFFA BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES

for Canvention 28 held in conjunction with KEYCON 25 at the Radisson Skyview Hotel, Winnipeg. May 19, 2008.

[Please note: the CSFFA Constitution requires a 2/3 majority for a motion to pass and the motion must be ratified at the Business Meeting the following year before taking effect]

IN ATTENDANCE:

Clint Budd, John Mansfield, Randy McCharles, Virginia O’Dine, Leamber Raven, Robert Sawyer, Dave Strang, Hayden Trenholm, Ed Walker, Michael Walsh (Chair), Susan Walsh
CALL TO ORDER: 10:00 A.M.
Appointment of a recording secretary (Cliff Samuels)

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING: read and considered. Acceptance of the minutes were moved by Robert Sawyer and seconded by Hayden Trenholm.
Carried +# 10 -# 0

OLD BUSINESS: (arising from the Minutes).
Motion to Confirm the Aurora Awards Committee for continuing operation.
moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Virginia O’Dine. Carried +# 9 -# 1

Motion to lift the cap on the number of Aurora Awards Committee members.
moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Leamber Raven Carried +# 9 -# 1

NEW BUSINESS:
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AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AURORA AWARDS COMMITTEE

MOVED THAT:
Article I, Section 5: Authority and responsibility for all matters concerning the Canvention, except those reserved herein to CSFFA, shall rest with the Canvention Committee, which shall act in its own name and not in that of CSFFA.

BE AMENDED TO:
Article I, Section 5: Authority and responsibility for all matters concerning Canvention, except those reserved herein to CSFFA, shall rest with the Aurora Awards Committee, which must act in consultation with the Canvention Committee of the host Convention.

Moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Dave Strang Carried +# 9 -# 1
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MOVED THAT:
Article II...Section 8: Nominations: Selection of nominees for the final Award voting shall be done by a poll conducted by the Canvention Committee, in which each nominator shall be allowed to make three (3) equally weighted nominations in each category. Assignment to the proper category of nominees nominated in each category, and eligibility of nominees, shall be determined by the Canvention Committee.

BE AMENDED TO:
Article II...Section 8: Nominations: Selection of nominees for the final Award voting shall be done by a poll conducted by the Canvention Aurora Awards Committee, in which each nominator shall be allowed to make three (3) equally weighted nominations in each category. Assignment to the proper category of nominees nominated in each category, and eligibility of nominees, shall be determined by the Canvention Aurora Awards Committee. No nominee shall appear on the final award ballot if they received fewer than five (5) nominations.

Moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Robert Sawyer Carried +# 10 -# 1
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MOVED THAT:
Article II...Section 9: Final Ballot: Final award ballots shall standardize nominees given in each category to not more than five (5) (except in the case of tie votes for last place) plus "No Award". The Committee shall, on or with the final ballot, designate, for each nominee in the printed fiction categories, one or more books, anthologies, or magazines in which the nominated work appeared (including the book publisher or magazine issue date{s}). No nominee shall appear on the final award ballot if it received fewer than two (2) nominations.

BE AMENDED TO:
Article II...Section 9: Final Ballot: Final award ballots shall standardize nominees given in each category to not more than five (5) (except in the case of tie votes for last place) plus "No Award". The Committee shall, on or with the final ballot, designate, for each nominee in the printed fiction categories, one or more books, anthologies, or magazines in which the nominated work appeared (including the book publisher or magazine issue date{s}). No nominee shall appear on the final award ballot if it received fewer than two (2) nominations. Any category with fewer than two finalists shall be declared vacant for the current year.

Moved by Robert Sawyer and seconded by Leamber Raven. Carried +#10 -#0
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MOVED THAT:
Article II...Section 10: Voting: Final Award voting shall be by mail, with ballots sent to CSFFA members and to the general SF community. Final award ballots shall include name, signature, address and membership-number spaces to be filled in by the voter. If a voter is not currently a member of Canvention, they may include the AURORA voting fee with their ballot. No vote shall be counted without proof of a least a voting fee or membership. Voters shall indicate the order of their preference for the nominees in each category.
BE AMENDED TO:
Article II...Section 10: Voting: Final Award voting shall be by mail, online and on-site (depending on the Aurora Awards Committee/Canvention’s decision for that year). Ballots will be made available to CSFFA members and to the general SF community. Final award ballots shall include name, address and email-address (wherever available) spaces to be filled in by the voter. If a voter is not currently a member of Canvention, they must include the AURORA voting fee with their ballot. No vote shall be counted without proof of a least a voting fee or membership. Voters shall indicate the order of their preference for the nominees in each category.

* * * * * * * WITHDRAWN * * * * * * *
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MOVED THAT:
Article II...Section 11: The AURORA voting fee shall be set by the current Canvention committee.

BE AMENDED TO:
Article II...Section 11: The AURORA Nominating/Voting fee shall be set by the current Canvention committee. Aurora Award Committee in consultation with the current Canvention committee. There will be one fee which entitles the member to nominate and to vote. (If the member is too late for the nomination period the same fee still applies through the voting period). If a voter is not currently a member of Canvention, they must include the AURORA voting fee with their Nomination or Voting ballot. No vote shall be counted without proof of a voting fee or membership.

Moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Leamber Raven Defeated +# 6 -# 1 Absentions 4
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MOVED THAT:
Article II...Section 12: Tallying: Counting of all votes shall be the responsibility of the Canvention Committee. In each category, votes shall first be tallied by the voters' first choice. If no majority is then obtained, the nominee who places last in the initial tallying shall be eliminated and the ballots listing it as first choice shall be redistributed on the basis of those ballots' second choice. This process shall be repeated until a majority-vote winner is obtained. The complete numerical vote totals, including all preliminary tallies, shall be made public by the Canvention Committee within ninety (90) days after the Canvention.

Article II...Section 12: Tallying: Counting of all votes shall be the responsibility of the Canvention Committee Aurora Award Committee. In each category, votes shall first be tallied by the voters' first choice. If no majority is then obtained, the nominee who places last in the initial tallying shall be eliminated and the ballots listing it as first choice shall be redistributed on the basis of those ballots' second choice. This process shall be repeated until a majority-vote winner is obtained. The complete numerical vote totals, including all preliminary tallies, shall be made public by the Canvention Committee within ninety (90) days after the Canvention.

Moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Ed Walker Carried +# 11 -# 0
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CATEGORIES
MOVED THAT:
Article II...Section 2: Best Work in English

......A: Best long-form work in English: For a published novel or fiction collection in the English language by a Canadian writer released in Canada within the previous calendar year. Such a work may be science fiction or fantasy.

BE AMENDED TO:
Article II...Section 2: ......A: Best Novel in English: For a published novel in the English language by a Canadian writer released in Canada within the previous calendar year. Such a work shall be science fiction or fantasy. A novel is defined as any work longer than 40,000 words or more. At an author's request, a novella-length work published individually, rather than as part of a collection or an anthology, may appear in the novel category.
moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Randy McCharles Carried +# 10 -# 0
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MOVED THAT:
......B: Best short-form work in English: For a published novella, novelette, short story or poem in the English language by a Canadian writer released in Canada in the previous calendar year. Such work shall be science fiction or fantasy.

BE AMENDED TO:
......B: Best short-form work in English: For a published novella, novelette, short story or short-short (flash fiction), poem or music lyrics in the English language by a Canadian writer released in Canada in the previous calendar year. Such work shall be science fiction or fantasy.
    Flash Fiction is defined as any work up to 1,000 words.
    A Short Story is defined as any work from 1000 to 7,500 words.
    A Novelette is defined as any work at least 7,500 words but less than 17,500 words.
    A Novella is defined as any work at least 17,500 words but less than 40,000 words.

* * * * * * * WITHDRAWN * * * * * * *
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FRENCH CATEGORIES
to be referred to a sub-committee of the Awards Committee, composed primarily of interested French-speaking members, for recommendations.
ARTISTIC CATEGORY
to be referred to a sub-committee of the Awards Committee, composed primarily, of interested SF&F Canadian Artists for recommendations.
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MOVED THAT:
Article II...Section 5: Fan Achievement:

......A: Fan Achievement (publication): For a Canadian fanzine or fannish newsletter or amateur publication relating to science fiction and fantasy fandom published at least once during the previous calendar year. Publications may be either hard copy/paper or electronic. Club publications, such as clubzines, are not eligible for this award.

BE AMENDED TO:

Article II......A: Fan Achievement (publication): For a Canadian fanzine or fannish newsletter, amateur publication or blog or other type of publication relating to science fiction and fantasy fandom published either in hard copy/paper or electronically at least once during the previous calendar year. Club publications, such as clubzines, are eligible for this award. This award is open to a wide range of fannish publications in all media.
Moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Robert Sawyer Carried +# 11 -# 0
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AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

Article III - Constitution and Powers of the Business Meeting

MOVED THAT:
Article III...Section 1: Any proposal to amend the Constitution of CSFFA shall require for passage a two-thirds majority of the votes cast on the question at the Business Meeting of CSFFA at which it is debated; and must be ratified by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast at the Business Meeting of CSFFA at the following Canvention.

BE AMENDED TO:
Article III...Section 1: Any proposal to amend the Constitution of CSFFA shall require for passage a two-thirds majority of the votes cast on the question at the Business Meeting of CSFFA at which it is debated.

Moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Ed Walker Defeated +# 5 -# 4
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MOVED THAT:
Article III...Section 2: Any change to the Constitution of CSFFA shall take effect at the end of the Canvention at which such change is ratified.

BE AMENDED TO:
Article III...Section 2: Any change to the Constitution of CSFFA shall take effect at the end of the Canvention at which such change is passed.

moved by Clint Budd and seconded by Leamber Raven Defeated+# 7 -# 1
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CHOOSING THE 2008 HOST.
Bid Committee presentation was made by John Mansfield on behalf of Anticipation 2009/Worldcon.

Moved that Anticipation be Canvention 29
Moved by John Mansfield, seconded by Leamber Raven Carried +#11 -# 0

Adjournment 11:00 AM ...