A Conversation with Head Office

Cindy Currie, President of the STC, talked to our chapter and other Canadian chapters about our reluctance to give our surplus funds to STC Head Office, and our general feeling that we are not fully integrated in the international organization. There were representatives from the Canada West Coast, Alberta, Manitoba, Eastern Ontario, Toronto, and Montreal chapters, as well as us. Cindy was joined by Susan Burton, Executive Director/CEO, and Aiessa Moyna, Treasurer. We had a very constructive and enlightening conversation; these are the highlights:

• Canadian chapters are not legally obliged to give surplus funds to STC Head Office.


• Cindy made the case that if we want to see the STC survive, we should be motivated to help them out financially because without enough funding, the STC will collapse. Passing surplus funds to Head Office is meant to be a temporary measure to see them through the financial crisis.


• The Canadian chapters pointed out several important services that Head Office does not provide, such as a Canadian salary survey and group insurance. The Canadian chapters discussed taking the initiative to implement these purely Canadian services. Cindy said that the Society might fund these initiatives if we presented them with a business case.


• The Canadian chapters discussed whether to form a national organization.

The Canadian chapters are currently discussing where to go from here. In my opinion, all Canadian STC members would benefit from closer co-operation between the Canadian chapters, but whether there is enough collective will to form a national organization remains to be seen.

The Southwestern Ontario chapter is currently setting the budget for the rest of 2009 and 2010 to meet Head Office's deadline of August 17. As part of the budget discussion, we will explore what, if anything, we can do to help Head Office out of their financial crisis.

Your thoughts and feedback are always welcome.

I'll keep you posted on any new developments.