Following the custom set by the Rapoports four years ago, the meeting was preceded by an informal dinner, hosted this time by Jean Smith and John Valleau in their home at 12 Belle Ayre Blvd., Toronto. The nineteen members in attendance included Bob Korol (McMaster), Janet Wood (Guelph) and Rank Thompson (Waterloo). Typically the meeting began about 7:30 p.m. and ended around 11:00. Following established procedures, reports were received from the four executive officers and from the Chapter representatives present.
A detailed report on the extensive publicity campaign undertaken by the Canadian Nuclear Association was given by Norm Rubin of Energy Probe. The original campaign was to be jointly financed by Ontario Hydro and AECL in the amount of $4 million per year for a period of 5 years — glossy magazine ads, TV commercials, educational junkets, the works. Under public pressures and actions by such organizations as Energy Probe, Ontario Hydro withdrew support, so the campaign level is now $2 million per year.
An account by the President of his visit to Bulgaria to participate in the celebrations of the signing, 110 years ago, of the Treaty of San Stefano is given elsewhere in this issue. The Executive Vice President reported on the continuing work of organizing the Conference on Peaceful Cooperation in the Arctic which is to take place in Toronto in October of this year; a fuller account of this conference appeared in last month’s Bulletin. The Treasurer reported assets of $7032 in the general fund and liabilities of $4981, leaving a working balance of $2051. The Gordon Foundation grant for secretarial services in the main office (Catherine Armstrong) is invested in term deposits. The bulk of the Blumenfeld Peace Fund, $41,000, is invested in bonds. New donations to the Blumenfeld Fund stand at $888 and there is about $4000 in a bank account. Automating membership renewals for Science for Peace is now well under way. In the interim cash flow will have to be carefully monitored. A new membership campaign should be undertaken as soon as it can be arranged.
Frank Thompson reported that an analysis of the Defence White Paper is being developed at Waterloo, and a report should be ready in the Fall. Rob Dickinson is proceeding, despite funding difficulties, with a project to bring youth in the USSR and Eastern Bloc countries into the world-wide International Student Information Service (ISIS). Janet Wood reported briefly on the Guelph Chapter’s plans to host a South-Central Ontario meeting this spring. The Toronto Chapter remains very active with its popular Wednesday evening lectures on peace issues. Its first book of lectures entitled The Name of the Chamber was Peace has now appeared in publication (U of T Press) and is available through the National Office for $10.
The Bulletin came in for considerable discussion both as to content and processing. Generally members felt very positive about the latest format. Dr. Dove stated that the Executive was looking for a temporary Editor for the next three issues, pending appointment of an Editor by the new Board for the 1988-89 series beginning in September. (No issues are produced in July and August.) There was considerable support for the Bulletin’s continuing to publish short articles, letters and information items keeping members up-to-date, while the Publications Committee dealt with substantial (edited) papers in the ‘Occasional Papers’ series.
A notice of motion in the form of a letter from Executive members Dove, Valleau and Trainor had been sent to the Board members; it recommended ‘that in recognition of his outstanding service to the cause of peace, and as an expression of their wish to facilitate a continuance of that service, the 1987-88 Board of Directors of Science for Peace strongly recommends to the members of the incoming Board that Dr. George Ignatieff be elected Honorary President of Science for 1988-89’. In the discussion it was pointed out that previous Presidents Fawcett and Rapoport now hold University of Toronto appointments and thus have operating bases within a university. This motion was intended to give a base to Dr. Ignatieff, to allow him to continue his work. In introducing the motion the Secretary paid tribute to all three Presidents: to Dr. Fawcett for having conceived the idea and for getting Science for Peace off the ground, to Dr. Rapoport for having professionalised Science for Peace and expanded its activities, and to Dr. Ignatieff for his remarkable leadership over the past two years. The motion passed unanimously, as did a motion recommending to the incoming Board that it extend to Gwen and Anatol Rapoport “appropriate expressions of appreciation and an invitation to participation and responsibility in the organization”.
The following specific actions were taken:
Chandler Davis (Chair) and Brian Turrell were appointed as the Nominating Committee members, following the resignations of Anatol Rapoport and Michael Lanphier.
Derek Paul was appointed temporary Chairman of the Publications Committee following the resignation of Anatol Rapoport, and given authority to proceed with the publication of Occasional Papers, in consultation with the Executive and within the financial limits of the revolving fund established and contributed to by Anatol Rapoport.
A Committee consisting of Terry Gardner, Ed Barbeau and Bill Klassen was established to examine the relationship between Science for Peace and University College with respect to such matters as continuing space for the National Office, and to bring in a set of proposals to the Executive for an eventual approach by the Board to Principal Peter Richardson. Additional discussion involved such questions as the plutonium overflights, the bumping of ships in the Black Sea, organizational arrangements for the Arctic Conference in October, the Polanyi Fund, and contact with the press. A suggestion was made that someone attached to the Executive next year, but living in Toronto, perhaps the Assistant Treasurer, could be appointed to oversee the day-to-day operations of the National Office and to maintain liaison with the predominantly Western Executive. Walter Dom announced preliminary planning for a Fall workshop on chemical weapons and verification. A request by Lee Lorch that the minutes be sent routinely to Members of the Advisory Committee was approved.
— Lynn Trainor, Secretary
Call For Nominations for the next Board of Directors and Executive
The Annual General Meeting of Science for Peace will take place on May 7, 1988, so that nominations are now needed for election to the Board of Directors. The present Board is listed in this year’s brochure. The terms of office of the following members of the Board of Directors end in 1988: Walter Dorn (Toronto), Philip Ehrensaft (Montreal), Cynthia Folzer (Waterloo), Terry Gardner (Toronto), David Horwood (Montreal), Robert Korol (Hamilton), Margarida Krause (Fredericton), Michael Lanphier (Toronto), Paul LeBlond (Vancouver), Robert Malcolmson (Kingston), Peter Nicholls (St. Catharines), David Parnas (Kingston), Derek Paul (Toronto), David Roulston (Waterloo), Norman Rubin (Toronto), Frank Thompson (Waterloo), Lynn Trainor (Toronto), Michael Wallace (Vancouver), Philip Wallace (Pointe Claire).
All members of Science for Peace, including retiring members of the Board, are eligible for nomination. The present Board has 7 women and 34 men, the largest proportion of women that we have had, but still unbalanced in gender representation. All of the Executive positions — President, Executive Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, are open for nominations. Elections to these positions will take place at the Board meeting immediately following the Annual General Meeting.
Send nominations to the Chairman of the Nominating Committee, Science for Peace, University College, Toronto, M5S 1A1.
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