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Special Meeting of Members
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2017
Time: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM EST

British Columbia and Yukon - 10:30 a.m. your time
Alberta, NWT, Saskatchewan - 11:30 a.m. your time
Manitoba - 12:30 p.m. your time
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia - 2:30 p.m. your time Newfoundland - 3 p.m. your time


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An Open Letter to CHHA Members

On behalf of your National Board of Directors, I am writing to address a serious issue that concerns the health of the organization we all cherish. This situation is particularly poignant during our 35th anniversary year that we recently celebrated at our National Conference just four short months ago. Our goal is that by the end of this letter, you will be moved to support the Board that currently serves you with pride. This is YOUR association and your voice matters.

Last year, I shared with you how my legal education combined with my long-standing advocacy efforts and my desire to lead positive and proactive change within CHHA would be an asset given the challenging times CHHA has seen over the past several years, along with a shifting non-profit sector and emerging trends that CHHA must address to remain vital. Many of you agreed with my statement, democratically electing me as your National President in May 2016. I have been honoured to serve you ever since, and have worked diligently to raise CHHA's profile within our federal government and across Canada. In addition, it has been a pleasure to work alongside your current National Board, people of tremendous integrity, commitment, good humour, and dedication to CHHA. I am privileged to lead a supportive team that engages in respectful dialogue taking into consideration varied perspectives to make CHHA even stronger.

The National Board is focused on the key issues that matter to our members, including:
  • the creation of a national campaign that raises awareness of Canadians with hearing loss as key economic and social contributors across Canada;
  • the removal of barriers that we all face every day by mobilizing a national movement to change attitudes and create a hearing accessible society;
  • the use of technology to bring together Canadians living with hearing loss and improve access to information;
  • the reduction of isolation, the creation of safe places, and the increase of access to information, thereby strengthening our communities across Canada; and
  • increasing the diversity of our membership and outreach because we know that hearing loss affects ALL Canadians - new Canadians, racialized groups, Indigenous peoples, Francophones, and the LGBTQ+ communities.
However, a small but vocal group appears to be resistant to the change CHHA needs to make. They demanded a Special Meeting of Members for the sole purpose of removing the current Board and replacing us with the Immediate Past President along with the five Board Directors who chose to resign over the course of the year. The Board has complied with this request and a meeting has been arranged for Saturday, October 14th in an online format so as to pose no barriers (physical or financial) to our members so they may vote on this critical motion regarding the future of CHHA.The CHHA Board listened to members during a four-hour Town Hall and AGM in Sidney in May. We heard your questions and shared your frustration, as your questions regarding the actions of Board directors who voluntarily resigned over the past year (and now seek to replace us) could not be answered. We heard your frustrations about the dismissal of a CHHA National staff member. However, we also explained at length our inability to talk about employment matters. Any such discussion would not only put CHHA at risk but also be a violation of the trust that you bestowed upon us. While upholding our legal obligations to CHHA, we were (and continue to be) accused of "hiding" behind the law and failing to be transparent. Nevertheless, we were thankful for the comments that revealed a passionate and engaged membership - if no one spoke, that would mean no one cared. We came away an even stronger team, determined to continue our work to accomplish the many things that need to be done to strengthen CHHA.

Since the Town Hall and AGM, your Board has been active: Board training has taken place, a Director of Resource Development was selected, the recruitment and selection of three candidates for Executive Director were identified, and work on updated or new policies and procedures as well as an extensive review of our by-laws continued. Unfortunately, all of this has been put on hold so the Board could focus on the considerable work of pulling together this special meeting.

Make no mistake; the actions of a few have already caused severe consequences for CHHA that will only increase. Canada's disability community is small, and news of this irrational move has spread like wildfire. Many of our community partners on the Spotlight on Invisible Disabilities project have expressed concern. The CHHA National staff is understandably anxious. More importantly, the Board has heard from hundreds of CHHA members who have shared their anger, sadness, confusion, disgust, and yes, tears, that this drastic course of action was felt to be necessary. Many fear that CHHA will never be the same, as a small group appears determined to tear down what your current Board has been working hard to rebuild. Some fear that CHHA will simply no longer exist. All unequivocally find the political games distasteful, indicating if the current Board is removed, they will resign as members.CHHA's once sterling reputation has now been tarnished This will affect our ability to gain the trust of collaborative partners and funders in the future. By clanging the alarm bell, it will be difficult if not impossible for CHHA to unring that bell. We need your support to put an end to this. We strongly urge you to vote to support your current Board in this process, as every single vote will add to the strength of our unity.

Friends, your National Board has been transparent about our processes and our path forward. Last May, you elected me as your President and voted in the Board directors to act in your interests with integrity, honesty, and due diligence. Directors resigned over the course of the year and we carefully appointed their replacements. You elected a Board that was tasked with revitalizing CHHA and bringing about positive change.

We have remained consistent in our approach and transparent in our actions. Since the announcement of the special meeting on September 5th, members have asked questions of the Board and provided feedback. The Board continues to listen. To provide you with further information, for your review are the answers to many of the questions we have received, which you can find here.

Members are also reaching out to the Board to defend ourselves against these attacks, to lash out. We refuse to play that game, preferring to conduct ourselves with dignity and respect the ability of CHHA members to come to their own conclusions as opposed to being told what to do. Personal attacks on the President and the Board directors have no place within ANY disability organization designed to be supportive of members all too familiar with the sting of such harmful comments. This is very clearly a decision that all members must make in terms of the progress (or not) of our organization in service to our members. You have told us to do better, we think we can do better, and we have a plan to execute that. To do this, we need your vote and support.

It is time to end the politics of division and build a strong national organization that serves all members from Victoria to Yellowknife to St. John’s. Your confidential vote on October 14th will dictate the future you want for CHHA. We encourage you to vote with your hearts but also do your research. Reach out to me as your President if you have questions and I will answer them as quickly as I can. Regardless of your feelings in relation to the matter before you, I encourage you to exercise your important right as a member and cast your ballot.

In closing, I am reminded of the sage words of the late NDP leader Jack Layton:

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.

Sincerely,

Lorin MacDonald
President, CHHA National

lmacdonald@chha.ca