We do indeed live in interesting times. Normally HSO holds its Annual General Meeting in May, but with all of us putting our lives on hold, the decision was made in April to postpone the AGM until we could safely get together again. Once it became clear that a community gathering was not going to happen soon, the decision was made to invite as many members as possible to join us electronically for an Annual General Meeting on July 22, 2020. We’re aware that this is not a perfect solution, since some of our members may not have an internet connection, but at this “interesting time” we felt that an on-line AGM, via Zoom, was the best way to connect to members and get some much-needed housecleaning done.

If you’ve not heard of Zoom (I hadn’t until just a few months ago), it’s like a conference call but on your computer or tablet. Zoom allows those who have linked in to the meeting to post comments, ask questions and – most importantly for us – vote on motions.

Considering this was our first attempt at an on-line AGM, and a first-time experience for many of the 29 members who joined in, the event went smoothly. A glitch with the voting process early on was quickly resolved by having members vote through the “Chat” option. Special thank to one of our directors, Erik Foisy, for chairing the event under challenging circumstances.

Here’s an update of the AGM for those who were unable to “attend”.

James Powell ask for a motion, seconded by Randy Boswell, to approve the agenda. Lynn Payton moved to have the minutes of the 2019 AGM approved, seconded by Dylan Van Heck. (The agenda for the 2020 AGM and the minutes of the 2019 AGM had earlier been sent to members). Both motions were carried.

Then the members were asked to approve the President’s report, as well as the reports from the Membership committee, Regular Events committee, Special Events committee, Publications committee, and Communications committee. These reports were sent out to members prior to the AGM. A motion to approve these reports was made by Karen Lynn Ouellette, and seconded by Dylan Van Heck. The motion was carried.

James Powell was invited to present members with a brief explanation of our 2020 Budget, and a Special Financial Statement. Before voting to approve these, Karen Lynn made a motion (seconded by Dylan Van Heck) that monies in excess of $50,000 in the R&D fund and $10,000 in the Colonel By Fund be used to fund projects consistent with the HSO mandate. After discussion, the motion was present and carried. As a result of approval of this motion, Karen Lynn made another motion (seconded by Dorothy Phillips), that HSO develop a clear process to encourage and receive ideas from our members about how to utilize these liberated funds, reviewing the ideas based on clear criteria supporting the society’s mandate, and a clear process for decision-making. The participating members discussed this motion through Zoom’s “Chat” option. The motion was carried.

Next, a motion to approve the HSO’s 2020 Budget was made by Dylan Van Heck, and seconded by Lynn Payton. The motion was carried.

Last on the agenda was the nomination and election of directors. The slate of directors presented, alphabetically, is as follows: Dave Allston (Director at Large), Randy Boswell (Newsletter and Publications), Richard Collins (Director at Large), Erik Foisy (Treasurer), Kathy Krywicki (Secretary), George Neville (Past President), Karen Lynn Ouellette (President), Evlyn Payton (Special Events), and James Powell (Communications). Dylan Van Heck (who, as you can tell by now is an experienced Chat user and, as a result, quick to reply to motions) made the motion to accept the slate of directors as presented. I had the honour of seconding the last motion of the AGM. The motion was carried.

It took about 90 minutes to get through the meeting, but it was necessary, and those who participated generally agreed that our first “virtual AGM” was a unique experience and well worth their time.

Hope to see you all for our next AGM . . . in person.

Owing to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, our President, Karen Lynn Ouellette, unanimously supported by the Society’s Board of Directors, announces that the Society’s Annual General Meeting, scheduled to be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at the Main Branch of the Ottawa Public Library, has been postponed. The meeting will be rescheduled once there is a clearer idea of when the emergency will be lifted and members can once again meet in safety.

The Society is managed by its members through a volunteer Board of Directors elected each year at the Annual General meeting.

Directors

Emma Kent, President
Erik Foisy, Treasurer
Dave Kent, Secretary

Richard Collins
Scheherazade Khan
David Martin
Sonja McKay
Abbie Simpson
Amin Zahrai

Committees and Working Groups

Awards Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Recognizes the work of local historians on Ottawa and its regions.

• Emma Kent (Advisor)
• David Martin (Advisor)
• Amin Zahrai (Advisor)
• Erik J. Foisy (Advisor)
• Roxy Woodward-Whyte (Advisor)

 Communications Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

• David Kent (Secretary)
• James Powell (Comms Officer)
• Kirsten Widdes (Blog Administrator)
• Karen Lynn Ouellette (Volunteer Recruiter)
• Noah Rolland (Instagram)
• Ben Weiss (Facebook & Emails)
• Ivan Tanner (Cumberland Township Historical Society Liaison)

Executive Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for conducting the affairs of the Society in accordance with the purposes and objectives of the Society and the decisions of its Board.

• Emma Kent (President)
• Karen Lynn Ouellette (Past-President)
• Erik J. Foisy (Vice-President)

French Program | Programmation en français (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Faire rayonner en français l’histoire d’Ottawa et de la région.

• Christine Matamoros (Speaker’s Series)
• Fernanda Arenas Suxo (Advisor)
• Amin Zahrai (Advisor)

Governance Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Tasked with ensuring that a nonprofit’s board of directors is functioning appropriately and efficiently.

• Abbie Simpson (Chair)
• Emma Kent (Advisor)
• Erik J. Foisy (Advisor)

Budgetary Sub-Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Review present finances and propose plans to align with our typical annual income.

• Ben Weiss (Co-Chair)
• Erik J. Foisy (Co-Chair)
• Emma Kent (Advisor)

Seal & Symbol Sub-Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Review of the Historical Society of Ottawa symbol and seal along with the introduction of an alternative logo.

• Emma Kent (Chair)
• Ben Weiss (Advisor)
• Erik J. Foisy (Advisor) 
• David Martin (Advisor)

Indigenous Program Committee

Working to support HSO in including Indigenous history and perspectives in programming.

• Scheherazade Khan (Advisor)
• Amin Zahrai (Advisor)
• David Martin (Advisor)
• Ben Weiss (Advisor)

Membership Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for all aspects of the HSO membership.

• Sonja McKay (Chair)
• Beverly Sawchuk (Telephone Tree)
• Erik J. Foisy (Advisor)
• Karen Lynn Ouellette (Advisor)

Nominating Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for the nominations for directorship at the Annual General Meeting.

• Erik J. Foisy (Chair)
• David Kent (Advisor)
• David Martin (Advisor)

Outreach Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for recruitment of volunteers and ensuring that our presentations, publications, and activities consider diverse cultural perspectives and address past and present injustices.

• Amin Zahrai (Chair)
• Karen Lynn Ouellette (Advisor)
• Sonja McKay (Advisor)

Publication Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for all HSO publications, in all mediums, whether virtual or physical.

• Erik J. Foisy (Chair)
• David Martin (Deputy Publications Director)
• Christine Jackson (Pamphlet Series Editor)
• Richard Collins (Newsletter Editor)
• Ariana Bahrampour (Newsletter Photojournalist)
• Kathy Krywicki (Website Editor)
• John Leefe (Memory Project)
• Sadie Cann (Memory Project)

Editorial Review Sub-Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Reviewers for any publication, focusing primarily on the pamphlet series.

• Scheherazade Khan (Editorial Reviewer)
• Richard Collins (Editorial Reviewer)
• Shawn Tallon (Editorial Reviewer)
• Emma Kent (Editorial Reviewer)
• Amin Zahrai (Editorial Reviewer)
• Kirsten Widdes (Editorial Reviewer)
• David Martin (Editorial Reviewer)
• Ben Weiss (Editorial Reviewer)

Regular Events Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

• Scheherazade Khan (Speakers Series Chair)
• Georgette Souaid & Jacob Salloum (Zoom & Technical Team)
• Ben Weiss (Advisor)
• Karen Lynn Ouellette (In-House Speakers Series/ Museum Club)
• David Kent (Museum Club Chair)
• Erik J. Foisy (In-House Speakers Series)

Inventory Review Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

• Erik J. Foisy (Chair)
• Bytown Museum (Advisors)
• Nivethini Jekku (Advisor)
• Dave Kent (Advisor)
• Emma Kent (Advisor)
• Kathy Krywicki (Advisor)
• Dave Mullington (Advisor)
• Connie Wren-Gunn (Advisor)

Contact Info

• To reach the Historical Society of Ottawa President: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• To reach the Vice President: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• To reach the Treasurer: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about publications: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about membership: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about community outreach: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about special projects: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about events: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about the blog: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For general inquiries or to contact any of the directors: email The Historical Society of Ottawa at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.