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Given that you admitted being “confused” and “at a loss”, allow me to set the record straight and my apologies if I sound like I am mansplaining things, Daniel.
In fact, I did follow the rules of order as well as the law and other norms of governance; you fail to say how I didn’t follow them BTW. Just an accusation that is ill-founded! CIRA did not. FYI, I even talked to Hartley R. Nathan Q.C, the author of the rules having taken the authorship over from Wainberg (upon his death).
The basic tenet of all such rules is that a meeting is a democratic process, and the Chair facilitates democratic order, allowing all to speak in turn and that all decisions are made by the assembly; no decisions are made by the Chair. That was not done! The Chair, this year and last, thought she was managing an unruly mob and imposed her will and not the members will – your viewpoint notwithstanding.
A meeting of shareholders or members must be femocratic and follow all the norms of civil society. One of those norms is that we must know each other, to have a conversation as well as validate each others full participation. Last year, for example, we had CIRA staff milling about, with full access possibly.
I agree with you that the software wasn’t working well enough. I do note that I attend meetings – board and assembly – using proven – not experimental – technologies such as ZOOM and Teams. Do you wonder how an IT shop such as CIRA couldn’t find an IT platform that worked or did not know how to make it work? How many members struggle with its use throughout the 2 hour session?
The CNPA (not CNFPA) is clear on requirements but CIRA skirts the law, as well as creates unnecessary barriers to members participation. NFP members have similar rights to shareholder of a For Profit corporation. Moreover, the law – CNPA – is based on the commercial version, incorporating the basic principals throughout. So given your expertise in law and business you can advocate to change the law and I am happy to give you their coordinates having spent much time with them already.
I hope you realize that CIRA is a not for profit corporation that pays no corporate taxes. It was created for a special mission – to manage the “.ca” domain registry. Certainly not to gallivant about the Caribbean and elsewhere, while flying business class everywhere, pretending that others will follow. Members realize that travel expenses have shot up!
Do you care that CIRA has provide both misinformation and disinformation?
Do you care that CIRA touts that they are a world leader but in fact they only manage 3 ½ million domains out of more than 150 million ccTLDs? Do you know that DENIC operates 16 ½ m domains with about the same number of staff as CIRA? Do you care if the CEO is making more than $200K? Or $500K? If the latter, shouldn’t you know what it is? In law, all for profit corporations – the standard and norm – is full disclosure of executive compensation? What is CIRA hiding?
You will only know better, once CIRA reveals all, as sunshine is the best disinfectant, puffery notwithstanding. You may not care but many CIRA members do, and I have the stats.