CCEDNet members gathered online last week to participate in the 2017 annual general meeting (AGM).

This was the third year CCEDNet has held an entirely virtual AGM.  Our online platform allowed for moving, seconding and voting on resolutions, a chat room for written comments and questions, integration with an English teleconference line and a French teleconference line and simultaneous translation between the two lines.

It was surely a technological feat and not without some mishaps. Apologies to those few that were unable to get the platform to work on their computers. Better navigating technical issues will a focus for improvement next year. But all told the event was a success - and we managed to pull it off in a tight 1 hour timeframe!

Watch the AGM Recording

Diana Jedig helped the meeting run smoothly as meeting chair, the second time she's chaired one of our virtual AGMs. Feedback following the AGM has been very positive again this year. Here are a few things our members had to say about the AGM:

• This is the second year I have participated. I think more organizations should adopt this format. Thank you for the opportunity to participate.
• Very impressive technology. (This was my first AGM and first time seeing such a thing.) Also, as someone with deep non-profit treasury experience, I thought the financials were very well presented.
• I very much like being able to do quick AGMs where I get the info I need to make informed decisions and can participate without having to leave the office!
• Seeing the cross-Canada connections was great.
• I think having web and phone in is very good combination. Bilingual is essential - works well.

CCEDNet's Executive Director, Mike Toye, presented highlights from 2016 and presented the audited financial statements, noting that with the social enterprise ecosystem project (S4ES) grant approval and the success of the long awaited return of the national CED conference in 2016 with preperations for making it an annual National conference, 2016 was another year of investment for CCEDNet.

S4ES will connect training, marketing, and impact measurement resources for social enterprises anywhere in Canada. Funding for the project is provided by The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, Mental Health Commission of Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada.

CCEDNet members also approved a resolution tabled by Yvon Poirier to call on the federal government to speed up the implementation of the UN's Social Development Goals and align public procurement to support them.

Members welcomed Kaye Grant to the Board and congratulated Diana Jedig, Wendy Keats and Carol Madsen on renewed Board mandates. Members alse expressed gratitude to outgoing Board members Bill Ninacs and Derek Pachal.   

Many thanks to the members who participated, the staff who organized the logistics, and to CCEDNet's Board members who guide the Network throughout the year.